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Sudoku #25 — the solutions

The three Sudoku boards from October 25, 2026 — Easy, Medium and Hard — each with its solved grid and a path through it, step by step, that never needs a guess.

Easy — 36 digits given

Every cell falls to scanning: a digit with only one place left in a row, a column or a box.

The board

· · · | · 4 · | · 8 ·
4 · · | 2 3 8 | 9 · 6
3 · · | · · · | 1 · 5
------+-------+------
· · · | 9 7 · | 4 · 8
2 9 7 | · · · | 3 5 1
8 · 4 | · 2 3 | · · ·
------+-------+------
7 · 9 | · · · | · · 2
1 · 5 | 4 8 2 | · · 9
· 2 · | · 1 · | · · ·

The solution

9 7 6 | 1 4 5 | 2 8 3
4 5 1 | 2 3 8 | 9 7 6
3 8 2 | 6 9 7 | 1 4 5
------+-------+------
5 6 3 | 9 7 1 | 4 2 8
2 9 7 | 8 6 4 | 3 5 1
8 1 4 | 5 2 3 | 6 9 7
------+-------+------
7 4 9 | 3 5 6 | 8 1 2
1 3 5 | 4 8 2 | 7 6 9
6 2 8 | 7 1 9 | 5 3 4

A path through it

The order a solver takes — always the cheapest move left, so a pattern is only reached for when the singles run dry. 45 steps; yours need not match, and any order that never guesses ends on the same grid.

  1. Row 1, column 1 is 9. 9 has only one place left in the top-left box.
  2. Row 1, column 9 is 3. 3 has only one place left in the top-right box.
  3. Row 3, column 8 is 4. 4 has only one place left in the top-right box.
  4. Row 1, column 7 is 2. 2 has only one place left in the top-right box.
  5. Row 3, column 3 is 2. 2 has only one place left in the top-left box.
  6. Row 3, column 2 is 8. 8 has only one place left in the top-left box.
  7. Row 2, column 8 is 7. 7 has only one place left in the top-right box.
  8. Row 1, column 2 is 7. 7 has only one place left in the top-left box.
  9. Row 2, column 2 is 5. 5 has only one place left in the top-left box.
  10. Row 1, column 3 is 6. 6 has only one place left in the top-left box.
  11. Row 2, column 3 is 1. 1 has only one place left in the top-left box.
  12. Row 4, column 1 is 5. 5 has only one place left in the middle-left box.
  13. Row 5, column 6 is 4. 4 has only one place left in the center box.
  14. Row 6, column 4 is 5. 5 has only one place left in the center box.
  15. Row 1, column 6 is 5. 5 has only one place left in the top-center box.
  16. Row 1, column 4 is 1. 1 has only one place left in the top-center box.
  17. Row 4, column 6 is 1. 1 has only one place left in the center box.
  18. Row 6, column 2 is 1. 1 has only one place left in the middle-left box.
  19. Row 4, column 2 is 6. 6 has only one place left in the middle-left box.
  20. Row 4, column 3 is 3. 3 has only one place left in the middle-left box.
  21. Row 5, column 4 is 8. 8 has only one place left in the center box.
  22. Row 5, column 5 is 6. 6 has only one place left in the center box.
  23. Row 4, column 8 is 2. 2 has only one place left in the middle-right box.
  24. Row 6, column 8 is 9. 9 has only one place left in the middle-right box.
  25. Row 6, column 7 is 6. 6 has only one place left in the middle-right box.
  26. Row 6, column 9 is 7. 7 has only one place left in the middle-right box.
  27. Row 7, column 2 is 4. 4 has only one place left in the bottom-left box.
  28. Row 8, column 2 is 3. 3 has only one place left in the bottom-left box.
  29. Row 9, column 1 is 6. 6 has only one place left in the bottom-left box.
  30. Row 9, column 3 is 8. 8 has only one place left in the bottom-left box.
  31. Row 7, column 5 is 5. 5 has only one place left in the bottom-center box.
  32. Row 9, column 6 is 9. 9 has only one place left in the bottom-center box.
  33. Row 3, column 5 is 9. 9 has only one place left in the top-center box.
  34. Row 9, column 4 is 7. 7 has only one place left in the bottom-center box.
  35. Row 3, column 6 is 7. 7 has only one place left in the top-center box.
  36. Row 3, column 4 is 6. 6 has only one place left in the top-center box.
  37. Row 7, column 4 is 3. 3 has only one place left in the bottom-center box.
  38. Row 7, column 6 is 6. 6 has only one place left in the bottom-center box.
  39. Row 7, column 8 is 1. 1 has only one place left in the bottom-right box.
  40. Row 9, column 8 is 3. 3 has only one place left in the bottom-right box.
  41. Row 9, column 9 is 4. 4 has only one place left in the bottom-right box.
  42. Row 9, column 7 is 5. 5 has only one place left in the bottom-right box.
  43. Row 8, column 8 is 6. 6 has only one place left in the bottom-right box.
  44. Row 8, column 7 is 7. 7 has only one place left in the bottom-right box.
  45. Row 7, column 7 is 8. 8 has only one place left in the bottom-right box.

