Medium Diagonal Sudoku

Ready to sharpen your skills? Medium Diagonal Sudoku puzzles introduce interactions between the variant constraint and classic Sudoku techniques. You'll need to combine both skill sets to progress.

▶ Play Medium Diagonal Sudoku All Diagonal Sudoku Difficulties

What to expect at Medium level

Medium Diagonal Sudoku puzzles require you to combine the variant constraint with standard Sudoku deduction - Naked pairs, hidden singles, and unit scans. The constraint is more tightly woven into the grid, so you'll need to think a few steps ahead.

Best suited for players comfortable with Easy Diagonal Sudoku who want to build their pattern recognition.

Difficulty overview

LevelCluesTechniques neededAvg. time
Easy ManyBasic elimination5–10 min
Medium ModerateSingles, pairs10–20 min
Hard FewAdvanced logic20–40 min
Expert MinimalFull mastery40+ min

About Diagonal Sudoku

Difficulty
★★☆☆☆
2/5
Constraint Type
Extra Regions
Typical Givens
22–28
Avg. Solve (Medium)
10 min

In Diagonal Sudoku, the standard 9×9 rules apply — but with one powerful extra constraint: both main diagonals (top-left to bottom-right, and top-right to bottom-left) must each contain every digit from 1 to 9 exactly once. This extra constraint typically makes the puzzle easier to solve since diagonals act as two extra units for elimination.

Solving Techniques for Medium Level

Technique Description Level
Diagonal as a Unit Treat each diagonal exactly like a row or column — every digit 1–9 appears exactly once. Standard scanning and counting apply. Beginner
Diagonal–Box Interaction When a digit on a diagonal is confined to one box segment, eliminate it from the rest of that box. Intermediate
Diagonal Naked Pairs If two cells on a diagonal share the same two candidates, eliminate those values from all other diagonal cells. Intermediate

Master these, then take on Hard Killer Sudoku to learn Advanced techniques.

Average Solve Time by Difficulty

Easy
4 min
Medium
10 min
Hard
20 min
Expert
40 min

Frequently Asked Questions

Which diagonals are constrained?
Both the main diagonal (top-left to bottom-right) and the anti-diagonal (top-right to bottom-left) must each contain 1–9 exactly once.
Are diagonal puzzles easier than classic?
Often yes — the extra units provide more candidates to eliminate, typically reducing advanced technique requirements.
Does the diagonal constraint always create a valid puzzle?
Yes — our generator ensures a unique solution exists with the diagonal rules in place.