🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 84 (from laksa021)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa084.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/02/crosswords/how-to-solve-sudoku.html\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/02/crosswords/how-to-solve-sudoku.html\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/03\/02\/crosswords\/how-to-solve-sudoku.html","crawl_time":1772638050,"first_indexed_time":1677782317,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,nytimes!www,\/2023\/03\/02\/crosswords\/how-to-solve-sudoku.html s443","src_root_hash":"4566504020376537684","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"How to Solve Sudoku for Beginners - The New York Times","meta_descriptions":["Get started solving the classic number puzzle with tips from some of the best solvers in the world."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Advertisement\nSKIP ADVERTISEMENT\nGet started solving the classic number puzzle with tips from some of the best solvers in the world.\nCredit...\nKatherine Lee\/The New York Times\nMarch 2, 2023\nEverybody can solve a hard Sudoku. Maybe not right now, maybe not without some practice, but trust me, it’s possible. By the end of this article, you’ll be equipped to tackle intense puzzles in a way you find both challenging and fun. We asked some of the best Sudoku solvers in the world for their tips and tricks, and we’ll be sharing some of those with you here. There’s no correct way to solve a puzzle, but we hope that, using the techniques demonstrated here, you can become your best Sudoku self.\nBut first, the basics: A classic Sudoku has nine boxes, each subdivided into nine cells, for a total of 81. The goal is to fill in each of the cells with a number from one through nine. The digits must be placed so that each appears only once per row, column and box. It sounds simple written out like this, but some of these puzzles can be quite twisted.\nUnlike a crossword puzzle, the only clues you’ll get here are the numbers that are already placed for you in the grid. One bonus here is that this makes it easy to gauge just how hard a puzzle will be. A grid with more digits will tend to be on the easier side, and one with fewer will probably be harder. For a clear example of this, look at an easy version of a\nNew York Times Sudoku\n, then compare it to\na hard one\n. So, then, how do we figure out what goes where?\nScan for Singles\nThe first step to any successful Sudoku solve is to scan for cells that can only contain a single digit. On beginner puzzles, there are usually one or two obvious ones lurking somewhere and they are an easy way to start making progress.\nThomas Snyder, a three-time World Sudoku Championship winner, says that his advice for beginners is to think about how to look at the information a grid is giving you in a way that makes sense. First, look between the bold lines that separate groups of three rows or columns. Then, find any number that you see twice between those lines. Now, try and place the third instance of that number, finally looking in the other direction (e.g., if you’ve been looking at a row, now look at a column) to see where it fits in the remaining space. Mr. Snyder says, “When looking this way, you don’t have to care about 1, 2, 3. You are looking at the digits you have the most of, which are going to be the easiest digits.”\nOnce you start thinking about the numbers this way, you can start looking closely at the geometry of the grid. As you get more practice, your pattern recognition will improve. Maybe there’s a box with seven or eight numbers filled in already, or a row with six digits done. You’ll begin recognizing patterns that will help you solve more efficiently.\nUsing Candidates\nNo, not like someone running for office in an election — a candidate in Sudoku is a digit that\ncould\nbe placed into a cell, but you’re not totally sure it goes there yet. Some people call this “pencil marking,” since many solvers write small numbers or other notes in pencil to denote a possible solution. Nearly everyone we spoke to for this article said that having a good strategy with how you annotate your puzzle can jump-start your Sudoku solving. There are plenty of good strategies, but the best one is the one you’re most comfortable with.\nMany online Sudoku interfaces (including The New York Times’s) feature an automatic candidate mode, which shows the solver every single place that every single number can fit into. This can be a good place to start, but it can also be inefficient. It will sometimes show you numbers that theoretically could go into a cell, but a closer look at the puzzle will reveal there’s no way they ever would.\nTammy Mcleod, a U.S. Sudoku Championship winner, says that while many notation techniques focus on which numbers go into a certain cell, her preference is to do the opposite — she focuses on which cells can a certain number go into, drawing lines to mark them. A clip of her solving notation can be seen in\nthis Google tech demonstration\n. She says that you shouldn’t be afraid of making notes, since they can help you spot patterns and apply logic to the grid in a way you might not have before.\nMr. Snyder, on the other hand, uses a different method. He only makes notes in what he calls an “either\/or situation,” where a number can be placed in only two cells within a box. One of the benefits of this technique is that when you place a new number, you can look elsewhere in the grid and instantly be able to fill in another cell As you use this notation technique more, he says, you will notice patterns within it that will help you, such as overlapping pairs or triplets. This method is sometimes known in the Sudoku community as the “\nSnyder notation\n.”\nHow to Unstick Yourself\nIt’s very possible you might find yourself stuck while solving a Sudoku. That’s normal, especially on hard puzzles. There are lots of ways to break through and have that “aha” moment that helps you fill in the grid. Getting stuck in a Sudoku feels different than getting stuck in a crossword or in a Spelling Bee puzzle. Even if you don’t get stuck on a single digit, you might not be able to see the pattern, or you might see the wrong one and get misdirected.\nOne of our best tips for any puzzle is to take a break if you’re not sure what to do next. Even a short break can help jog your brain into seeing something you didn’t before. Take a deep breath, make a cup of tea, maybe walk a lap around the house and come back to it when you’re ready to keep trying.\nMs. Mcleod says she often thinks about one piece of advice when she gets stuck: “A valid Sudoku is only allowed to have one solution.” Applying this, it helps her make decisions when presented with digit placements that might result in two equally possible solutions.\nFocus on how you make progress, and how you think about what to look for next. At its core, Sudoku is a pattern recognition puzzle. As you solve more of them, you will slowly get better. Whether you’re trying to solve as quickly as possible, or just looking for a way to unwind, we hope these tips will help you achieve your solving goal.