How to play Sudoku: the rules
Sudoku in one minute: fill the 9×9 grid so every row, column and 3×3 box has the digits 1 to 9 exactly once. Learn by playing. How Sudoku works · lesson 1 of 2.
The lesson in words
A Sudoku is a 9×9 grid, split into nine 3×3 boxes. Some digits are filled in to start with. They’re called givens.
Your job is to fill every empty cell with a digit from 1 to 9 so that each row, each column and each box contains every digit exactly once.
The thick lines mark the boxes.
Try it: Tap every empty cell in the top-left box.
Row 2 is almost full. Only one digit from 1 to 9 is missing.
To fill a cell, tap it, then tap a number below the grid.
Try it: Fill the last empty cell in row 2.
One of each digit in every row, column and box. Next: columns and boxes.
Questions
Can the same digit appear twice in one box?
Never. Every row, column and box has each digit exactly once.