Medium — 30 digits given

Beyond singles, this board asks for a pointing line (3 times) and a naked pair.

The board

· · · | · · · | 2 · 4
· 5 4 | · 1 7 | 6 9 ·
9 · · | · 2 · | · · ·
------+-------+------
· · · | 7 · · | 1 · ·
· 1 2 | 9 · 5 | 7 8 ·
· · 8 | · · 2 | · · ·
------+-------+------
· · · | · 3 · | · · 1
· 3 9 | 2 7 · | 4 5 ·
4 · 1 | · · · | · · ·

The solution

1 8 3 | 6 5 9 | 2 7 4
2 5 4 | 8 1 7 | 6 9 3
9 6 7 | 3 2 4 | 8 1 5
------+-------+------
5 9 6 | 7 8 3 | 1 4 2
3 1 2 | 9 4 5 | 7 8 6
7 4 8 | 1 6 2 | 5 3 9
------+-------+------
8 7 5 | 4 3 6 | 9 2 1
6 3 9 | 2 7 1 | 4 5 8
4 2 1 | 5 9 8 | 3 6 7

A path through it

The order a solver takes — always the cheapest move left, so a pattern is only reached for when the singles run dry. 55 steps; yours need not match, and any order that never guesses ends on the same grid.

  1. Row 1, column 1 is 1. 1 has only one place left in the top-left box.
  2. Row 2, column 1 is 2. 2 has only one place left in the top-left box.
  3. Row 3, column 8 is 1. 1 has only one place left in the top-right box.
  4. Row 6, column 4 is 1. 1 has only one place left in the center box.
  5. Row 4, column 6 is 3. 3 has only one place left in the center box.
  6. Row 4, column 5 is 8. 8 has only one place left in the center box.
  7. Row 8, column 6 is 1. 1 has only one place left in the bottom-center box.
  8. Row 5, column 5 is 4. 4 has only one place left in row 5.
  9. Row 6, column 5 is 6. 6 has only one place left in the center box.
  10. In the top-left box, 8 can only sit in column 2, so it leaves the rest of that column.
  11. In the top-right box, 5 can only sit in row 3, so it leaves the rest of that row.
  12. In the bottom-left box, 5 can only sit in row 7, so it leaves the rest of that row.
  13. Two cells in row 4 hold only 5 and 6, so no other cell there can.
  14. Row 5, column 9 is 6. 6 has only one place left in the middle-right box.
  15. Row 5, column 1 is 3. 3 has only one place left in row 5.
  16. Row 8, column 1 is 6. 6 has only one place left in row 8.
  17. Row 4, column 3 is 6. 6 has only one place left in the middle-left box.
  18. Row 7, column 1 is 8. 8 has only one place left in the bottom-left box.
  19. Row 7, column 3 is 5. 5 has only one place left in the bottom-left box.
  20. Row 4, column 1 is 5. 5 has only one place left in row 4.
  21. Row 8, column 9 is 8. 8 has only one place left in row 8.
  22. Row 3, column 7 is 8. 8 has only one place left in the top-right box.
  23. Row 1, column 2 is 8. 8 has only one place left in the top-left box.
  24. Row 3, column 2 is 6. 6 has only one place left in the top-left box.
  25. Row 2, column 4 is 8. 8 has only one place left in the top-center box.
  26. Row 3, column 9 is 5. 5 has only one place left in the top-right box.
  27. Row 1, column 8 is 7. 7 has only one place left in the top-right box.
  28. Row 3, column 3 is 7. 7 has only one place left in the top-left box.
  29. Row 1, column 3 is 3. 3 has only one place left in the top-left box.
  30. Row 3, column 4 is 3. 3 has only one place left in the top-center box.
  31. Row 3, column 6 is 4. 4 has only one place left in the top-center box.
  32. Row 2, column 9 is 3. 3 has only one place left in the top-right box.
  33. Row 6, column 7 is 5. 5 has only one place left in the middle-right box.
  34. Row 6, column 8 is 3. 3 has only one place left in the middle-right box.
  35. Row 4, column 8 is 4. 4 has only one place left in the middle-right box.
  36. Row 6, column 2 is 4. 4 has only one place left in the middle-left box.
  37. Row 6, column 1 is 7. 7 has only one place left in the middle-left box.
  38. Row 4, column 2 is 9. 9 has only one place left in the middle-left box.
  39. Row 4, column 9 is 2. 2 has only one place left in the middle-right box.
  40. Row 6, column 9 is 9. 9 has only one place left in the middle-right box.
  41. Row 7, column 4 is 4. 4 has only one place left in the bottom-center box.
  42. Row 9, column 6 is 8. 8 has only one place left in the bottom-center box.
  43. Row 9, column 7 is 3. 3 has only one place left in the bottom-right box.
  44. Row 9, column 9 is 7. 7 has only one place left in the bottom-right box.
  45. Row 7, column 2 is 7. 7 has only one place left in the bottom-left box.
  46. Row 9, column 2 is 2. 2 has only one place left in the bottom-left box.
  47. Row 7, column 8 is 2. 2 has only one place left in the bottom-right box.
  48. Row 9, column 8 is 6. 6 has only one place left in the bottom-right box.
  49. Row 7, column 6 is 6. 6 has only one place left in the bottom-center box.
  50. Row 1, column 4 is 6. 6 has only one place left in the top-center box.
  51. Row 1, column 5 is 5. 5 has only one place left in the top-center box.
  52. Row 1, column 6 is 9. 9 has only one place left in the top-center box.
  53. Row 9, column 4 is 5. 5 has only one place left in the bottom-center box.
  54. Row 9, column 5 is 9. 9 has only one place left in the bottom-center box.
  55. Row 7, column 7 is 9. 9 has only one place left in the bottom-right box.