\nRelated Content\nAnd More\nNew York Times Games\nMelissa Bunni Elian for The New York Times\nPhoto by Yuri Cortez\/AFP via Getty Images\nEditors’ Picks\nEmma McIntyre\/Getty Images\nDaniel Smith\/Prime\nTrending in The Times\nAmanda Shae Home Team Realty Group\nHiroko Masuike\/The New York Times\nBrill\/ullstein bild, via Getty Images\nVictor Medina\/Reuters\nGillian Jones\/The Berkshire Eagle, via Associated Press\nLiam Kennedy for The New York Times\nDeanna Donegan\/The New York Times; Photographs by Getty\nPhoto Illustration by Tam Stockton for The New York Times\nPhoto Illustration by Mel Haasch; Grace Cary\/Getty Images\nThe Fashion Auctioneer\nAdvertisement\nSKIP ADVERTISEMENT","attrs_markdown":"[Skip to content](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/03\/02\/crosswords\/how-to-solve-sudoku.html#site-content)[Skip to site index](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/03\/02\/crosswords\/how-to-solve-sudoku.html#site-index)\n\nSearch & Section Navigation\n\nSection Navigation\n\nSearch\n\n[Gameplay](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/column\/wordplay)\n\n[Log in](https:\/\/myaccount.nytimes.com\/auth\/login?response_type=cookie&client_id=vi&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2Fsubscription%2Fonboarding-offer%3FcampaignId%3D7JFJX%26EXIT_URI%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.nytimes.com%252F2023%252F03%252F02%252Fcrosswords%252Fhow-to-solve-sudoku.html&asset=masthead)\n\nWednesday, March 4, 2026\n\n[Today’s Paper](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/section\/todayspaper)\n\n[Gameplay](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/column\/wordplay)\\|Sudoku Tips for Beginners: How to Solve Efficiently\n\nhttps:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/03\/02\/crosswords\/how-to-solve-sudoku.html\n\n- Share full article\n\nAdvertisement\n\n[SKIP ADVERTISEMENT](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/03\/02\/crosswords\/how-to-solve-sudoku.html#after-top)\n\nSupported by\n\n[SKIP ADVERTISEMENT](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/03\/02\/crosswords\/how-to-solve-sudoku.html#after-sponsor)\n# Sudoku Tips for Beginners: How to Solve Efficiently\nGet started solving the classic number puzzle with tips from some of the best solvers in the world.\n\n- Share full article\n\n![Nine squares, like Sudoku cells in a box, on an orange and black background that’s split diagonally. One cell on the bottom left has a pen sticking out of it. The four on the top right have curtains covering them. ](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2023\/03\/03\/crosswords\/03sudoku-tips\/03sudoku-tips-articleLarge.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale)\n\nCredit...Katherine Lee\/The New York Times\n\nBy [Isaac Aronow](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/by\/isaac-aronow)\n\nMarch 2, 2023\n\nEverybody can solve a hard Sudoku. Maybe not right now, maybe not without some practice, but trust me, it’s possible. By the end of this article, you’ll be equipped to tackle intense puzzles in a way you find both challenging and fun. We asked some of the best Sudoku solvers in the world for their tips and tricks, and we’ll be sharing some of those with you here. There’s no correct way to solve a puzzle, but we hope that, using the techniques demonstrated here, you can become your best Sudoku self.\n\nBut first, the basics: A classic Sudoku has nine boxes, each subdivided into nine cells, for a total of 81. The goal is to fill in each of the cells with a number from one through nine. The digits must be placed so that each appears only once per row, column and box. It sounds simple written out like this, but some of these puzzles can be quite twisted.\n\nUnlike a crossword puzzle, the only clues you’ll get here are the numbers that are already placed for you in the grid. One bonus here is that this makes it easy to gauge just how hard a puzzle will be. A grid with more digits will tend to be on the easier side, and one with fewer will probably be harder. For a clear example of this, look at an easy version of a [New York Times Sudoku](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/puzzles\/sudoku\/easy), then compare it to [a hard one](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/puzzles\/sudoku\/hard). So, then, how do we figure out what goes where?\n\n### Scan for Singles\nThe first step to any successful Sudoku solve is to scan for cells that can only contain a single digit. On beginner puzzles, there are usually one or two obvious ones lurking somewhere and they are an easy way to start making progress.\n\nThomas Snyder, a three-time World Sudoku Championship winner, says that his advice for beginners is to think about how to look at the information a grid is giving you in a way that makes sense. First, look between the bold lines that separate groups of three rows or columns. Then, find any number that you see twice between those lines. Now, try and place the third instance of that number, finally looking in the other direction (e.g., if you’ve been looking at a row, now look at a column) to see where it fits in the remaining space. Mr. Snyder says, “When looking this way, you don’t have to care about 1, 2, 3. You are looking at the digits you have the most of, which are going to be the easiest digits.”\n\nOnce you start thinking about the numbers this way, you can start looking closely at the geometry of the grid. As you get more practice, your pattern recognition will improve. Maybe there’s a box with seven or eight numbers filled in already, or a row with six digits done. You’ll begin recognizing patterns that will help you solve more efficiently.\n\n### Using Candidates\nNo, not like someone running for office in an election — a candidate in Sudoku is a digit that *could* be placed into a cell, but you’re not totally sure it goes there yet. Some people call this “pencil marking,” since many solvers write small numbers or other notes in pencil to denote a possible solution. Nearly everyone we spoke to for this article said that having a good strategy with how you annotate your puzzle can jump-start your Sudoku solving. There are plenty of good strategies, but the best one is the one you’re most comfortable with.\n\nMany online Sudoku interfaces (including The New York Times’s) feature an automatic candidate mode, which shows the solver every single place that every single number can fit into. This can be a good place to start, but it can also be inefficient. It will sometimes show you numbers that theoretically could go into a cell, but a closer look at the puzzle will reveal there’s no way they ever would.\n\nTammy Mcleod, a U.S. Sudoku Championship winner, says that while many notation techniques focus on which numbers go into a certain cell, her preference is to do the opposite — she focuses on which cells can a certain number go into, drawing lines to mark them. A clip of her solving notation can be seen in [this Google tech demonstration](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=rdftOloAH9Q&t=64s). She says that you shouldn’t be afraid of making notes, since they can help you spot patterns and apply logic to the grid in a way you might not have before.\n\n## Editors’ Picks\n[![](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/03\/02\/multimedia\/02TBRTrethewey-Review-qzlp\/02TBRTrethewey-Review-qzlp-thumbLarge.jpg)Her Daughters Got the Press. Until Now.](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/03\/03\/books\/review\/muv-rachel-trethewey.html)\n\n[![](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/02\/28\/multimedia\/28ST-MICHAELEEN-DOUCLEFF-02-zvjt\/28ST-MICHAELEEN-DOUCLEFF-02-zvjt-thumbLarge-v2.jpg)This Parenting Expert Thinks Your Kids Need More Fire and Knives](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/02\/28\/style\/dopamine-kids-michaeleen-doucleff-hunt-gather-parent.html)\n\n[![](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/03\/08\/arts\/08Myten-Rausch\/08Myten-Rausch-thumbLarge.jpg)After ‘Love Island,’ Rob Rausch Was Wary of ‘The Traitors’](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/02\/28\/arts\/television\/rob-rausch-traitors-love-island.html)\n\nAdvertisement\n\n[SKIP ADVERTISEMENT](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/03\/02\/crosswords\/how-to-solve-sudoku.html#after-pp_edpick)\n\nMr. Snyder, on the other hand, uses a different method. He only makes notes in what he calls an “either\/or situation,” where a number can be placed in only two cells within a box. One of the benefits of this technique is that when you place a new number, you can look elsewhere in the grid and instantly be able to fill in another cell As you use this notation technique more, he says, you will notice patterns within it that will help you, such as overlapping pairs or triplets. This method is sometimes known in the Sudoku community as the “[Snyder notation](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=TomEiPJyQiU).”