Greater Than / Less Than Sudoku
5
2
7
3
5
2
2
5
6
3
9
8
2
9
1
4
5
6
3
8
1
4
4
1
3
8
7
6
9
7
1
5
3
9
8
8
5
6
How to play Greater Than / Less Than Sudoku
Standard Sudoku rules apply. Extra rule: the inequality sign between two adjacent cells (› ‹ ∧ ∨) always points from the larger cell to the smaller cell. If A › B, then A > B.
Full guide →
Inequality signs between cells constrain which is larger
Easy
Greater Than / Less Than Easy
Medium
Greater Than / Less Than Medium
Hard
Greater Than / Less Than Hard
Expert
Greater Than / Less Than Expert
What is Greater Than / Less Than?
Greater Than Sudoku (also called Futoshiki-style Sudoku) places < and > inequality signs between adjacent cells. The sign indicates which of the two cells must hold the larger value. Some variants replace all given digits with inequality signs; others provide a hybrid. The constraints create chains of reasoning: if A > B > C > D, then A ≥ 4, B ≥ 3, C ≥ 2, D ≥ 1.
At a Glance
| Constraint type | Cell Relationships |
| Typical givens | 18–24 |
| Difficulty rating | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 |
| Avg. solve time — Easy | 7 min |
| Avg. solve time — Medium | 16 min |
| Avg. solve time — Hard | 32 min |
| Avg. solve time — Expert | 58 min |
How to Solve Greater Than / Less Than
| Technique | What it does | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Chain Inequality — Minimums | Link inequalities in a chain: if A > B > C, then A ≥ 3, B ≥ 2, C ≥ 1. Use these minimums to prune candidates immediately. | Beginner |
| Chain Inequality — Maximums | In the chain A > B > C > D, also bound from above: A ≤ 9, B ≤ 8, C ≤ 7, D ≤ 6. | Beginner |
| Inequality Propagation | After placing a digit, check all inequality arrows from that cell and eliminate impossible values from its neighbours. | Intermediate |
| Forced Single via Range | When an inequality chain reduces a cell's valid range to a single digit, place it directly. | Intermediate |
Average Solve Times
Easy
7 min
Medium
16 min
Hard
32 min
Expert
58 min
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Greater Than Sudoku?
Greater Than Sudoku is a variant where inequality signs (< and >) appear between adjacent cells. Each sign shows which of the two neighbouring cells must hold a larger digit. Standard Sudoku rules apply — every row, column, and box contains 1–9 exactly once.
How do I use the inequality clues?
Each inequality sign tells you the relative order of two neighbouring digits. If you see A > B, then A must be greater than B. You can chain inequalities — if A > B > C, then A is at least 3 and C is at most 7. Propagating minimum and maximum values through chains of inequalities is the core solving technique.
What is the most useful first move?
Find cells that sit at the end of a long chain of inequalities pointing toward them — these cells must hold either the minimum or maximum value in the chain. A cell where five arrows all point away from it must hold the largest digit in all five relationships; combined with Sudoku constraints this often pins the digit immediately.
Is Greater Than Sudoku harder than regular Sudoku?
It depends on difficulty level. Easy Greater Than puzzles are comparable to medium classic Sudoku. Hard and expert puzzles require systematic bound propagation across many overlapping inequality chains, which is substantially harder than any classic Sudoku difficulty.
Can I solve Greater Than Sudoku without arithmetic?
Mostly yes — the inequalities involve relative ordering, not sums or products. The key skill is tracking minimum and maximum possible values for each cell as constraints propagate. Some players find this more intuitive than cage arithmetic in variants like Killer or Arrow Sudoku.
How long does Greater Than Sudoku take to solve?
Easy puzzles take 8–18 minutes. Medium puzzles run 18–35 minutes. Hard puzzles average 35–65 minutes and expert puzzles can take over 90 minutes. Longer inequality chains dramatically increase solve time at hard and expert levels.