Easy sudoku for beginners
These easy sudoku puzzles are the best place to start. Every board is solvable with simple scanning: look along a row, a column or a box, spot the one place a digit can go, and fill it in. No guessing, no advanced tricks.
Play as many as you like. Each new puzzle is generated fresh, and pencil notes and undo are there if you want them. When the easy level starts to feel quick, move up to medium sudoku.
Your first sudoku, step by step
Easy sudoku puzzles are made so that every empty cell can be filled by simple scanning, without guessing and without long pencil marks. That makes them the best way to learn the game.
- Pick one digit, say 1. Look at every box that does not have a 1 yet.
- Cross-hatch. For each of those boxes, look along the rows and columns that already contain a 1. Those lines are blocked inside the box.
- Find the only spot. If only one empty cell in the box is not blocked, the 1 goes there.
- Repeat for every digit from 1 to 9, then start again. Each digit you place blocks more cells for the next pass.
- Finish nearly full lines. A row, column or box with only one or two empty cells is quick to complete: see which digits are missing.
How to play here
Tap a cell and type a digit. On a phone, use the number pad under the board. If you want to note possibilities, turn on Mark mode (the flag button next to Undo) and tap a cell before entering digits; on a computer, right-click the cell instead.
How long should an easy sudoku take?
Most beginners finish an easy puzzle in 10 to 20 minutes; with practice, 5 minutes is very achievable. Speed comes from scanning in a fixed order rather than hunting randomly. When easy puzzles start to feel automatic, move on to medium sudoku.
How to play Easy Sudoku
- Fill every empty cell with a digit from 1 to 9.
- Each row, each column and each 3×3 box must contain every digit exactly once.
- The starting digits are fixed. Only the empty cells are yours to fill.
- Easy boards never need guessing. The next digit can always be found from what is already on the grid.
Easy Sudoku tips
Scan one digit at a time
Pick a digit, say 5, and look at every 3×3 box. If the rows and columns that already hold a 5 leave only one free cell in a box, that is where the 5 goes.
Look for the fullest row, column or box
A row with seven digits filled has just two gaps. Checking which two digits are missing usually settles both cells at once.
Use notes only when you pause
Easy puzzles rarely need pencil marks. If you get stuck, note the candidates in one box, and the answer often shows itself.
Frequently asked questions
What makes a sudoku easy?
An easy sudoku has more starting digits and can be solved with basic techniques only, mainly finding the one cell where a digit fits in a row, column or box.
How long does an easy sudoku take?
Most people finish an easy 9×9 sudoku in 5 to 15 minutes. It gets quicker as scanning becomes a habit.
When should I move on to medium?
When you can finish easy boards without notes and without getting stuck, try medium sudoku. It adds a few techniques but keeps the same rules.