\n\n### How to Unstick Yourself\nIt’s very possible you might find yourself stuck while solving a Sudoku. That’s normal, especially on hard puzzles. There are lots of ways to break through and have that “aha” moment that helps you fill in the grid. Getting stuck in a Sudoku feels different than getting stuck in a crossword or in a Spelling Bee puzzle. Even if you don’t get stuck on a single digit, you might not be able to see the pattern, or you might see the wrong one and get misdirected.\n\nOne of our best tips for any puzzle is to take a break if you’re not sure what to do next. Even a short break can help jog your brain into seeing something you didn’t before. Take a deep breath, make a cup of tea, maybe walk a lap around the house and come back to it when you’re ready to keep trying.\n\nMs. Mcleod says she often thinks about one piece of advice when she gets stuck: “A valid Sudoku is only allowed to have one solution.” Applying this, it helps her make decisions when presented with digit placements that might result in two equally possible solutions.\n\nFocus on how you make progress, and how you think about what to look for next. At its core, Sudoku is a pattern recognition puzzle. As you solve more of them, you will slowly get better. Whether you’re trying to solve as quickly as possible, or just looking for a way to unwind, we hope these tips will help you achieve your solving goal.\n\n- Share full article\n\n***\n## It’s Game Time\\!\n### Take your puzzling skills in new directions.\n***\n- Learn how Pips, [our newest game, is made](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/09\/18\/crosswords\/pips-new-game.html). It’s like “dominos — with a twist,” and you can [play it here](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/games\/pips).\n- [WordleBot](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/2022\/upshot\/wordle-bot.html), our daily Wordle companion that tells you how skillful or lucky you are, has been upgraded. [Here’s what to know](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/2024\/02\/16\/upshot\/wordlebot-faq.html). Read today’s [Wordle Review](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/spotlight\/wordle-review), and get insights on the game from our columnists.\n- [Strands](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/games\/strands), our word search puzzle game, has confounded and enthralled solvers. [Here are some tips to help improve your skills](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/06\/28\/crosswords\/strands-tips-and-tricks.html).\n- The editor of [Connections](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/games\/connections), our game about finding common threads between words, [talks about how she makes this daily puzzle feel fun](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/06\/26\/crosswords\/new-game-connections.html).\n- Try your hand as [a Games moderator](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/2024\/07\/29\/crosswords\/29community-lab-quiz.html) at the behind-the-scenes work that goes into the [Games community forums](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/09\/30\/crosswords\/gameplay-forums.html).\n- Ready to play? Try [Wordle](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/games\/wordle\/index.html), [Spelling Bee](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/puzzles\/spelling-bee) or [The Crossword](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/crosswords).\n\n## Related Content\n### [And More](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/spotlight\/and-more)\n- [Meet the Second Class of the Diverse Crossword Constructor Fellowship](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/01\/27\/crosswords\/dcc-fellow-bios-2023.html)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2023\/01\/27\/crosswords\/27fellowship-bios\/27fellowship-bios-thumbLarge.png?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale)\n  \n  New York Times Games\n- [And the ‘Super Mega’ Crossword Contest Winners Are…](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/01\/15\/crosswords\/puzzlemania-contest-winners.html)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2022\/11\/28\/us\/28puzzlemania-supermega-01\/merlin_147722961_904dcc8c-e607-4d4c-868e-fc03d621de8c-thumbLarge.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale)\n  \n  Melissa Bunni Elian for The New York Times\n- [Submit Your Own Photo for the Spelling Bee Forum](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2022\/05\/23\/crosswords\/bee-forum-photo-submissions.html)\n  \n  Photo by Yuri Cortez\/AFP via Getty Images\n\n### Editors’ Picks\n- [Are Zendaya and Tom Holland Married?](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/03\/02\/style\/zendaya-tom-holland-married.html)\n  \n  ![Husband and wife?](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/03\/02\/multimedia\/02ST-ZENDAYA-WEDDING-htcf\/02ST-ZENDAYA-WEDDING-htcf-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale)\n  \n  Emma McIntyre\/Getty Images\n- [In ‘Young Sherlock,’ He’s a Gen Z Heartthrob](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/03\/03\/arts\/television\/young-sherlock.html)\n  \n  ![Hero Fiennes Tiffin as Sherlock Holmes in “Young Sherlock,” this time as a charismatic 19-year-old with a strong jaw and a sly smile.](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/03\/04\/arts\/03cul-young-sherlock\/03cul-young-sherlock-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale)\n  \n  Daniel Smith\/Prime\n\n### Trending in The Times\n- [\\$550,000 Homes in Kentucky, Florida and Maryland](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/03\/04\/realestate\/florida-maryland-kentucky-home-sales.html)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/03\/04\/realestate\/04re-wyg-Louisville\/04re-wyg-Louisville-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350)\n  \n  Amanda Shae Home Team Realty Group\n- [Seven Takeaways From the Clintons’ Epstein Depositions](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/03\/02\/us\/politics\/clinton-bill-hillary-epstein-deposition-video.html)\n  \n  ![Hillary Clinton speaking to reporters after her closed-door deposition before the House Oversight Committee, as part of its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, in Chappaqua, N.Y.](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/03\/02\/multimedia\/02dc-clinton-qfzt\/02dc-clinton-qfzt-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350)\n  \n  Hiroko Masuike\/The New York Times\n- [After ‘Priceless’ Violin Flies on Lap, Lufthansa Changes Carry-On Rules](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/03\/02\/travel\/musical-instruments-travel-accommodations.html)\n  \n  ![Carolin Widmann was boarding a plane with a Guadagnini violin, made in 1782, when she was instructed to take it out of its case. ](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/02\/24\/multimedia\/00xp-instruments-widmann\/00xp-instruments-widmann-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350)\n  \n  Brill\/ullstein bild, via Getty Images\n- [The Moon Turned Blood Red During a Total Lunar Eclipse](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/03\/02\/science\/blood-moon-lunar-eclipse-time-when-tonight.html)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/04\/02\/multimedia\/02HS-blood-moon-update-01-zftb\/02HS-blood-moon-update-01-zftb-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350)\n  \n  Victor Medina\/Reuters\n- [What Are Your Prom Dinner Plans? We Want to Hear From You.](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/03\/03\/dining\/what-are-your-prom-dinner-plans-we-want-to-hear-from-you.html)\n  \n  ![Prom night is a time-honored American tradition. We’d like to understand it better.](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/03\/03\/multimedia\/fd-prom-callout-01-pvch\/fd-prom-callout-01-pvch-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350)\n  \n  Gillian Jones\/The Berkshire Eagle, via Associated Press\n- [Why Do People Wear Shorts in Winter?](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/03\/02\/fashion\/shorts-winter-cold-weather.html)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/02\/27\/multimedia\/27openthread-askvanessa-hwcl\/27openthread-askvanessa-hwcl-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350)\n  \n  Liam Kennedy for The New York Times\n- [Nearly Half of Colorectal Cancers Now Occur in Younger Patients, Study Shows](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/03\/02\/well\/colorectal-cancer-young.html)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/02\/28\/well\/2Well-Colorectal-Cancers\/2Well-Colorectal-Cancers-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350)\n  \n  Deanna Donegan\/The New York Times; Photographs by Getty\n- [Opinion: How to Think About Trump’s War With Iran](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/03\/02\/opinion\/trump-iran-war-future.html)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/03\/03\/multimedia\/02friedman-lvgk\/02friedman-lvgk-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350)\n  \n  Photo Illustration by Tam Stockton for The New York Times\n- [Reporters Seek Comment. What Happens Next May Surprise You.](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/03\/02\/insider\/journalism-reporting-seeking-comment.html)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/02\/21\/pageoneplus\/21insider-comment\/21insider-comment-square640.png?