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Sudoku #39 — the solutions

The three Sudoku boards from November 8, 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 · | 2 6 8
2 · · | 3 · 8 | 7 · 9
5 8 7 | 9 · · | · · ·
------+-------+------
· 5 6 | · · 4 | · · ·
7 · 3 | · · · | 1 · 5
· · · | 1 · · | 6 7 ·
------+-------+------
· · · | · · 1 | 8 3 7
6 · 8 | 4 · 5 | · · 1
9 3 1 | · 8 · | · · ·

The solution

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

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

Medium — 28 digits given

Beyond singles, this board asks for a pointing line, a claimed box (2 times) and a naked pair (2 times).

The board

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

The solution

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

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. 58 steps; yours need not match, and any order that never guesses ends on the same grid.

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

Hard — 26 digits given

Beyond singles, this board asks for an XY-wing.

The board

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

The solution

1 2 8 | 3 5 9 | 6 4 7
6 5 4 | 7 2 8 | 3 9 1
7 3 9 | 6 1 4 | 5 2 8
------+-------+------
4 7 2 | 8 9 3 | 1 6 5
3 6 5 | 2 4 1 | 7 8 9
9 8 1 | 5 7 6 | 4 3 2
------+-------+------
5 1 3 | 4 8 2 | 9 7 6
2 4 7 | 9 6 5 | 8 1 3
8 9 6 | 1 3 7 | 2 5 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. 56 steps; yours need not match, and any order that never guesses ends on the same grid.

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

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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.