Sudoku techniques
Every technique you need to solve any puzzle in Hush – from your very first sudoku to Expert – explained with clear diagrams.
Sudoku difficulty is not about how many numbers are given. It is about which logical technique you need to make progress. That is also how Hush rates its puzzles: each level is defined by the techniques it requires, and no puzzle ever needs guessing.
A puzzle’s level is set by the hardest technique it needs: an Expert puzzle needs at least one Expert technique, while easier steps may still use everything below it. So the guides below follow the same ladder. Learn the techniques for one level, and the next level opens up.
| Level in Hush | Techniques you need |
|---|---|
| Easy | Naked and hidden singles |
| Medium | Locked candidates, naked pairs, hidden pairs |
| Hard | Naked and hidden triples, naked quads, X-Wing |
| Expert | Swordfish, XY-Wing, XYZ-Wing |
All guides
- How to solve sudokuThe rules, the key words, and the naked and hidden singles that solve Easy puzzles.
- Sudoku tips for beginnersTwelve calm, practical habits for new players, plus two patterns to look for.
- Locked candidatesPointing and claiming explained with diagrams: the first Medium technique.
- Naked pairsHow to spot two cells with the same two candidates and use them to remove digits.
- Hidden pairsHow two digits confined to the same two cells let you clear the other candidates.
- Triples and quadsThree or four cells that share only a few candidates let you clear the rest of their unit.
- X-WingOne digit locked into two rows and two columns clears that digit from the rest of those columns.
- SwordfishOne digit confined to three rows and three columns clears that digit from the rest of those columns.
- XY-WingThree two-candidate cells in a chain remove one digit from every cell that sees both ends.
Where to start
New to sudoku? Begin with how to solve sudoku – it covers the rules and the two techniques that solve every Easy puzzle. Then read the beginner tips for good habits like scanning and pencil marks.
Already comfortable with Medium? Jump to X-Wing – it is the technique that most often separates Hard puzzles from Medium ones. Ready for the top? Our Expert sudoku page explains what makes a puzzle truly hard.