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350)\n  \n  Photo Illustration by Mel Haasch; Grace Cary\/Getty Images\n- [Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s Wardrobe Finds a New Obsessive Audience](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/03\/02\/style\/carolyn-bessette-kennedy-auction-love-story.html)\n  \n  ![Several styles worn by Ms. Bessette Kennedy are on sale in an auction timed to meet renewed interest in her style.](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/03\/05\/multimedia\/ST-CBK-AUCTION-01-zmpf\/ST-CBK-AUCTION-01-zmpf-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350)\n  \n  The Fashion Auctioneer\n\nAdvertisement\n\n[SKIP 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[Subscriptions](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/subscription?campaignId=37WXW)","attrs_readable_markdown":"Advertisement\n\n[SKIP ADVERTISEMENT](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/03\/02\/crosswords\/how-to-solve-sudoku.html#after-top)\n\nGet started solving the classic number puzzle with tips from some of the best solvers in the world.\n\n![Nine squares, like Sudoku cells in a box, on an orange and black background that’s split diagonally. One cell on the bottom left has a pen sticking out of it. The four on the top right have curtains covering them. ](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2023\/03\/03\/crosswords\/03sudoku-tips\/03sudoku-tips-articleLarge.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale)\n\nCredit...Katherine Lee\/The New York Times\n\nMarch 2, 2023\n\nEverybody can solve a hard Sudoku. Maybe not right now, maybe not without some practice, but trust me, it’s possible. By the end of this article, you’ll be equipped to tackle intense puzzles in a way you find both challenging and fun. We asked some of the best Sudoku solvers in the world for their tips and tricks, and we’ll be sharing some of those with you here. There’s no correct way to solve a puzzle, but we hope that, using the techniques demonstrated here, you can become your best Sudoku self.\n\nBut first, the basics: A classic Sudoku has nine boxes, each subdivided into nine cells, for a total of 81. The goal is to fill in each of the cells with a number from one through nine. The digits must be placed so that each appears only once per row, column and box. It sounds simple written out like this, but some of these puzzles can be quite twisted.\n\nUnlike a crossword puzzle, the only clues you’ll get here are the numbers that are already placed for you in the grid. One bonus here is that this makes it easy to gauge just how hard a puzzle will be. A grid with more digits will tend to be on the easier side, and one with fewer will probably be harder. For a clear example of this, look at an easy version of a [New York Times Sudoku](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/puzzles\/sudoku\/easy), then compare it to [a hard one](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/puzzles\/sudoku\/hard). So, then, how do we figure out what goes where?\n\n### Scan for Singles\nThe first step to any successful Sudoku solve is to scan for cells that can only contain a single digit. On beginner puzzles, there are usually one or two obvious ones lurking somewhere and they are an easy way to start making progress.\n\nThomas Snyder, a three-time World Sudoku Championship winner, says that his advice for beginners is to think about how to look at the information a grid is giving you in a way that makes sense. First, look between the bold lines that separate groups of three rows or columns. Then, find any number that you see twice between those lines. Now, try and place the third instance of that number, finally looking in the other direction (e.g., if you’ve been looking at a row, now look at a column) to see where it fits in the remaining space. Mr. Snyder says, “When looking this way, you don’t have to care about 1, 2, 3. You are looking at the digits you have the most of, which are going to be the easiest digits.”\n\nOnce you start thinking about the numbers this way, you can start looking closely at the geometry of the grid. As you get more practice, your pattern recognition will improve. Maybe there’s a box with seven or eight numbers filled in already, or a row with six digits done. You’ll begin recognizing patterns that will help you solve more efficiently.\n\n### Using Candidates\nNo, not like someone running for office in an election — a candidate in Sudoku is a digit that *could* be placed into a cell, but you’re not totally sure it goes there yet. Some people call this “pencil marking,” since many solvers write small numbers or other notes in pencil to denote a possible solution. Nearly everyone we spoke to for this article said that having a good strategy with how you annotate your puzzle can jump-start your Sudoku solving. There are plenty of good strategies, but the best one is the one you’re most comfortable with.\n\nMany online Sudoku interfaces (including The New York Times’s) feature an automatic candidate mode, which shows the solver every single place that every single number can fit into. This can be a good place to start, but it can also be inefficient. It will sometimes show you numbers that theoretically could go into a cell, but a closer look at the puzzle will reveal there’s no way they ever would.\n\nTammy Mcleod, a U.S. Sudoku Championship winner, says that while many notation techniques focus on which numbers go into a certain cell, her preference is to do the opposite — she focuses on which cells can a certain number go into, drawing lines to mark them. A clip of her solving notation can be seen in [this Google tech demonstration](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=rdftOloAH9Q&t=64s). She says that you shouldn’t be afraid of making notes, since they can help you spot patterns and apply logic to the grid in a way you might not have before.\n\nMr. Snyder, on the other hand, uses a different method. He only makes notes in what he calls an “either\/or situation,” where a number can be placed in only two cells within a box. One of the benefits of this technique is that when you place a new number, you can look elsewhere in the grid and instantly be able to fill in another cell As you use this notation technique more, he says, you will notice patterns within it that will help you, such as overlapping pairs or triplets. This method is sometimes known in the Sudoku community as the “[Snyder notation](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=TomEiPJyQiU).”\n\n### How to Unstick Yourself\nIt’s very possible you might find yourself stuck while solving a Sudoku. That’s normal, especially on hard puzzles. There are lots of ways to break through and have that “aha” moment that helps you fill in the grid. Getting stuck in a Sudoku feels different than getting stuck in a crossword or in a Spelling Bee puzzle. Even if you don’t get stuck on a single digit, you might not be able to see the pattern, or you might see the wrong one and get misdirected.