Easy Arrow Sudoku
6
7
8
9
1
1
3
2
8
6
5
7
1
4
7
2
1
9
4
6
9
8
7
2
8
9
3
5
4
4
5
9
6
1
7
6
3
1
How to play Arrow Sudoku
Standard Sudoku rules apply. Extra rule: the digits along each arrow's tail must sum to the digit in the circle at the arrow's base. The circle itself is a normal Sudoku cell - Its value determines what the arrow cells must sum to.
About Arrow Sudoku
Difficulty
★★★★☆
4/5
Constraint Type
Line Constraints
Typical Givens
20–26
Avg. Solve (Medium)
25 min
Arrow Sudoku places arrows on the grid, each starting from a circled cell. The digits in all cells along the arrow (not including the circle) must sum to the digit placed in the circled cell. Since the maximum digit is 9, long arrows with many cells are highly constrained. Arrow Sudoku often combines beautifully with standard elimination and candidate logic.
Solving Techniques
| Technique | Description | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Arrow Sum Bounding | The circle digit equals the sum of all arrow shaft cells. A 3-cell arrow with circle 5 means the three shaft cells average under 2 — severely constraining options. | Beginner |
| Max/Min Arrow Analysis | The maximum sum of N cells is 9+8+7+…; the minimum is 1+2+3+…. If the circle digit falls outside these bounds, a constraint error exists. | Intermediate |
| Bifurcation on Short Arrows | For 2-cell arrows with a small circle (e.g., 3), only (1,2) or (2,1) works — enumerate cases to find forced placements quickly. | Beginner |
| Arrow–Region Interaction | Arrow cells sharing a box or row with the circle create indirect constraints — combine the sum equation with standard Sudoku uniqueness. | Intermediate |
| Repeating Digits on Arrows | Arrow shaft cells can repeat digits (unlike Killer cages). Factor this in when enumerating possible sums. | Advanced |
Average Solve Time by Difficulty
Easy
12 min
Medium
25 min
Hard
50 min
Expert
80 min