Practice Pointing Pair Sudoku Technique

Practice: Pointing Pair Sudoku Technique

Ready to put the pointing pair technique into action? This page is designed for you to practice and master pointing pairs with real Sudoku puzzles.

Quick Reminder: What is a Pointing Pair?

A pointing pair occurs when, within a 3x3 box, a candidate number appears only in one row or column of that box. That candidate must be placed in that row or column within the box, so you can eliminate it from the rest of the row or column outside the box.

Want a full step-by-step guide? Read the Pointing Pair Technique article

How to Practice

  1. Scan each 3x3 box for a candidate that appears only in one row or column within the box.
  2. Eliminate that candidate from the rest of the row or column outside the box.
  3. Use these eliminations to unlock more singles and progress in the puzzle.

Start Practicing

Try the puzzles below and focus on finding and applying pointing pairs. The more you practice, the easier it will be to spot this essential technique in any Sudoku!

Now that you know how to apply this strategy, see if you can find it on one of our Sudoku puzzles!