Sudoku Strategy: X-Wing
The X-Wing technique helps spot repeating candidate patterns across rows and columns. It's an advanced strategy that can help eliminate impossible options from other cells.
How It Works
If a number appears as a candidate in exactly two cells in two different rows — and those cells line up in the same columns — you have an X-Wing. That number must occupy those two row-column intersections, meaning it can be removed as a candidate from other cells in those columns.
Visual Pattern
Think of it as forming a rectangle with "wings" on opposite corners — hence the name X-Wing.
When to Use It
- When you're stuck in hard or expert-level puzzles
- When scanning rows/columns with repeated candidate positions
Practice X-Wing
Ready to go deeper? Learn about the XY-Wing technique next.