Category Archives: Solving tips

Instructions on how to solve Sudoku and other puzzles. Detailed solving tips and techniques for various kinds of puzzles, including Sudoku variants.

Griddlers solving – advanced techniques (Bordering)

A while ago I posted an explanation of an advanced Griddlers/Picross/Nonograms/Hanjie solving technique called Bordering. Here is another example of the bordering technique applied in a different way. Consider this partial nonogram in which only the top few rows are shown. Focus on the first three rows and the “7” clues in them. Where can […]
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How To Solve Picross (advanced)

It’s strange that I have never posted any solving techniques for Picross-Hanjie-Griddlers-Nonograms puzzles. I’ve explained some of them in my picross books, but never here on the website. So, that’s about to change and I’m immediately starting with an advanced solving technique, which I call “bordering“. Consider this example (it’s a part of a griddlers […]
Also posted in General, Picross | 3 Responses

How to solve Diagonal Sudoku X

I realize that I’ve never posted two sudoku solving techniques which are specific to Diagonal Sudoku puzzles. TweetHere they are. Diagonal and nonet interaction This one is a simple extension of the “row/column and nonet interaction technique”. Just look at this sample puzzle which has been solved using the standard techniques up to this point: […]
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How to solve Hitori: basic techniques

Solving Hitori puzzles is about recognizing patterns. I will show you some examples of those patterns. They can be split into two groups, one of those that depend solely on the initial positioning of numbers, and another group of patterns that depend on the black and white cells which have been painted in the solving […]
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How to solve Hidoku: “cornering” (or “dead-end”)

Here is an explanation of a Hidato solving technique that some people might find obvious and they use it without even thinking of it as a special technique. But, for those who still struggle with the more difficult puzzles, here is a quick guide of the technique that I call “cornering“. It can be used […]
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CalcuDoku, Killer Sudoku and Kakuro calculator!

Some of you may have already started playing “the new Sudoku” puzzles that appear in The Times (UK). We call them CalcuDoku or “Square Wisdom“. It’s an interesting concept, quite similar to Killer Sudoku, but with all four basic arithmetic operations involved. Another change is that repeats within a cage are allowed if possible. To […]
Also posted in CalcuDoku, Kakuro, Killer Sudoku, Puzzle variants | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 70 Responses

The Law of Leftovers (LOL)

I promised to explain this technique, which applies to Jigsaw Sudoku (aka irregular blocks) puzzles, a while ago, so it’s time to keep the promise. You can find the same technique explained on various other sites, too. This technique is somewhat similar to innies/outies which is used for solving Killer Sudoku puzzles, but there is […]
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