Beginner Sudoku Techniques

Starter Path

Beginner Sudoku Techniques

Build a calm, repeatable flow with scanning, singles, pairs, and clean notes—no guessing required.

Difficulty: Easy–Medium Perfect for first 50 puzzles Read time: ~3–6 mins each

Baseline

Scanning / Cross-Hatching

Block rows and columns to find lone cells in each box before anything else.

4 min readEasy

Placement

Naked Singles

When only one candidate remains in a cell, place it confidently.

3 min readEasy

Placement

Hidden Singles

Find the only spot a number can fit in a row, column, or box—even with other notes present.

4 min readEasy

Elimination

Naked Pairs / Triples

Pair up candidates to clear them from the rest of the unit and reveal new singles.

5 min readMedium

Elimination

Hidden Pairs / Triples

When two numbers only fit two cells, lock them in and remove other notes there.

5 min readMedium

Product

How to Use Zen Garden

Notes mode, undo, hints, music, and mobile controls for a calmer solve.

3 min readGuide

Next step

Step Up to Advanced

Ready for harder grids? Learn pointing pairs, fish patterns, and chains.

OverviewHard