Sudoku
Play Sudoku free in your browser. Choose Easy, Medium or Hard, and use hints, pencil mode and the timer as you like. No download and no sign-up.
How to Play Sudoku
Sudoku is played on a 9×9 grid divided into nine 3×3 boxes. Fill the grid so that every row, every column and every box contains the digits 1 to 9 exactly once. Some digits are given at the start. You work out the rest by logic, so no guessing and no arithmetic is needed.
- Tap an empty cell, then tap a digit to place it.
- Turn on Pencil mode to note the digits a cell could hold.
- Stuck? Use a hint to reveal one correct digit.
- The timer shows how long you have been solving.
Play on your Phone
Choose your Sudoku level
Sudoku comes in three levels here. Easy puzzles can usually be solved by scanning rows, columns and boxes. On Medium you will start to need pencil marks. Hard puzzles call for pairs, careful notes and patience. If you are new to Sudoku, play a few Easy puzzles first to learn the controls.
Game controls
- Pencil. Switches pencil mode on and off. On a keyboard, press N.
- Hint. Reveals one correct digit. You get three hints per puzzle, and the button shows how many are left. On a keyboard, press H.
- Erase. Clears the cell you have selected.
- New. Starts a new puzzle.
- Mistakes. The counter at the top shows your mistakes out of three.
- Timer. Shows how long you have been solving.
Tips for beginners
- Start where the grid is fullest. A row, column or box with only two or three empty cells is the easiest place to see what is missing.
- Scan one digit at a time. Pick a digit, say 5, and find every 5 already on the grid. Each one rules out its whole row, column and box. Often only one cell in a box is left for the next 5.
- Look for cells with one option. Check a cell’s row, column and box. If eight digits are already used, the ninth must go there.
- Use pencil marks on harder puzzles. Note every digit a cell could hold, then remove marks as you place digits. Our guide to Sudoku pencil marks explains when and how.
- Watch for pairs. If two cells in a row, column or box can hold only the same two digits, those digits belong there. Remove them from the other cells in that group.
- Don’t guess. A wrong guess can stay hidden for many moves. Re-scan the grid, or use a hint.
- Take a break. A puzzle that looked stuck often opens up after a few minutes away.
FAQ
Is this Sudoku free? Yes. It is free to play in your browser, with no download or sign-up.
Do I need an account? No. Open the page and play. Your progress is saved on your own device.
Do I need to be good at maths? No. Sudoku uses digits, but you never add or subtract. It is a logic puzzle.
Does every puzzle have one solution? Yes.
What is pencil mode? It lets you write small notes in a cell to track which digits could go there, without placing a final answer.
Can I play on my phone? Yes. The game runs in your phone’s browser.