Sudoku strategy

X-Wing Sudoku Strategy

Advanced technique Advanced

An X-Wing locks a candidate into the same two columns across two rows, or the same two rows across two columns.

How to use it

  1. Pick one candidate digit.
  2. Find two rows where that digit appears in exactly two candidate cells.
  3. Check whether those cells line up in the same two columns.
  4. Remove that candidate from the other cells in those columns.
  5. The same logic also works with rows and columns reversed.
Practice: Hard and Expert puzzles are the right level for X-Wing practice after simpler candidate eliminations stop helping.

Practice this strategy

Use the interactive solver to practice this technique on a fresh puzzle. If you get stuck, the Human Solve mode can show the next logical step.

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