Sudoku X-Wing Explained
Many people have asked me how to solve Sudoku X-Wing, which is a very hard Sudoku puzzle pattern to identify and solve.
Here is a step-by-step explanation of how you get to the X-Wing pattern shown. See our article titled Sudoku X-Wing Identification And Solution for more details.
At the left is the puzzle partially solved to the point where an X-wing pattern is the next step to solve before we can complete the puzzle.
Several people have trouble getting to this point, so here are the steps you need to take to reach it. Remember this is only one way to get there, not the only way.
Steps To Get To X-Wing Pattern
| Cell | Action | Reason or Pattern |
| R1C6 | enter a 1 | Naked Single |
| R4C6 | enter a 3 | Hidden Single |
| R4C4 | enter a 8 | Hidden Single |
| R4C5 | enter a 7 | Hidden Single |
| R7C5 | enter a 9 | Naked Single |
| R8C6 | enter a 6 | Naked Single |
| R3C6 | enter a 9 | Naked Single |
| R9C4 | enter a 7 | Naked Single |
| R7C4 | enter a 2 | Naked Single |
| R9C9 | enter a 5 | Naked Single |
| R9C2 | enter a 6 | Naked Single |
| R9C7 | enter a 3 | Naked Single |
| R2C2 | enter a 9 | Hidden Single |
| R2C8 | enter a 3 | Hidden Single |
| R2C9 | enter a 8 | Hidden Single |
| R6C4 | enter a 9 | Hidden Single |
| R4C8 | enter a 6 | Hidden Single |
| R8C7 | enter a 9 | Hidden Single |
| R1C3 | enter a 7 | Hidden Single |
| R7C1, R7C3, R7C8 | remove the 4s | Naked pair 4,7 in R7C2 & R7C7 |
| R7C8 | enter a 8 | Naked Single |
| R8C3 | enter a 8 | Hidden Single |
| R2C7 & R3C7 | Remove the 5’s | Locked Candidates (5) in R4C7 & R5C7 |
| R2C1 & R6C1 | Remove 2, 4 & 5s | Naked Triple (2,4,5) in R1C1, R4C1, & R8C1 |
We have now arrived at the X-Wing pattern shown in the graphic. Here is the next step you need to do to solve the X-Wing pattern.
| Cell | Action | Reason or Pattern |
| R3C3, R3C7, & R4C7 & R7C7 | Remove the 4’s | X-Wing in R2C3, R2C7, R5C3, & R5C7 |
You should be able to solve the remaining empty cells. They all contain naked singles.
I hope this article, How to Solve Sudoku X-Wing, has been a help to you.
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