Jan 04 - Hard
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
Share link – www.brainbashers.com
Reasoning
R6C6 can only be <4>
R7C6 can only be <8>
R7C4 can only be <1>
R4C6 can only be <3>
R9C5 can only be <3>
R8C5 can only be <4>
R2C5 is the only square in row 2 that can be <8>
R5C2 is the only square in row 5 that can be <3>
R8C3 is the only square in row 8 that can be <3>
Squares R4C3 and R4C5 in row 4 form a simple naked pair. These 2 squares both contain the 2 possibilities <56>. Since each of the squares must contain one of the possibilities, they can be eliminated from the other squares in the row.
R4C4 - removing <5> from <578> leaving <78>
R4C7 - removing <5> from <578> leaving <78>
Squares R6C4 and R6C7 in row 6 form a simple naked pair. These 2 squares both contain the 2 possibilities <57>. Since each of the squares must contain one of the possibilities, they can be eliminated from the other squares in the row.
R6C3 - removing <5> from <156> leaving <16>
R6C5 - removing <5> from <156> leaving <16>
Intersection of column 2 with block 1. The values <46> only appears in one or more of squares R1C2, R2C2 and R3C2 of column 2. These squares are the ones that intersect with block 1. Thus, the other (non-intersecting) squares of block 1 cannot contain these values.
R3C3 - removing <6> from <12569> leaving <1259>
Intersection of column 3 with block 1. The value <9> only appears in one or more of squares R1C3, R2C3 and R3C3 of column 3. These squares are the ones that intersect with block 1. Thus, the other (non-intersecting) squares of block 1 cannot contain this value.
R1C1 - removing <9> from <2579> leaving <257>
R2C1 - removing <9> from <12579> leaving <1257>
R1C8 is the only square in row 1 that can be <9>
R2C3 is the only square in row 2 that can be <9>
R9C1 is the only square in row 9 that can be <9>
R8C7 is the only square in row 8 that can be <9>
R9C9 is the only square in row 9 that can be <2>
R7C3 is the only square in row 7 that can be <2>
R4C7 is the only square in column 7 that can be <8>
R4C4 can only be <7>
R6C4 can only be <5>
R6C7 can only be <7>
R3C4 can only be <9>
R4C5 can only be <6>
R3C6 can only be <2>
R5C4 can only be <8>
R5C6 can only be <9>
R1C5 can only be <5>
R4C3 can only be <5>
R6C5 can only be <1>
R6C3 can only be <6>
R5C5 can only be <2>
R3C3 can only be <1>
R5C1 can only be <1>
R8C1 can only be <7>
R8C9 can only be <6>
R1C1 can only be <2>
R7C2 can only be <5>
R8C8 can only be <8>
R1C9 can only be <7>
R2C1 can only be <5>
R1C2 can only be <6>
R2C9 can only be <4>
R2C7 can only be <2>
R2C8 can only be <1>
R5C9 can only be <5>
R3C7 can only be <5>
R2C2 can only be <7>
R3C8 can only be <6>
R7C7 can only be <4>
R3C2 can only be <4>
R5C8 can only be <4>
R9C2 can only be <8>
R7C8 can only be <7>
R8C2 can only be <1>
R9C8 can only be <5>
Today's Sudoku Puzzles
All daily items change at midnight GMT – set your local time zone.
Note: BrainBashers has a Dark Mode option – I recommend not using your browser's dark mode or extensions for BrainBashers