Play Sudoku Online Free

Sudoku overview

Sudoku challenges you to complete a 9 × 9 number grid so every row, column, and 3 × 3 box contains 1 through 9 once. Rookie, Pro, and Nightmare each offer a fixed puzzle with different clue layouts.

Controls and modes

Select a cell and use the number pad or keyboard digits 1–9. Arrow keys change the selected cell; 0, Backspace, Delete, or Erase clears an editable entry.

Strategy tips

• Begin with rows, columns, or boxes that already contain the most fixed numbers.
• Use the related-cell highlighting to check a selected square’s row, column, and box.
• Place a number only when every competing location has been eliminated.
• If an entry is marked incorrect, erase it and reconsider the surrounding fixed clues rather than guessing again.

Worked example: Find a forced cell in the Rookie grid

In the opening Rookie puzzle, inspect row 5, column 5—the center cell. Row 5 starts as 4, empty, empty, 8, empty, 3, empty, empty, 1.

1. The digits missing from that row are 2, 5, 6, 7, and 9.
2. Column 5 already contains 7, 9, 6, 2, 1, and 8. Of the row's candidates, only 5 remains.
3. The central 3 × 3 box also allows 5, so select the center cell and enter 5. This is a deduction from visible clues rather than a trial-and-error guess.

GamingLand checks an entry against the stored solution, not only for duplicate digits around the cell. An incorrect entry adds to the cumulative mistake count; erasing it clears the cell but does not undo that count. Each difficulty currently has one fixed puzzle.

Sudoku questions

Can starting clues be changed?

No. Fixed puzzle cells cannot be edited.

What happens after a wrong entry?

An incorrect entry is marked and adds one to the cumulative mistake count. Erasing or correcting it clears the marking, but does not subtract that mistake.