Ready to put the hidden pair technique into action? This page is designed for you to practice and master hidden pairs with real Sudoku puzzles.
Every board above is a position from a real puzzle where the Hidden Pair is the next step. Tap the candidates it removes (or select a cell and press the digit) and press Check. If you’re stuck, Show me gives the answer and Next puzzle loads another. Want to watch one first? Switch to Worked example.
Quick Reminder: What is a Hidden Pair?
A hidden pair occurs when two numbers are candidates in only two cells within a row, column, or box—even if those cells have other candidates. When you spot a hidden pair, you can eliminate all other candidates from those two cells.
Want a full step-by-step guide? Read the Hidden Pair technique article
How to Practice
- Look for two numbers that appear as candidates in only two cells within a house (row, column, or box).
- Remove all other candidates from those two cells.
- On the board, tap each of those candidates to remove it.
- Press Check. On your first try you see how many you found; on the second, the ones you missed get a dashed ring.
Start Practicing on Full Puzzles
Once you can find the Hidden Pair on most boards without pressing Show me, take it into a full game. Hard puzzles are where this technique starts to come up, and the step-by-step solver will name the technique each time you get stuck.