Easy Arrow Sudoku

Digits along each arrow must sum to the number in the circle. Arrows and classic Sudoku rules combine for pure logic.

New to Arrow Sudoku? Start with short arrows — a 1-cell tail means the tail cell equals the circle. Work outward from the most constrained arrows.

1
2
6
8
3
2
9
2
1
7
8
6
9
4
8
1
2
3
5
3
4
7
4
5
8
2
1
6
2
5
7
8
6
4
3
5
6
8
Mistakes
0/3
Score
-
Time
00:00
Try Medium →
Progress0%

What is Arrow Sudoku?

Difficulty
★★★★☆
4/5
Constraint Type
Line Constraints
Typical Givens
20–26
Avg. Solve (Easy)
12 min

Solving Techniques for Easy Level

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
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

Ready to go deeper? Try Medium Arrow Sudoku to unlock Intermediate techniques.

Average Solve Time by Difficulty

Easy
12 min
Medium
25 min
Hard
50 min
Expert
80 min
Want a full walkthrough of rules, strategies, and solving steps? How to Play Arrow Sudoku →

Frequently Asked Questions — Easy Arrow Sudoku

What is Arrow Sudoku?
Arrow Sudoku is a Sudoku variant where arrows are drawn on the grid. Each arrow has a circle at its base and a tail of one or more cells. The digit in the circle must equal the sum of all digits along the arrow's tail. Standard Sudoku rules — unique digits in every row, column, and 3×3 box — still apply.
How do I use the arrow clues to solve the puzzle?
Find arrows with short tails (1–2 cells) first — they have the fewest possible digit combinations. A 1-cell tail means the circle and the tail cell are equal. A 2-cell tail with a small circle value (like 3) has only a few valid pairs. Use these to place digits, then apply standard Sudoku elimination.
Can digits repeat along an arrow tail?
Yes. Arrow tails are not cages — digits can repeat along the tail as long as they don't violate the standard row, column, or box uniqueness rules. The only hard rule is that the tail digits must sum to the circle's value.
What does the circle in Arrow Sudoku represent?
The circle is a normal Sudoku cell that holds a digit from 1 to 9. That digit is also the required sum of all cells along the arrow's tail. The circle participates in standard row, column, and box uniqueness like any other cell.
How is Arrow Sudoku different from Killer Sudoku?
Killer Sudoku uses cages with sum clues where digits cannot repeat within a cage. Arrow Sudoku uses directional arrows where digits can repeat along the tail. Also, in Arrow Sudoku the sum target is a live cell (the circle) rather than a fixed number, so its value can change as you solve.

More questions? See the full Arrow Sudoku guide.