\n\nOne of our best tips for any puzzle is to take a break if you’re not sure what to do next. Even a short break can help jog your brain into seeing something you didn’t before. Take a deep breath, make a cup of tea, maybe walk a lap around the house and come back to it when you’re ready to keep trying.\n\nMs. Mcleod says she often thinks about one piece of advice when she gets stuck: “A valid Sudoku is only allowed to have one solution.” Applying this, it helps her make decisions when presented with digit placements that might result in two equally possible solutions.\n\nFocus on how you make progress, and how you think about what to look for next. At its core, Sudoku is a pattern recognition puzzle. As you solve more of them, you will slowly get better. Whether you’re trying to solve as quickly as possible, or just looking for a way to unwind, we hope these tips will help you achieve your solving goal.\n\n## Related Content\n[And More](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/spotlight\/and-more)\n\n- ![](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2023\/01\/27\/crosswords\/27fellowship-bios\/27fellowship-bios-thumbLarge.png?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale)\n  \n  New York Times Games\n- ![](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2022\/11\/28\/us\/28puzzlemania-supermega-01\/merlin_147722961_904dcc8c-e607-4d4c-868e-fc03d621de8c-thumbLarge.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale)\n  \n  Melissa Bunni Elian for The New York Times\n- Photo by Yuri Cortez\/AFP via Getty Images\n\nEditors’ Picks\n\n- ![Husband and wife?](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/03\/02\/multimedia\/02ST-ZENDAYA-WEDDING-htcf\/02ST-ZENDAYA-WEDDING-htcf-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale)\n  \n  Emma McIntyre\/Getty Images\n- ![Hero Fiennes Tiffin as Sherlock Holmes in “Young Sherlock,” this time as a charismatic 19-year-old with a strong jaw and a sly smile.](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/03\/04\/arts\/03cul-young-sherlock\/03cul-young-sherlock-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale)\n  \n  Daniel Smith\/Prime\n\nTrending in The Times\n\n- ![](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/03\/04\/realestate\/04re-wyg-Louisville\/04re-wyg-Louisville-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350)\n  \n  Amanda Shae Home Team Realty Group\n- ![Hillary Clinton speaking to reporters after her closed-door deposition before the House Oversight Committee, as part of its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, in Chappaqua, N.Y.](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/03\/02\/multimedia\/02dc-clinton-qfzt\/02dc-clinton-qfzt-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350)\n  \n  Hiroko Masuike\/The New York Times\n- ![Carolin Widmann was boarding a plane with a Guadagnini violin, made in 1782, when she was instructed to take it out of its case. ](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/02\/24\/multimedia\/00xp-instruments-widmann\/00xp-instruments-widmann-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350)\n  \n  Brill\/ullstein bild, via Getty Images\n- ![](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/04\/02\/multimedia\/02HS-blood-moon-update-01-zftb\/02HS-blood-moon-update-01-zftb-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350)\n  \n  Victor Medina\/Reuters\n- ![Prom night is a time-honored American tradition. We’d like to understand it better.](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/03\/03\/multimedia\/fd-prom-callout-01-pvch\/fd-prom-callout-01-pvch-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350)\n  \n  Gillian Jones\/The Berkshire Eagle, via Associated Press\n- ![](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/02\/27\/multimedia\/27openthread-askvanessa-hwcl\/27openthread-askvanessa-hwcl-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350)\n  \n  Liam Kennedy for The New York Times\n- ![](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/02\/28\/well\/2Well-Colorectal-Cancers\/2Well-Colorectal-Cancers-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350)\n  \n  Deanna Donegan\/The New York Times; Photographs by Getty\n- ![](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/03\/03\/multimedia\/02friedman-lvgk\/02friedman-lvgk-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350)\n  \n  Photo Illustration by Tam Stockton for The New York Times\n- ![](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/02\/21\/pageoneplus\/21insider-comment\/21insider-comment-square640.png?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350)\n  \n  Photo Illustration by Mel Haasch; Grace Cary\/Getty Images\n- ![Several styles worn by Ms. Bessette Kennedy are on sale in an auction timed to meet renewed interest in her style.](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2026\/03\/05\/multimedia\/ST-CBK-AUCTION-01-zmpf\/ST-CBK-AUCTION-01-zmpf-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350)\n  \n  The Fashion Auctioneer\n\nAdvertisement\n\n[SKIP ADVERTISEMENT](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/03\/02\/crosswords\/how-to-solve-sudoku.html#after-bottom)","meta_canonical":null}

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Boilerpipe Text	Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Get started solving the classic number puzzle with tips from some of the best solvers in the world. Credit... Katherine Lee/The New York Times March 2, 2023 Everybody can solve a hard Sudoku. Maybe not right now, maybe not without some practice, but trust me, it’s possible. By the end of this article, you’ll be equipped to tackle intense puzzles in a way you find both challenging and fun. We asked some of the best Sudoku solvers in the world for their tips and tricks, and we’ll be sharing some of those with you here. There’s no correct way to solve a puzzle, but we hope that, using the techniques demonstrated here, you can become your best Sudoku self. But first, the basics: A classic Sudoku has nine boxes, each subdivided into nine cells, for a total of 81. The goal is to fill in each of the cells with a number from one through nine. The digits must be placed so that each appears only once per row, column and box. It sounds simple written out like this, but some of these puzzles can be quite twisted. Unlike a crossword puzzle, the only clues you’ll get here are the numbers that are already placed for you in the grid. One bonus here is that this makes it easy to gauge just how hard a puzzle will be. A grid with more digits will tend to be on the easier side, and one with fewer will probably be harder. For a clear example of this, look at an easy version of a New York Times Sudoku , then compare it to a hard one . So, then, how do we figure out what goes where? Scan for Singles The first step to any successful Sudoku solve is to scan for cells that can only contain a single digit. On beginner puzzles, there are usually one or two obvious ones lurking somewhere and they are an easy way to start making progress. Thomas Snyder, a three-time World Sudoku Championship winner, says that his advice for beginners is to think about how to look at the information a grid is giving you in a way that makes sense. First, look between the bold lines that separate groups of three rows or columns. Then, find any number that you see twice between those lines. Now, try and place the third instance of that number, finally looking in the other direction (e.g., if you’ve been looking at a row, now look at a column) to see where it fits in the remaining space. Mr. Snyder says, “When looking this way, you don’t have to care about 1, 2, 3. You are looking at the digits you have the most of, which are going to be the easiest digits.” Once you start thinking about the numbers this way, you can start looking closely at the geometry of the grid. As you get more practice, your pattern recognition will improve. Maybe there’s a box with seven or eight numbers filled in already, or a row with six digits done. You’ll begin recognizing patterns