Feb 03 - Very Hard
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
Share link – www.brainbashers.com
Reasoning
R1C1 can only be <1>
R1C9 can only be <8>
R5C5 can only be <1>
R2C2 can only be <2>
R3C3 can only be <6>
R7C7 is the only square in block 9 that can be <4>
Squares R2C4 and R2C8 in row 2 form a simple naked pair. These 2 squares both contain the 2 possibilities <13>. Since each of the squares must contain one of the possibilities, they can be eliminated from the other squares in the row.
R2C6 - removing <13> from <1368> leaving <68>
Squares R3C6 and R3C7 in row 3 form a simple naked pair. These 2 squares both contain the 2 possibilities <13>. Since each of the squares must contain one of the possibilities, they can be eliminated from the other squares in the row.
R3C4 - removing <13> from <1239> leaving <29>
Squares R9C1 and R9C9 in row 9 form a simple naked pair. These 2 squares both contain the 2 possibilities <39>. Since each of the squares must contain one of the possibilities, they can be eliminated from the other squares in the row.
R9C4 - removing <39> from <2349> leaving <24>
R9C5 - removing <9> from <2459> leaving <245>
R9C6 - removing <3> from <35> leaving <5>
R1C6 can only be <7>
R1C4 can only be <4>
R1C5 can only be <5>
R9C4 can only be <2>
R9C5 can only be <4>
R3C4 can only be <9>
R3C5 can only be <2>
R7C5 is the only square in row 7 that can be <9>
R8C4 is the only square in row 8 that can be <7>
Squares R6C3 and R7C3 in column 3 form a simple naked pair. These 2 squares both contain the 2 possibilities <38>. Since each of the squares must contain one of the possibilities, they can be eliminated from the other squares in the column.
R5C3 - removing <38> from <2358> leaving <25>
Squares R6C9 and R9C9 in column 9 form a simple naked pair. These 2 squares both contain the 2 possibilities <39>. Since each of the squares must contain one of the possibilities, they can be eliminated from the other squares in the column.
R4C9 - removing <9> from <279> leaving <27>
R5C9 - removing <3> from <237> leaving <27>
Squares R2C5, R2C6, R8C5 and R8C6 form a Type-1 Unique Rectangle on <68>.
R8C6 - removing <68> from <368> leaving <3>
R8C8 can only be <9>
R3C6 can only be <1>
R7C4 can only be <1>
R8C2 can only be <8>
R9C9 can only be <3>
R9C1 can only be <9>
R6C9 can only be <9>
R3C7 can only be <3>
R7C6 can only be <8>
R2C4 can only be <3>
R5C7 can only be <8>
R2C8 can only be <1>
R5C2 can only be <4>
R7C3 can only be <3>
R2C6 can only be <6>
R8C5 can only be <6>
R2C5 can only be <8>
R4C8 can only be <5>
R4C3 can only be <2>
R5C8 can only be <3>
R6C2 can only be <1>
R5C1 can only be <7>
R6C8 can only be <4>
R6C7 can only be <6>
R4C2 can only be <9>
R6C1 can only be <3>
R4C7 can only be <1>
R6C3 can only be <8>
R4C9 can only be <7>
R5C3 can only be <5>
R4C1 can only be <6>
R5C9 can only be <2>
Today's Sudoku Puzzles
All daily items change at midnight GMT – set your local time zone.
Note: BrainBashers has a Dark Mode setting.