How to play sudoku
How to play sudoku
Sudoku is a logic puzzle played on a 9×9 grid. The goal is to fill every row, column, and 3×3 box with the numbers 1 through 9, each used exactly once. This guide walks you through the rules, the core techniques, and how to keep improving, from your first puzzle to your hundredth.
This guide is part of Mindful Sudoku, where solving becomes a practice of presence.
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What is sudoku?
Sudoku is a logic-based number puzzle played on a 9×9 grid. The grid is divided into nine 3×3 sections called boxes (also called regions, blocks, or as we like to call them, mini grids).
The rules are simple:
- Every row must contain the numbers 1 through 9, each used exactly once
- Every column must contain the numbers 1 through 9, each used exactly once
- Every 3×3 box must contain the numbers 1 through 9, each used exactly once
Each puzzle begins with some numbers already filled in. These are called the givens. Your job is to use logic to figure out where every other number belongs.
A well-constructed sudoku has exactly one solution, reachable through logic alone. If you're stuck, there's always a next step to find.