that will help you solve more efficiently. Using Candidates No, not like someone running for office in an election — a candidate in Sudoku is a digit that could be placed into a cell, but you’re not totally sure it goes there yet. Some people call this “pencil marking,” since many solvers write small numbers or other notes in pencil to denote a possible solution. Nearly everyone we spoke to for this article said that having a good strategy with how you annotate your puzzle can jump-start your Sudoku solving. There are plenty of good strategies, but the best one is the one you’re most comfortable with. Many online Sudoku interfaces (including The New York Times’s) feature an automatic candidate mode, which shows the solver every single place that every single number can fit into. This can be a good place to start, but it can also be inefficient. It will sometimes show you numbers that theoretically could go into a cell, but a closer look at the puzzle will reveal there’s no way they ever would. Tammy Mcleod, a U.S. Sudoku Championship winner, says that while many notation techniques focus on which numbers go into a certain cell, her preference is to do the opposite — she focuses on which cells can a certain number go into, drawing lines to mark them. A clip of her solving notation can be seen in this Google tech demonstration . She says that you shouldn’t be afraid of making notes, since they can help you spot patterns and apply logic to the grid in a way you might not have before. Mr. Snyder, on the other hand, uses a different method. He only makes notes in what he calls an “either/or situation,” where a number can be placed in only two cells within a box. One of the benefits of this technique is that when you place a new number, you can look elsewhere in the grid and instantly be able to fill in another cell As you use this notation technique more, he says, you will notice patterns within it that will help you, such as overlapping pairs or triplets. This method is sometimes known in the Sudoku community as the “ Snyder notation .” How to Unstick Yourself It’s very possible you might find yourself stuck while solving a Sudoku. That’s normal, especially on hard puzzles. There are lots of ways to break through and have that “aha” moment that helps you fill in the grid. Getting stuck in a Sudoku feels different than getting stuck in a crossword or in a Spelling Bee puzzle. Even if you don’t get stuck on a single digit, you might not be able to see the pattern, or you might see the wrong one and get misdirected. One of our best tips for any puzzle is to take a break if you’re not sure what to do next. Even a short break can help jog your brain into seeing something you didn’t before. Take a deep breath, make a cup of tea, maybe walk a lap around the house and come back to it when you’re ready to keep trying. Ms. Mcleod says she often thinks about one piece of advice when she gets stuck: “A valid Sudoku is only allowed to have one solution.” Applying this, it helps her make decisions when presented with digit placements that might result in two equally possible solutions. Focus on how you make progress, and how you think about what to look for next. At its core, Sudoku is a pattern recognition puzzle. As you solve more of them, you will slowly get better. Whether you’re trying to solve as quickly as possible, or just looking for a way to unwind, we hope these tips will help you achieve your solving goal. Related Content And More New York Times Games Melissa Bunni Elian for The New York Times Photo by Yuri Cortez/AFP via Getty Images Editors’ Picks Emma McIntyre/Getty Images Daniel Smith/Prime Trending in The Times Amanda Shae Home Team Realty Group Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times Brill/ullstein bild, via Getty Images Victor Medina/Reuters Gillian Jones/The Berkshire Eagle, via Associated Press Liam Kennedy for The New York Times Deanna Donegan/The New York Times; Photographs by Getty Photo Illustration by Tam Stockton for The New York Times Photo Illustration by Mel Haasch; Grace Cary/Getty Images The Fashion Auctioneer Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT
Markdown	[Skip to content](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/02/crosswords/how-to-solve-sudoku.html#site-content)[Skip to site index](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/02/crosswords/how-to-solve-sudoku.html#site-index) Search & Section Navigation Section Navigation Search [Gameplay](https://www.nytimes.com/column/wordplay) [Log in](https://myaccount.nytimes.com/auth/login?response_type=cookie&client_id=vi&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2Fsubscription%2Fonboarding-offer%3FcampaignId%3D7JFJX%26EXIT_URI%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.nytimes.com%252F2023%252F03%252F02%252Fcrosswords%252Fhow-to-solve-sudoku.html&asset=masthead) Wednesday, March 4, 2026 [Today’s Paper](https://www.nytimes.com/section/todayspaper) [Gameplay](https://www.nytimes.com/column/wordplay)\\|Sudoku Tips for Beginners: How to Solve Efficiently https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/02/crosswords/how-to-solve-sudoku.html - Share full article Advertisement [SKIP ADVERTISEMENT](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/02/crosswords/how-to-solve-sudoku.html#after-top) Supported by [SKIP ADVERTISEMENT](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/02/crosswords/how-to-solve-sudoku.html#after-sponsor) # Sudoku Tips for Beginners: How to Solve Efficiently Get started solving the classic number puzzle with tips from some of the best solvers in the world. - Share full article ![Nine squares, like Sudoku cells in a box, on an orange and black background that’s split diagonally. One cell on the bottom left has a pen sticking out of it. The four on the top right have curtains covering them. ](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/03/03/crosswords/03sudoku-tips/03sudoku-tips-articleLarge.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) Credit...Katherine Lee/The New York Times By [Isaac Aronow](https://www.nytimes.com/by/isaac-aronow) March 2, 2023 Everybody can solve a hard Sudoku. Maybe not right now, maybe not without some practice, but trust me, it’s possible. By the end of this article, you’ll be equipped to tackle intense puzzles in a way you find both challenging and fun. We asked some of the best Sudoku solvers in the world for their tips and tricks, and we’ll be sharing some of those with you here. There’s no correct way to solve a puzzle, but we hope that, using the techniques demonstrated here, you can become your best Sudoku self. But first, the basics: A classic Sudoku has nine boxes, each subdivided into nine cells, for a total of 81. The goal is to fill in each of the cells with a number from one through nine. The digits must be placed so that each appears only once per row, column and box. It sounds simple written out like this, but some of these puzzles can be quite twisted. Unlike a crossword puzzle, the only clues you’ll get here are the numbers that are already placed for you in the grid. One bonus here is that this makes it easy to gauge just how hard a puzzle will be. A grid with more digits will tend to be on the easier side, and one with fewer will probably be harder. For a clear example of this, look at an easy version of a [New York Times Sudoku](https://www.nytimes.com/puzzles/sudoku/easy), then compare it to [a hard one](https://www.nytimes.com/puzzles/sudoku/hard). So, then, how do we figure out what goes where? ### Scan for Singles The first step to any successful Sudoku solve is to scan for cells that can only contain a single digit. On beginner puzzles, there are usually one or two obvious ones lurking somewhere and they are an easy way to start making progress. Thomas Snyder, a three-time World Sudoku Championship winner, says that his advice for beginners is to think about how to look at the information a grid is giving you in a way that makes sense. First, look between the bold lines that separate groups of three rows or columns. Then, find any number that you see twice between those lines. Now, try and place the third instance of that