Classic Sudoku — printable PDFs
The original number puzzle. Fill the 9×9 grid so every row, column, and 3×3 box contains each digit from 1 to 9 exactly once. Classic Sudoku is pure deductive logic — no arithmetic, no extra rules, just the constraints of a Latin square with the bonus box constraint. It rewards systematic scanning: pick a row, see which digits it's missing, eliminate the ones that can't fit into each open cell.
Rules: every row, column, and 3×3 box must contain the digits 1–9 with no repeats. Start by looking for hidden singles — cells where only one digit can legally go. When those run out, move to naked pairs, then pointing pairs, then the harder techniques.
Or jump to a difficulty
Easy
Easy puzzles are solvable with plain row, column, and box scanning — no pencil-mark techniques required. A good choice for kids learning the rules, for warm-ups, or for a relaxed evening solve.
30 puzzles
Medium
Medium puzzles start to need basic pencil-mark techniques: naked pairs (two cells in a unit that can only be two specific digits) and hidden singles across wider units. A typical solve runs 7–15 minutes.
30 puzzles
Hard
Hard puzzles introduce locked candidates, pointing pairs, and box-row interactions. Expect 15–25 minutes per puzzle if you're comfortable with those techniques — and steady pencil-mark discipline.
30 puzzles
Expert
Expert puzzles lean on X-wings, coloring, and combined chain logic. Not a starting tier — but a natural step if you've been finishing Hard in ten minutes or less.
30 puzzles
Master
Master puzzles bring Swordfish, XY-chains, and unique-rectangle patterns into regular play. Budget 30+ minutes per puzzle and a full page of pencil marks per solve.
30 puzzles
Extreme
Extreme puzzles are where competitive solvers live: Nishio, uniqueness-based deductions, and deep chain logic. Finishing one without a misstep is a genuine achievement.
30 puzzles