Sudoku Difficulty Explained: What Each Level Actually Means
Sudoku a Day Blog
Easy. Medium. Hard. Expert. Master. Every Sudoku app uses these labels. But what do they actually mean? And how do you know which one is right for you?
What Determines Sudoku Difficulty?
Difficulty is not about the puzzle being "trickier" or more "clever." It is about the solving techniques required.
Easy puzzles can be solved with one technique: scanning. You look at a row, column, or box, find where a number can only go in one place, and place it. That is it. Repeat until done.
Medium puzzles require pencil marks and candidates. Hard puzzles require multiple techniques. Expert puzzles require advanced pattern recognition. Master puzzles require chain deductions.
Easy: Scanning Only
Easy puzzles have 36-45 given numbers. Every cell can be solved by simple scanning. No pencil marks needed.
Time: 5-10 minutes. Best for: beginners, warm-ups, quick breaks.
Medium: Pencil Marks Required
Medium puzzles have 30-35 givens. Scanning alone will not get you to the solution. You need to write small candidate numbers in cells and eliminate them as you solve.
Time: 10-25 minutes. Best for: comfortable solvers who want a challenge.
Hard: Multiple Techniques
Hard puzzles have 26-30 givens. You will need naked pairs, hidden pairs, pointing pairs, and box-line reduction.
Time: 15-40 minutes. Best for: experienced solvers who want genuine resistance.
Expert: Advanced Patterns
Expert puzzles have 22-26 givens. Techniques like X-Wing, Swordfish, and XY-Wing become necessary.
Time: 30-60+ minutes. Best for: serious puzzle enthusiasts.
Master: Chain Deductions
Master puzzles are the hardest. They require complex chains of linked deductions that can stretch across the entire grid.
Time: 60+ minutes. Best for: those who crave extreme challenge.
How to Progress
Move up when the current level feels too easy. If you finish every Medium in under 10 minutes without getting stuck, try Hard. If Hard starts feeling manageable, try Expert.
There is no rush. Consistency builds skill.
See our full difficulty guide for more details.