number, finally looking in the other direction (e.g., if you’ve been looking at a row, now look at a column) to see where it fits in the remaining space. Mr. Snyder says, “When looking this way, you don’t have to care about 1, 2, 3. You are looking at the digits you have the most of, which are going to be the easiest digits.” Once you start thinking about the numbers this way, you can start looking closely at the geometry of the grid. As you get more practice, your pattern recognition will improve. Maybe there’s a box with seven or eight numbers filled in already, or a row with six digits done. You’ll begin recognizing patterns that will help you solve more efficiently. ### Using Candidates No, not like someone running for office in an election — a candidate in Sudoku is a digit that could be placed into a cell, but you’re not totally sure it goes there yet. Some people call this “pencil marking,” since many solvers write small numbers or other notes in pencil to denote a possible solution. Nearly everyone we spoke to for this article said that having a good strategy with how you annotate your puzzle can jump-start your Sudoku solving. There are plenty of good strategies, but the best one is the one you’re most comfortable with. Many online Sudoku interfaces (including The New York Times’s) feature an automatic candidate mode, which shows the solver every single place that every single number can fit into. This can be a good place to start, but it can also be inefficient. It will sometimes show you numbers that theoretically could go into a cell, but a closer look at the puzzle will reveal there’s no way they ever would. Tammy Mcleod, a U.S. Sudoku Championship winner, says that while many notation techniques focus on which numbers go into a certain cell, her preference is to do the opposite — she focuses on which cells can a certain number go into, drawing lines to mark them. A clip of her solving notation can be seen in [this Google tech demonstration](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdftOloAH9Q&t=64s). She says that you shouldn’t be afraid of making notes, since they can help you spot patterns and apply logic to the grid in a way you might not have before. ## Editors’ Picks [![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/02/multimedia/02TBRTrethewey-Review-qzlp/02TBRTrethewey-Review-qzlp-thumbLarge.jpg)Her Daughters Got the Press. Until Now.](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/03/books/review/muv-rachel-trethewey.html) [![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/02/28/multimedia/28ST-MICHAELEEN-DOUCLEFF-02-zvjt/28ST-MICHAELEEN-DOUCLEFF-02-zvjt-thumbLarge-v2.jpg)This Parenting Expert Thinks Your Kids Need More Fire and Knives](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/28/style/dopamine-kids-michaeleen-doucleff-hunt-gather-parent.html) [![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/08/arts/08Myten-Rausch/08Myten-Rausch-thumbLarge.jpg)After ‘Love Island,’ Rob Rausch Was Wary of ‘The Traitors’](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/28/arts/television/rob-rausch-traitors-love-island.html) Advertisement [SKIP ADVERTISEMENT](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/02/crosswords/how-to-solve-sudoku.html#after-pp_edpick) Mr. Snyder, on the other hand, uses a different method. He only makes notes in what he calls an “either/or situation,” where a number can be placed in only two cells within a box. One of the benefits of this technique is that when you place a new number, you can look elsewhere in the grid and instantly be able to fill in another cell As you use this notation technique more, he says, you will notice patterns within it that will help you, such as overlapping pairs or triplets. This method is sometimes known in the Sudoku community as the “[Snyder notation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TomEiPJyQiU).” ### How to Unstick Yourself It’s very possible you might find yourself stuck while solving a Sudoku. That’s normal, especially on hard puzzles. There are lots of ways to break through and have that “aha” moment that helps you fill in the grid. Getting stuck in a Sudoku feels different than getting stuck in a crossword or in a Spelling Bee puzzle. Even if you don’t get stuck on a single digit, you might not be able to see the pattern, or you might see the wrong one and get misdirected. One of our best tips for any puzzle is to take a break if you’re not sure what to do next. Even a short break can help jog your brain into seeing something you didn’t before. Take a deep breath, make a cup of tea, maybe walk a lap around the house and come back to it when you’re ready to keep trying. Ms. Mcleod says she often thinks about one piece of advice when she gets stuck: “A valid Sudoku is only allowed to have one solution.” Applying this, it helps her make decisions when presented with digit placements that might result in two equally possible solutions. Focus on how you make progress, and how you think about what to look for next. At its core, Sudoku is a pattern recognition puzzle. As you solve more of them, you will slowly get better. Whether you’re trying to solve as quickly as possible, or just looking for a way to unwind, we hope these tips will help you achieve your solving goal. - Share full article * ## It’s Game Time\! ### Take your puzzling skills in new directions. * - Learn how Pips, [our newest game, is made](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/crosswords/pips-new-game.html). It’s like “dominos — with a twist,” and you can [play it here](https://www.nytimes.com/games/pips). - [WordleBot](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/upshot/wordle-bot.html), our daily Wordle companion that tells you how skillful or lucky you are, has been upgraded. [Here’s what to know](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/02/16/upshot/wordlebot-faq.html). Read today’s [Wordle Review](https://www.nytimes.com/spotlight/wordle-review), and get insights on the game from our columnists. - [Strands](https://www.nytimes.com/games/strands), our word search puzzle game, has confounded and enthralled solvers. [Here are some tips to help improve your skills](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/28/crosswords/strands-tips-and-tricks.html). - The editor of [Connections](https://www.nytimes.com/games/connections), our game about finding common threads between words, [talks about how she makes this daily puzzle feel fun](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/26/crosswords/new-game-connections.html). - Try your hand as [a Games moderator](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/07/29/crosswords/29community-lab-quiz.html) at the behind-the-scenes work that goes into the [Games community forums](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/30/crosswords/gameplay-forums.html). - Ready to play? 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Readable Markdown	Advertisement [SKIP ADVERTISEMENT](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/02/crosswords/how-to-solve-sudoku.html#after-top) Get started solving the classic number puzzle with tips from some of the best solvers in the world. ![Nine squares, like Sudoku cells in a box, on an orange and black background that’s split diagonally. One cell on the bottom left has a pen sticking out of it. The four on the top right have curtains covering them. ](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/03/03/crosswords/03sudoku-tips/03sudoku-tips-articleLarge.