Hard — 28 digits given

Beyond singles, this board asks for a pointing line (2 times), a naked pair (2 times), a hidden pair, an X-wing and an XY-wing.

The board

3 · 7 | 5 · 8 | · 1 ·
5 8 · | · · · | · 4 ·
· · · | · · · | · · 2
------+-------+------
1 · · | · · 6 | 7 2 ·
· · 6 | · · · | 8 · ·
· 3 8 | 7 · · | · · 6
------+-------+------
8 · · | · · · | · · ·
· 9 · | · · · | · 7 5
· 7 · | 4 · 2 | 1 · 8

The solution

3 2 7 | 5 4 8 | 6 1 9
5 8 1 | 6 2 9 | 3 4 7
9 6 4 | 1 7 3 | 5 8 2
------+-------+------
1 5 9 | 3 8 6 | 7 2 4
7 4 6 | 2 9 5 | 8 3 1
2 3 8 | 7 1 4 | 9 5 6
------+-------+------
8 1 2 | 9 5 7 | 4 6 3
4 9 3 | 8 6 1 | 2 7 5
6 7 5 | 4 3 2 | 1 9 8

A path through it

The order a solver takes — always the cheapest move left, so a pattern is only reached for when the singles run dry. 60 steps; yours need not match, and any order that never guesses ends on the same grid.

