Mini Sudoku guide
Mini Sudoku Strategy & Tips
A 6×6 grid is small enough that a few classic techniques solve it quickly and cleanly.
Start with the basics
- Start where the most digits are given.
- Find cells with a single possible digit.
- Find digits with a single possible cell.
Advanced strategy
Pencil marks
Note the possible digits in each empty cell. On a 6×6 grid it takes seconds and makes singles jump out.
Naked pairs
If two cells in a row, column or box can only hold the same two digits, those digits are used up there. Remove them from the rest of that unit.
Box and line interactions
When a digit inside a box can only go in one row, it cannot appear anywhere else in that row outside the box.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting to update pencil marks after placing a digit.
- Mixing up the 2×3 box shape near the grid edges.
Worked example
The grid below is a finished puzzle. The shaded digits were given; every other digit follows from singles and the techniques above.
13256