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) Credit...Katherine Lee/The New York Times March 2, 2023 Everybody can solve a hard Sudoku. Maybe not right now, maybe not without some practice, but trust me, it’s possible. By the end of this article, you’ll be equipped to tackle intense puzzles in a way you find both challenging and fun. We asked some of the best Sudoku solvers in the world for their tips and tricks, and we’ll be sharing some of those with you here. There’s no correct way to solve a puzzle, but we hope that, using the techniques demonstrated here, you can become your best Sudoku self. But first, the basics: A classic Sudoku has nine boxes, each subdivided into nine cells, for a total of 81. The goal is to fill in each of the cells with a number from one through nine. The digits must be placed so that each appears only once per row, column and box. It sounds simple written out like this, but some of these puzzles can be quite twisted. Unlike a crossword puzzle, the only clues you’ll get here are the numbers that are already placed for you in the grid. One bonus here is that this makes it easy to gauge just how hard a puzzle will be. A grid with more digits will tend to be on the easier side, and one with fewer will probably be harder. For a clear example of this, look at an easy version of a [New York Times Sudoku](https://www.nytimes.com/puzzles/sudoku/easy), then compare it to [a hard one](https://www.nytimes.com/puzzles/sudoku/hard). So, then, how do we figure out what goes where? ### Scan for Singles The first step to any successful Sudoku solve is to scan for cells that can only contain a single digit. On beginner puzzles, there are usually one or two obvious ones lurking somewhere and they are an easy way to start making progress. Thomas Snyder, a three-time World Sudoku Championship winner, says that his advice for beginners is to think about how to look at the information a grid is giving you in a way that makes sense. First, look between the bold lines that separate groups of three rows or columns. Then, find any number that you see twice between those lines. Now, try and place the third instance of that number, finally looking in the other direction (e.g., if you’ve been looking at a row, now look at a column) to see where it fits in the remaining space. Mr. Snyder says, “When looking this way, you don’t have to care about 1, 2, 3. You are looking at the digits you have the most of, which are going to be the easiest digits.” Once you start thinking about the numbers this way, you can start looking closely at the geometry of the grid. As you get more practice, your pattern recognition will improve. Maybe there’s a box with seven or eight numbers filled in already, or a row with six digits done. You’ll begin recognizing patterns that will help you solve more efficiently. ### Using Candidates No, not like someone running for office in an election — a candidate in Sudoku is a digit that could be placed into a cell, but you’re not totally sure it goes there yet. Some people call this “pencil marking,” since many solvers write small numbers or other notes in pencil to denote a possible solution. Nearly everyone we spoke to for this article said that having a good strategy with how you annotate your puzzle can jump-start your Sudoku solving. There are plenty of good strategies, but the best one is the one you’re most comfortable with. Many online Sudoku interfaces (including The New York Times’s) feature an automatic candidate mode, which shows the solver every single place that every single number can fit into. This can be a good place to start, but it can also be inefficient. It will sometimes show you numbers that theoretically could go into a cell, but a closer look at the puzzle will reveal there’s no way they ever would. Tammy Mcleod, a U.S. Sudoku Championship winner, says that while many notation techniques focus on which numbers go into a certain cell, her preference is to do the opposite — she focuses on which cells can a certain number go into, drawing lines to mark them. A clip of her solving notation can be seen in [this Google tech demonstration](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdftOloAH9Q&t=64s). She says that you shouldn’t be afraid of making notes, since they can help you spot patterns and apply logic to the grid in a way you might not have before. Mr. Snyder, on the other hand, uses a different method. He only makes notes in what he calls an “either/or situation,” where a number can be placed in only two cells within a box. One of the benefits of this technique is that when you place a new number, you can look elsewhere in the grid and instantly be able to fill in another cell As you use this notation technique more, he says, you will notice patterns within it that will help you, such as overlapping pairs or triplets. This method is sometimes known in the Sudoku community as the “[Snyder notation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TomEiPJyQiU).” ### How to Unstick Yourself It’s very possible you might find yourself stuck while solving a Sudoku. That’s normal, especially on hard puzzles. There are lots of ways to break through and have that “aha” moment that helps you fill in the grid. Getting stuck in a Sudoku feels different than getting stuck in a crossword or in a Spelling Bee puzzle. Even if you don’t get stuck on a single digit, you might not be able to see the pattern, or you might see the wrong one and get misdirected. One of our best tips for any puzzle is to take a break if you’re not sure what to do next. Even a short break can help jog your brain into seeing something you didn’t before. Take a deep breath, make a cup of tea, maybe walk a lap around the house and come back to it when you’re ready to keep trying. Ms. Mcleod says she often thinks about one piece of advice when she gets stuck: “A valid Sudoku is only allowed to have one solution.” Applying this, it helps her make decisions when presented with digit placements that might result in two equally possible solutions. Focus on how you make progress, and how you think about what to look for next. At its core, Sudoku is a pattern recognition puzzle. As you solve more of them, you will slowly get better. Whether you’re trying to solve as quickly as possible, or just looking for a way to unwind, we hope these tips will help you achieve your solving goal. ## Related Content [And More](https://www.nytimes.com/spotlight/and-more) - ![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/27/crosswords/27fellowship-bios/27fellowship-bios-thumbLarge.png?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) New York Times Games - ![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2022/11/28/us/28puzzlemania-supermega-01/merlin_147722961_904dcc8c-e607-4d4c-868e-fc03d621de8c-thumbLarge.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) Melissa Bunni Elian for The New York Times - Photo by Yuri Cortez/AFP via Getty Images Editors’ Picks - ![Husband and wife?](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/02/multimedia/02ST-ZENDAYA-WEDDING-htcf/02ST-ZENDAYA-WEDDING-htcf-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) Emma McIntyre/Getty Images - ![Hero Fiennes Tiffin as Sherlock Holmes in “Young Sherlock,” this time as a charismatic 19-year-old with a strong jaw and a sly smile.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/04/arts/03cul-young-sherlock/03cul-young-sherlock-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) Daniel Smith/Prime Trending in The Times - ![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/04/realestate/04re-wyg-Louisville/04re-wyg-Louisville-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350) Amanda Shae Home Team Realty Group - ![Hillary Clinton speaking to reporters after her closed-door deposition before the House Oversight Committee, as part of its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, in Chappaqua, N.Y.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/02/multimedia/02dc-clinton-qfzt/02dc-clinton-qfzt-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350) Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times - ![Carolin Widmann was boarding a plane with a Guadagnini violin, made in 1782, when she was instructed to take it out of its case. ](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/02/24/multimedia/00xp-instruments-widmann/00xp-instruments-widmann-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350) Brill/ullstein bild, via Getty Images - ![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/04/02/multimedia/02HS-blood-moon-update-01-zftb/02HS-blood-moon-update-01-zftb-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350) Victor Medina/Reuters - ![Prom night is a time-honored American tradition. 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