Ready to put the XYZ-Wing technique into action? This page is designed for you to practice and master XYZ-Wing patterns with real Sudoku puzzles.
Every board above is a position from a real puzzle where the XYZ-Wing 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 an XYZ-Wing?
An XYZ-Wing is a pattern formed by three cells: a pivot cell with three candidates (A, B, C) and two “wings” (pincers) with two candidates each, all sharing houses with the pivot. When you spot an XYZ-Wing, you can eliminate the shared candidate from any cell that sees all three cells.
Want a full step-by-step guide? Read the XYZ-Wing technique article
How to Practice
- Scan the grid for a pivot cell with three candidates and two wings with two candidates each, all sharing houses.
- Eliminate the shared candidate from any cell that sees all three 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 XYZ-Wing on most boards without pressing Show me, take it into a full game. Expert puzzles are where this technique starts to come up, and the step-by-step solver will name the technique each time you get stuck.