Daily Sudoku — 16 July 2026

The puzzle

  • 16 July 2026
  • Easy
  • 40 clues
Puzzle
3·5·7·6·4
·4·853·7·
·27·1·35·
·7··68235
·1······7
2······6·
·32941···
···32·149
·94···723
Solution
385279614
641853972
927416358
479168235
816532497
253794861
732941586
568327149
194685723

Solve it in the app to get on the board

Step-by-step solution

Every cell below is filled by the same hint engine the app uses, in the order it can be deduced — 41 steps using 2 techniques.

Techniques used

  • Hidden Single — inside one row, column or box this digit fits in only one cell, so it must go there
  • Naked Single — every other digit is already used in this cell's row, column or box, so only one candidate is left
  1. R2C9 = 2 · Hidden SingleIn the top-right 3×3 box, 2 fits in only one cell. Looking at the other empty cells:- Because column 8 already has a 2, R1C8 cannot hold 2.- Because column 7 already has a 2, R2C7 cannot hold 2.- Because row 3 already has a 2, R3C9 cannot hold 2.So 2 must go in R2C9.
  2. R1C8 = 1 · Hidden SingleIn the top-right 3×3 box, 1 fits in only one cell. Looking at the other empty cells:- Because column 7 already has a 1, R2C7 cannot hold 1.- Because row 3 already has a 1, R3C9 cannot hold 1.So 1 must go in R1C8.
  3. R3C9 = 8 · Hidden SingleIn the top-right 3×3 box, 8 fits in only one cell. Looking at the other empty cells:- Because row 2 already has a 8, R2C7 cannot hold 8.So 8 must go in R3C9.
  4. R2C7 = 9 · Naked SingleLooking at R2C7:- Row 2 already has 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8 → ruled out.- Column 7 already has 1 and 6 → ruled out.So this cell can only be 9.
  5. R1C2 = 8 · Hidden SingleIn the top-left 3×3 box, 8 fits in only one cell. Looking at the other empty cells:- Because row 2 already has a 8, R2C1 and R2C3 cannot hold 8.- Because row 3 already has a 8, R3C1 cannot hold 8.So 8 must go in R1C2.
  6. R3C1 = 9 · Hidden SingleIn the top-left 3×3 box, 9 fits in only one cell. Looking at the other empty cells:- Because row 2 already has a 9, R2C1 and R2C3 cannot hold 9.So 9 must go in R3C1.
  7. R1C6 = 9 · Hidden SingleIn the top-centre 3×3 box, 9 fits in only one cell. Looking at the other empty cells:- Because column 4 already has a 9, R1C4 cannot hold 9.- Because row 3 already has a 9, R3C4 and R3C6 cannot hold 9.So 9 must go in R1C6.
  8. R1C4 = 2 · Naked SingleLooking at R1C4:- Row 1 already has 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 → ruled out.So this cell can only be 2.
  9. R5C6 = 2 · Hidden SingleIn the centre 3×3 box, 2 fits in only one cell. Looking at the other empty cells:- Because row 4 already has a 2, R4C4 cannot hold 2.- Because column 4 already has a 2, R5C4 cannot hold 2.- Because column 5 already has a 2, R5C5 cannot hold 2.- Because row 6 already has a 2, R6C4, R6C5 and R6C6 cannot hold 2.So 2 must go in R5C6.
  10. R6C9 = 1 · Hidden SingleIn the middle-right 3×3 box, 1 fits in only one cell. Looking at the other empty cells:- Because row 5 already has a 1, R5C7 and R5C8 cannot hold 1.- Because column 7 already has a 1, R6C7 cannot hold 1.So 1 must go in R6C9.
  11. R7C9 = 6 · Naked SingleLooking at R7C9:- Row 7 already has 1, 2, 3, 4 and 9 → ruled out.- Column 9 already has 5, 7 and 8 → ruled out.So this cell can only be 6.
  12. R4C4 = 1 · Hidden SingleIn the centre 3×3 box, 1 fits in only one cell. Looking at the other empty cells:- Because row 5 already has a 1, R5C4 and R5C5 cannot hold 1.- Because row 6 already has a 1, R6C4, R6C5 and R6C6 cannot hold 1.So 1 must go in R4C4.
  13. R5C8 = 9 · Hidden SingleIn the middle-right 3×3 box, 9 fits in only one cell. Looking at the other empty cells:- Because column 7 already has a 9, R5C7 and R6C7 cannot hold 9.So 9 must go in R5C8.
  14. R7C8 = 8 · Naked SingleLooking at R7C8:- Row 7 already has 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 9 → ruled out.- Column 8 already has 5 and 7 → ruled out.So this cell can only be 8.
  15. R7C7 = 5 · Naked SingleLooking at R7C7:- Row 7 already has 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 9 → ruled out.- Column 7 already has 7 → ruled out.So this cell can only be 5.
  16. R7C1 = 7 · Naked SingleLooking at R7C1:- Row 7 already has 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9 → ruled out.So this cell can only be 7.
  17. R6C5 = 9 · Hidden SingleIn the centre 3×3 box, 9 fits in only one cell. Looking at the other empty cells:- Because row 5 already has a 9, R5C4 and R5C5 cannot hold 9.- Because column 4 already has a 9, R6C4 cannot hold 9.- Because column 6 already has a 9, R6C6 cannot hold 9.So 9 must go in R6C5.
