Easy sudoku
Play sudoku
Easy sudoku, to start or to unwind
Easy grids are where everyone starts. They come with 36 to 40 digits already placed, and every empty cell can be found by looking at one row, column or box at a time: no guessing, and no long chains of reasoning. They are the gentlest way to learn the rule, and a relaxing few minutes for anyone who knows it.
What it takes
An easy grid only ever needs two steps. A full house is the last empty cell of a row, column or box: it takes the one digit missing there. A hidden single is a digit with only one place left in a row, column or box. If you can find those two, you can finish every easy grid on this site.
How long it takes
A first easy grid can take ten minutes or more. With a little practice most players finish in five to ten, and fast solvers in under three. Your own best and average times are in Stats.
Tips
- Start with the digits already placed most often: they have the fewest places left.
- Scan box by box: for a digit, rule out every cell that already sees it in its row or column.
- Each digit you place opens new singles around it: look there next.
- Stuck? Hint shows where to look, and a second press shows the whole reasoning.
Questions
Is easy sudoku good for beginners?
Yes. Easy grids need nothing beyond singles, so they teach the rule itself: each digit once in every row, column and box. How to play explains it in two minutes, with a small grid to try.
How many clues does an easy sudoku have?
Here, 36 to 40 of the 81 cells are filled at the start. More clues mean more places to start from and fewer cells to work out.
Do I need notes for easy sudoku?
No: on easy grids every digit can be found by scanning. Notes start to help on Medium and become essential from Hard.