Free downloadable resource

Sudoku Strategy Cheat Sheet — Free PDF Download

Every Technique on One Page

You know the rules. You can solve easy puzzles. But somewhere around medium difficulty, you hit a wall. You’ve scanned every row, checked every box, and nothing jumps out. What now?

That’s where strategies come in. Sudoku solving techniques are specific, learnable methods for figuring out which number goes where — even when the answer isn’t obvious. And once you know them, they become second nature.

We put all the essential techniques onto a single printable reference card. Keep it next to you while you solve, and you’ll always know which strategy to try next.

What’s in the PDF

The Sudoku Strategy Cheat Sheet covers 11 solving techniques organized by difficulty:

Beginner strategies (Easy puzzles): - Scanning (Cross-Hatching) — the foundation of every solve - Naked Singles — cells with one remaining candidate - Hidden Singles — numbers that can only go in one spot within a unit

Intermediate strategies (Medium puzzles): - Naked Pairs — two cells sharing the same two candidates - Naked Triples — three cells sharing a combined set of three candidates - Hidden Pairs — two candidates appearing in only two cells within a unit - Pointing Pairs — box candidates confined to a single row or column

Advanced strategies (Hard and Expert puzzles): - X-Wing — a pattern across two rows and two columns - Swordfish — X-Wing extended to three rows and columns - XY-Wing — a three-cell pivot-and-wing elimination pattern - Simple Coloring — following chains of conjugate pairs

Each technique includes a brief description, when to use it, and which difficulty level typically requires it.

The card also includes a strategy decision tree — a simple flowchart showing the order to try techniques — and a quick reference table summarizing what each strategy finds (placements vs. eliminations) and its difficulty tier.

Why a One-Page Reference?

Because you don’t need a textbook while you’re solving. You need a reminder.

Most people learn strategies one at a time, practice until they click, then move on. But during that in-between phase — when you know a technique exists but can’t quite remember the steps — a reference card saves minutes of frustration.

Print it. Keep it on your desk or in your puzzle book. Glance at it when you’re stuck. Over time, you’ll stop needing it.

Who This Is For

If you’re an Easy solver ready for Medium: Start with the intermediate section. Naked Pairs and Pointing Pairs are the bridge techniques that unlock medium-difficulty puzzles.

If you’re a Medium solver aiming for Hard: Focus on X-Wing and XY-Wing. These are less common but powerful when they appear.

If you’re experienced: Use it as a refresher, or hand it to someone you’re teaching. The decision tree and quick-reference table are useful at any level.

How We Organized It

The strategies are ordered by difficulty, matching the progression in our full strategy guide at sudokuaday.com/sudoku-strategies. Start at the top, master each level, move down.

Each strategy entry follows the same format: 1. Name — what it’s called 2. When to use it — the situation that signals this technique 3. How it works — a concise explanation 4. Difficulty level — which puzzles typically require it

No fluff. No lengthy theory. Just the information you need to recognize and apply each technique.

From Cheat Sheet to Mastery

This card is a reference, not a course. For deeper explanations with examples and walkthroughs, visit our full strategy pages:

• Naked Singles — sudokuaday.com/sudoku-strategies/naked-singles
• Hidden Singles — sudokuaday.com/sudoku-strategies/hidden-singles
• Naked Pairs — sudokuaday.com/sudoku-strategies/naked-pairs
• X-Wing — sudokuaday.com/sudoku-strategies/x-wing
• All strategies — sudokuaday.com/sudoku-strategies

Each strategy page includes visual examples, step-by-step breakdowns, and practice tips. Use the cheat sheet for quick reminders, and the website for deep dives.

The Golden Rule of Strategy

Always re-scan for singles after any elimination. Removing even one candidate from one cell can trigger a chain of placements. The best solvers don’t just apply techniques — they follow through.

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Keep Learning:

• Sudoku Rules — the three rules every puzzle follows
• How to Play Sudoku — step-by-step beginner guide
• Sudoku Strategies — every technique explained in detail with examples
• Free Printable Sudoku Puzzles — weekly puzzle packs to practice on

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