How to Play Medium Killer Sudoku
To solve Medium Killer Sudoku, you must fill in the grid following standard Sudoku rules plus additional cage constraints:
- Place numbers 1–9 in each unit (row, column, or 3x3 block) without repeats.
- Cages are outlined by dotted lines, and answers within each cage must add up to the sum shown in the top-left corner.
- Just like a number cannot repeat within a unit, no number may repeat within a cage.
Medium Killer Sudoku Strategies
You can use all the standard Sudoku strategies in Medium Killer Sudoku puzzles. What makes this type of puzzle different from Classic Sudoku though are the cage sums. The numbers in the top-left corner of each cage indicate the sum of all numbers in the cage, which gives you extra information to help narrow down possible answers. The strategies below show how to use those cage sums to your advantage.
- Solve the easy cells first. Start with cells that can be filled immediately, since every confirmed number creates new clues in nearby units.
- Single-cell cages: These are instant placements. If the sum is 6 (see the bottom-right block), then the answer for that cell is 6.
- Cages with a single empty cell: When only one cell remains open in a cage, subtract the known values from the cage total to find the missing number. If a cage sum is 14 for two cells and one cell has the given 6, then you can quickly subtract to fill in the empty cell with 8.
- Scan for units with three or fewer empty cells. With limited options left, you can typically use the cage sums and other clues to quickly deduce which numbers belong in the remaining cells. For example, row 8 has just three empty cells, and only 2, 3, and 6 can fill them. You can look at the blocks and columns that overlap each cell to determine where these three numbers could possibly be placed.
- Look for empty cage pairs. Cages that are just two empty cells can be easy to solve, especially if the cells are in two different units. Just think of the possible pairs of numbers that could be used for the sum, and then compare those numbers to the units associated with each cell in the pair. For row 4, the cage sum of 10 can only be these pairs: 1 and 9; 2 and 8; 3 and 7; and 4 and 6. But 3 and 7 and 4 and 6 are already in the row and 1s are in both columns associated with the cage. So the only possible pair for that cage is 2 and 8.
- Use the Sudoku solver for help. You can get step-by-step tips for solving by clicking the "Solver" button under the puzzle. If you get stuck or don't understand how best to move forward, the solver helps you understand the logic so you can place more answers in the puzzle.
Difficulty Levels
If you find Medium Killer Sudoku a little difficult, you can play Easy Killer Sudoku to develop your skills. Then challenge yourself to harder versions and learn additional strategies to help you solve various difficult levels, including:
