Variant Sudoku 101: Killer Cages (2 puzzles)
(Eingestellt am 10. November 2025, 22:26 Uhr von PhoenixAki)
My Variant Sudoku 101 series introduces common variant sudoku rules, frequently using dynamic fog to help point the solver where to look next. The target audience is those who are comfortable with classic sudoku, but new to variant sudoku. In other words, you are expected to be able to identify things like (but not limited to) pairs and triples in rows/columns/boxes and know how to take advantage of them. I welcome everyone to try this series regardless, just be warned you may have a harder time if you're new to sudoku in general.
Future note: I have abandoned the 2-in-1 puzzle posts for the rest of the series. This one is only being kept this way to maintain solve history.
Rules:
- Normal sudoku rules apply. Place the digits 1-9 in each row, column, and 3x3 box without repetition.
- Dynamic Fog: The grid is partially covered in grey fog. Placing correct digits will clear the fog, at minimum under that cell and sometimes in other parts of the grid. No guessing is required.
- Killer Cages: Digits in dotted-line cages must sum to the number in the top left corner of the cage. Digits may not repeat within a cage. If you want assistance with the mental math, you can turn on the "killer calculator" in settings -> advanced.
Level 1 Hints:
Hint 1: Box 1 is the intended starting point. The 3 cage can only be filled in one way, and that starts a chain effect where the 7 cage can only be 1 thing, and in turn the 11 cage can only be one thing. What effect does that have on row 1?
Hint 2: After box 1 is sorted out a bit, you can use the info from it to continue around the grid. R1C9 is now known, and that results in all the cages attached to it being able to be heavily reduced or worked out. Similarly to in box 1, the 7 cage in box 7 is forced, and that has an impact on box 7's 12 cage.
Hint 3: The 28 cage in box 8 is trickier to work out, and I designed it expecting people to be using the cage calculator to make it a bit easier. In short, 28 in 4 cells has to be either 4789 or 5689. It can't be one of those due to column 6. That impacts what the 8 cage in box 8 can be.
Hint 4: The 10 cage in column 9 is deducible after utilizing the other clues that just revealed. It often helps to type in all the possible options for a cage and then remove one option at a time from each side of the cage based on what digits it can't be, and this approach leads to only 1 option for this cage.
Hint 5: Knowing the 10 cage in box 6 doesn't have a 3 or a 5 in it forces it.
Level 2 Hints:
Hint 1: All rows, columns, and boxes in a sudoku grid will sum to 45 due to the digits 1-9 summing to 45. This fact is quite important for the 3 revealed boxes at the start of this puzzle. What digit must go in the non-caged cells to make the boxes sum to 45? Alternatively, think about what digit can't go into each cage.
Hint 2: Knowing the 19 cages can't have a 9 or a 4/6 in them leaves only 1 option for each. Afterwards, the 18 cage in box 6 is forced due to the digits in the box and the 19 cage in row 5. It's a bit less obvious, so this is a case where the killer calculator helps it be noticeable. Pay special attention to how all of this information restricts the 9 cages in box 5.
Hint 3: 7 in box 8 is restricted, and you can use the revealed 6 cage to place it.
Hint 4: The 16 cage in box 9 is expected to be math'd out a bit. The available digits are 3, 5, 7, 9. You can't make it sum to 16 without a 9. Knowing there's a 9 in it helps you realize what shape the cage is and what digits go in it.
Solve level 1 on SudokuPad here! Solve level 2 on SudokuPad here!
Lösungscode: 6 digits total. The completion message for each puzzle in Sudokupad reveals the code.
Kommentare
am 28. Januar 2026, 01:26 Uhr von PhoenixAki
Added links to Patreon.
am 21. Januar 2026, 07:39 Uhr von PhoenixAki
Added hints after learning recently how to do that in HTML. Wish I knew this a few weeks ago when I went over all my posts...oh well.
am 5. Januar 2026, 21:56 Uhr von PhoenixAki
Updated post as part of an effort to improve consistency of rule phrasing and post layout across all my puzzles.
am 30. Dezember 2025, 10:11 Uhr von geronimo92
Please you have to say in the ruleset if digits may repeat or not in a cage that's important !
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PhoenixAki: Fixed! I pulled up my bookmark for the SudokuMaker version of the puzzle and found that the rules did include that. So I'm guessing I must've realized after-the-fact that I forgot that but then forgot to update the link here afterwards.
am 13. November 2025, 18:52 Uhr von SudokuFan
Having a single rating for multiple independent puzzles is pretty much never a good idea, I would suggest splitting the puzzles into separate posts
am 12. November 2025, 15:02 Uhr von kredenc
Hi, this was great fun, approachable, but not too easy or trivial with a nice flow. I also like the 2-in-1 format with the solution code. Thanks for the fun! :)
am 11. November 2025, 16:22 Uhr von abadx
Hi, I believe the idea is great, and the way it is implemented for killer cages too. These two guided puzzles are not trivial, so new players will be able to learn standard solving techniques.
