Medium Sukaku
Ready to sharpen your skills? Medium Sukaku puzzles introduce interactions between the variant constraint and classic Sudoku techniques. You'll need to combine both skill sets to progress.
What to expect at Medium level
Medium Sukaku 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 Sukaku who want to build their pattern recognition.
Difficulty overview
About Sukaku
Sukaku (数角) is a Sudoku variant where instead of given digits, each cell is given a set of possible candidates. The solver must eliminate candidates using standard Sudoku logic until each cell has exactly one remaining candidate. Some Sukaku puzzles provide very sparse candidate sets (near-complete givens), while others provide full or nearly-full candidate lists, requiring advanced techniques to solve.
Solving Techniques for Medium Level
| Technique | Description | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Candidate Scanning | Start by scanning rows, columns, and boxes — any candidate appearing in only one cell in a group must be placed there. | Beginner |
| Cross-Hatch Elimination | When a digit is placed (or reduced to one candidate), eliminate it from all cells in the same row, column, and box. | Beginner |
| Naked Singles | A cell with only one remaining candidate is a naked single — the digit is forced. In Sukaku, this happens automatically when you eliminate down to one candidate. | Intermediate |
| Hidden Singles | A candidate that appears exactly once in a row, column, or box must be placed in that cell regardless of how many other candidates that cell shows. | Intermediate |
Master these, then take on Hard Killer Sudoku to learn Advanced techniques.