Easy Sandwich Sudoku

Clues outside the grid give the sum of digits sandwiched between the 1 and the 9 in each row and column.

Easy Medium Hard Expert

New to Sandwich Sudoku? Each outside number is the sum of digits between the 1 and 9 in that row or column. Start with zero-sum clues.

27
0
22
20
5
18
27
9
8
0
35
0
24
29
0
0
18
0
4
7
9
1
2
7
2
9
9
8
5
1
5
9
8
7
5
1
7
5
9
1
6
8
7
1
9
7
5
6
1
2
3
4
3
9
4
7
Mistakes
0/3
Score
-
Time
00:00
Try Medium →
Progress0%

What is Sandwich Sudoku?

Difficulty
★★★★☆
4/5
Constraint Type
Outside Clues
Typical Givens
4–10 clue values
Avg. Solve (Easy)
12 min

Solving Techniques for Easy Level

Technique Description Level
Clue 0 Means Adjacent 1 and 9 A sandwich clue of 0 means 1 and 9 are side-by-side with nothing between them. Place this pair immediately. Beginner
Clue 35 Means 1 and 9 at Ends A clue of 35 = 2+3+4+5+6+7+8. All middle digits are sandwiched, placing 1 and 9 at the two ends of the row/column. Beginner

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

Average Solve Time by Difficulty

Easy
12 min
Medium
26 min
Hard
52 min
Expert
85 min
Want a full walkthrough of rules, strategies, and solving steps? How to Play Sandwich Sudoku →

Frequently Asked Questions — Easy Sandwich Sudoku

What is Sandwich Sudoku?
Sandwich Sudoku is a Sudoku variant where numbers appear outside the grid along each row and column. Each outside number gives the sum of all digits sandwiched between the 1 and the 9 in that row or column. Standard Sudoku rules apply: every row, column, and 3x3 box must contain digits 1 through 9 exactly once.
What does 'sandwiched between 1 and 9' mean?
In each row and column, the digit 1 and the digit 9 each appear exactly once. The sandwich sum counts all digits that sit between those two positions. If 1 is in column 3 and 9 is in column 7, then the digits in columns 4, 5, and 6 are sandwiched — their sum equals the outside clue.
What does a sandwich clue of 0 mean?
A clue of 0 means there are no digits between the 1 and the 9 — they must be in adjacent cells. This is one of the most powerful clues because it restricts the positions of both 1 and 9 very sharply.
How do I start solving easy Sandwich Sudoku?
Start with the most extreme sandwich sums: clues of 0 (1 and 9 are adjacent), 35 (all seven middle digits are between them, meaning 1 and 9 are at the ends), or small values like 2 or 3 that have very few possible digit combinations. These anchor the 1 and 9 positions first.
How is Sandwich Sudoku different from Killer Sudoku?
Killer Sudoku uses cage-shaped groups where digits cannot repeat and sum to a given value. Sandwich Sudoku uses outside clues that describe the sum of digits between the 1 and 9 in each row and column — the 1 and 9 are not sandwiched themselves and act as boundaries rather than contributors.

More questions? See the full Sandwich Sudoku guide.