What “easy” means here
The level is not set by counting the given digits but by the hardest step a solver needs. An Easy puzzle starts with 34 to 40 digits and can be finished with just two techniques: the naked single and the hidden single. You never need notes, pairs or chains, and at every moment there is at least one cell you can fill with certainty.
Every puzzle has exactly one solution and comes from a set of 4,000 base grids that a program has checked. Each game also relabels the digits and shuffles rows and columns, so the difficulty stays the same while the board is always new.
The two techniques you need
Naked single. Look at one empty cell and collect every digit already in its row, its column and its box. In the picture, the cell in row 1, column 6 sees 7, 4, 5, 9 and 1 in its row, 3, 8, 5, 6 and 1 in its column and 4, 5, 1, 7, 3 and 8 in its box. Together that is eight different digits, so only the 2 is left.
Hidden single. Turn the question around: pick a digit and one box, row or column, and ask where that digit can still go. When the same digit in neighbouring rows and columns rules out every cell but one, it goes there, even if that cell could otherwise hold other digits. The beginner rules page walks through one, and the techniques page has both with real examples.
A routine that makes easy puzzles quick
- Go digit by digit. Start with the digit that already appears most often and check each box that still lacks it; the copies in neighbouring rows and columns usually leave a single free cell.
- Fill the crowded lines. A row, column or box with seven or eight digits has only one or two gaps, and the missing digits drop straight in.
- Check the busy cells. An empty cell whose row, column and box together show eight different digits is a naked single.
- Cycle again. Every digit you place opens new spots, so run through the digits once more instead of staring at one corner.
When to move up to Medium
Once you can finish Easy boards in about ten minutes without a hint, try Medium. It starts with 27 to 35 digits and asks for one new idea once to three times per puzzle: a locked candidate (a digit confined to one row or column inside a box) or a pair (two cells sharing the same two candidates). That is also where notes become useful; the Fill button writes every candidate in one tap and keeps them up to date as you place digits. After that come Hard, Expert and Master.
Who Easy is good for
- Complete beginners. One rule, no arithmetic: the digits are just symbols and could as well be letters.
- Children who know their numbers, playing alone or with a parent; a stuck moment is solved by the hint, which explains the step instead of just filling the cell.
- A short break. An experienced player finishes an Easy board in 3 to 5 minutes.
- A daily habit. The first of the three daily puzzles is always Easy.
Easy in the daily puzzle
Every day at 00:00 Tashkent time three new boards open, Easy, Medium and Hard, and everyone gets the same ones. The server times your solve and checks the grid; results that used a hint go to their own table, so the main table stays fair. In regular play your best times count only games solved without hints. More about the daily sudoku and the other daily puzzles.
FAQ
How long does an easy sudoku take?
A beginner usually needs 10 to 20 minutes, an experienced player 3 to 5.
Do I need to write notes on Easy?
No. Every step on Easy is a single, so you can solve it without notes; they start to help from Medium.
What happens if I place a wrong digit?
Depending on your setting the digit turns red and counts as a mistake. Erase it and carry on, or switch “Show mistakes” off.
Is it free?
Yes. Every level, the daily puzzles and the hints are free, and you do not need an account.
