🧠 Intermediate Sudoku Strategies

Move beyond basic logic with powerful intermediate strategies. This guide is designed for players ready to tackle harder puzzles from Levels 6 to 12.

🔎 Naked Pairs & Triples

When two (or three) cells in a row, column, or box have only the same two (or three) candidates, those numbers can be eliminated from other cells in the unit.

• Naked Pairs: If two cells have only the candidates [3,7], remove 3 and 7 from other cells in that unit.
• Naked Triples: Three cells that together contain only three possible values (e.g., [2,4], [2,4,9], [4,9]) can eliminate those values from others.

📐 Pointing Pairs / Box-Line Reduction

If a candidate appears only in one row or column within a 3x3 box, you can eliminate that candidate from the rest of that row/column outside the box. This helps simplify the grid significantly.

🔀 Claiming Pairs

Claiming Pairs (aka Row-Box or Column-Box Interactions) are the reverse of Pointing Pairs. If a candidate is locked in a box within a row, it can be removed from the rest of the box outside the row.

🧠 Block Interactions

This broader category includes techniques where the interaction between boxes and lines helps eliminate impossible candidates. Often used in Levels 10–12.

📘 Try an Example Puzzle

🧭 Continue Learning

• 🔮 Explore Advanced Strategies
• 📊 See a Full Puzzle Walkthrough

📚 Recommended Books for Practice

• Intermediate Book (Level 9–12)
• 1000 Puzzle Series Vol. 1