  18. R4C3 = 9 · Hidden SingleIn the middle-left 3×3 box, 9 fits in only one cell. Looking at the other empty cells:- Because column 1 already has a 9, R4C1 cannot hold 9.- Because row 5 already has a 9, R5C1 and R5C3 cannot hold 9.- Because row 6 already has a 9, R6C2 and R6C3 cannot hold 9.So 9 must go in R4C3.
  19. R4C1 = 4 · Naked SingleLooking at R4C1:- Row 4 already has 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 → ruled out.So this cell can only be 4.
  20. R5C5 = 3 · Hidden SingleIn the centre 3×3 box, 3 fits in only one cell. Looking at the other empty cells:- Because column 4 already has a 3, R5C4 and R6C4 cannot hold 3.- Because column 6 already has a 3, R6C6 cannot hold 3.So 3 must go in R5C5.
  21. R9C5 = 8 · Naked SingleLooking at R9C5:- Row 9 already has 2, 3, 4, 7 and 9 → ruled out.- Column 5 already has 1, 5 and 6 → ruled out.So this cell can only be 8.
  22. R6C3 = 3 · Hidden SingleIn the middle-left 3×3 box, 3 fits in only one cell. Looking at the other empty cells:- Because row 5 already has a 3, R5C1 and R5C3 cannot hold 3.- Because column 2 already has a 3, R6C2 cannot hold 3.So 3 must go in R6C3.
  23. R9C1 = 1 · Hidden SingleIn the bottom-left 3×3 box, 1 fits in only one cell. Looking at the other empty cells:- Because row 8 already has a 1, R8C1, R8C2 and R8C3 cannot hold 1.So 1 must go in R9C1.
  24. R2C3 = 1 · Hidden SingleIn the top-left 3×3 box, 1 fits in only one cell. Looking at the other empty cells:- Because column 1 already has a 1, R2C1 cannot hold 1.So 1 must go in R2C3.
  25. R2C1 = 6 · Naked SingleLooking at R2C1:- Row 2 already has 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9 → ruled out.So this cell can only be 6.
  26. R5C3 = 6 · Hidden SingleIn the middle-left 3×3 box, 6 fits in only one cell. Looking at the other empty cells:- Because column 1 already has a 6, R5C1 cannot hold 6.- Because row 6 already has a 6, R6C2 cannot hold 6.So 6 must go in R5C3.
  27. R8C3 = 8 · Naked SingleLooking at R8C3:- Row 8 already has 1, 2, 3, 4 and 9 → ruled out.- Column 3 already has 5, 6 and 7 → ruled out.So this cell can only be 8.
  28. R5C1 = 8 · Hidden SingleIn the middle-left 3×3 box, 8 fits in only one cell. Looking at the other empty cells:- Because column 2 already has a 8, R6C2 cannot hold 8.So 8 must go in R5C1.
  29. R8C1 = 5 · Naked SingleLooking at R8C1:- Row 8 already has 1, 2, 3, 4, 8 and 9 → ruled out.- Column 1 already has 6 and 7 → ruled out.So this cell can only be 5.
  30. R6C2 = 5 · Naked SingleLooking at R6C2:- Row 6 already has 1, 2, 3, 6 and 9 → ruled out.- Column 2 already has 4, 7 and 8 → ruled out.So this cell can only be 5.
  31. R8C2 = 6 · Naked SingleLooking at R8C2:- Row 8 already has 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9 → ruled out.- Column 2 already has 7 → ruled out.So this cell can only be 6.
  32. R8C6 = 7 · Naked SingleLooking at R8C6:- Row 8 already has 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9 → ruled out.So this cell can only be 7.
  33. R5C4 = 5 · Hidden SingleIn the centre 3×3 box, 5 fits in only one cell. Looking at the other empty cells:- Because row 6 already has a 5, R6C4 and R6C6 cannot hold 5.So 5 must go in R5C4.
  34. R5C7 = 4 · Naked SingleLooking at R5C7:- Row 5 already has 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 → ruled out.So this cell can only be 4.
  35. R6C7 = 8 · Naked SingleLooking at R6C7:- Row 6 already has 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 9 → ruled out.- Column 7 already has 4 and 7 → ruled out.So this cell can only be 8.
  36. R6C4 = 7 · Hidden SingleIn the centre 3×3 box, 7 fits in only one cell. Looking at the other empty cells:- Because column 6 already has a 7, R6C6 cannot hold 7.So 7 must go in R6C4.
  37. R6C6 = 4 · Naked SingleLooking at R6C6:- Row 6 already has 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 → ruled out.So this cell can only be 4.
  38. R3C4 = 4 · Hidden SingleIn the top-centre 3×3 box, 4 fits in only one cell. Looking at the other empty cells:- Because column 6 already has a 4, R3C6 cannot hold 4.So 4 must go in R3C4.
  39. R3C6 = 6 · Naked SingleLooking at R3C6:- Row 3 already has 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9 → ruled out.So this cell can only be 6.
  40. R9C4 = 6 · Naked SingleLooking at R9C4:- Row 9 already has 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8 and 9 → ruled out.- Column 4 already has 5 → ruled out.So this cell can only be 6.
  41. R9C6 = 5 · Naked SingleLooking at R9C6:- Row 9 already has 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9 → ruled out.So this cell can only be 5.

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