Killer Sudoku rules and puzzles

The case notes

Find an outie from a Killer box

A Sudoku box also contains one through nine, so it totals forty-five. Here, three Killer cages cover the whole box. Watch a worked example, then try the idea in a puzzle.

A box totals 45

A Sudoku box also contains one through nine, so it totals forty-five. Here, three Killer cages cover the whole box.

One cell outside the box

But look closely: the bottom cage crosses the box edge. It takes one extra cell with it. That outside cell is called an outie.

6 + 15 + 25 = 46

Add the three cage clues: six, fifteen and twenty-five. They make forty-six. That counts every box cell once, plus the outie once.

46 − 45 = 1

The box itself totals forty-five. The cages total forty-six because of the one cell that sticks out. So that cell must be one.

Cages minus box = outie

When cages cover a box and spill over by one cell, subtract forty-five. The difference is your outie.

Read the transcript

A Sudoku box also contains one through nine, so it totals forty-five. Here, three Killer cages cover the whole box. But look closely: the bottom cage crosses the box edge. It takes one extra cell with it. That outside cell is called an outie. Add the three cage clues: six, fifteen and twenty-five. They make forty-six. That counts every box cell once, plus the outie once. The box itself totals forty-five. The cages total forty-six because of the one cell that sticks out. So that cell must be one. When cages cover a box and spill over by one cell, subtract forty-five. The difference is your outie.

Keep following the clues