  1. Row 2, column 9 is 7. 7 has only one place left in the top-right box.
  2. Row 3, column 8 is 8. 8 has only one place left in the top-right box.
  3. Row 3, column 7 is 5. 5 has only one place left in the top-right box.
  4. Row 2, column 7 is 3. 3 has only one place left in the top-right box.
  5. Row 1, column 7 is 6. 6 has only one place left in the top-right box.
  6. Row 1, column 9 is 9. 9 has only one place left in the top-right box.
  7. Row 5, column 1 is 7. 7 has only one place left in the middle-left box.
  8. Row 5, column 9 is 1. 1 has only one place left in the middle-right box.
  9. Row 9, column 1 is 6. Nothing but 6 is left for this cell.
  10. Row 3, column 2 is 6. 6 has only one place left in the top-left box.
  11. Row 7, column 8 is 6. 6 has only one place left in the bottom-right box.
  12. Row 7, column 2 is 1. 1 has only one place left in column 2.
  13. In the bottom-left box, 5 can only sit in column 3, so it leaves the rest of that column.
  14. Two cells in row 8 hold only 2 and 4, so no other cell there can.
  15. Row 8, column 3 is 3. Nothing but 3 is left for this cell.
  16. Row 8, column 6 is 1. Nothing but 1 is left for this cell.
  17. Row 6, column 5 is 1. 1 has only one place left in the center box.
  18. Row 6, column 1 is 2. 2 has only one place left in row 6.
  19. Row 4, column 3 is 9. 9 has only one place left in the middle-left box.
  20. Row 3, column 1 is 9. 9 has only one place left in the top-left box.
  21. Row 7, column 3 is 2. 2 has only one place left in the bottom-left box.
  22. Row 1, column 2 is 2. 2 has only one place left in the top-left box.
  23. Row 3, column 3 is 4. 4 has only one place left in the top-left box.
  24. Row 2, column 3 is 1. 1 has only one place left in the top-left box.
  25. Row 3, column 4 is 1. 1 has only one place left in the top-center box.
  26. Row 1, column 5 is 4. 4 has only one place left in the top-center box.
  27. Row 8, column 1 is 4. 4 has only one place left in the bottom-left box.
  28. Row 9, column 3 is 5. 5 has only one place left in the bottom-left box.
  29. Row 8, column 7 is 2. 2 has only one place left in the bottom-right box.
  30. Row 2, column 6 is 9. Nothing but 9 is left for this cell.
  31. In the center box, 9 can only sit in row 5, so it leaves the rest of that row.
  32. Two cells in the bottom-center box hold only 3 and 9, so no other cell there can.
  33. Row 5 has only two cells for 2 and 9, so those two hold nothing else.
  34. X-wing: columns 4 and 9 each have 3 in the same two rows, so it leaves the rest of those rows.
  35. XY-wing: one of its two wings must be 5, so no cell that sees both can be.
  36. Row 4, column 2 is 5. 5 has only one place left in the middle-left box.
  37. Row 5, column 2 is 4. 4 has only one place left in the middle-left box.
  38. Row 6, column 6 is 4. 4 has only one place left in the center box.
  39. Row 5, column 6 is 5. 5 has only one place left in the center box.
  40. Row 4, column 4 is 3. 3 has only one place left in the center box.
  41. Row 4, column 5 is 8. 8 has only one place left in the center box.
  42. Row 5, column 8 is 3. 3 has only one place left in the middle-right box.
  43. Row 4, column 9 is 4. 4 has only one place left in the middle-right box.
  44. Row 6, column 8 is 5. 5 has only one place left in the middle-right box.
  45. Row 6, column 7 is 9. 9 has only one place left in the middle-right box.
  46. Row 9, column 5 is 3. 3 has only one place left in the bottom-center box.
  47. Row 3, column 6 is 3. 3 has only one place left in the top-center box.
  48. Row 3, column 5 is 7. 7 has only one place left in the top-center box.
  49. Row 7, column 5 is 5. 5 has only one place left in the bottom-center box.
  50. Row 7, column 6 is 7. 7 has only one place left in the bottom-center box.
  51. Row 8, column 4 is 8. 8 has only one place left in the bottom-center box.
  52. Row 8, column 5 is 6. 6 has only one place left in the bottom-center box.
  53. Row 2, column 4 is 6. 6 has only one place left in the top-center box.
  54. Row 2, column 5 is 2. 2 has only one place left in the top-center box.
  55. Row 5, column 4 is 2. 2 has only one place left in the center box.
  56. Row 5, column 5 is 9. 9 has only one place left in the center box.
  57. Row 7, column 4 is 9. 9 has only one place left in the bottom-center box.
  58. Row 7, column 9 is 3. 3 has only one place left in the bottom-right box.
  59. Row 7, column 7 is 4. 4 has only one place left in the bottom-right box.
  60. Row 9, column 8 is 9. 9 has only one place left in the bottom-right box.

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About Sudoku

Sudoku on Noggin is three boards a day, on the second shelf: every entry is checked at once, a hint fills the next cell a solver would and says why, and the first board finished is the day’s score, outside the daily line-up. How to play Sudoku, or play today’s.