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.
Every board above is a position from a real puzzle where the Pointing 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 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
- Scan each 3x3 box for a candidate that appears only in one row or column within the box.
- Eliminate that candidate from the rest of the row or column outside the box.
- 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 Pointing Pair on most boards without pressing Show me, take it into a full game. Medium puzzles are where this technique starts to come up, and the step-by-step solver will name the technique each time you get stuck.