Naked triple
Three cells in the same house have just three different candidates between them. Those digits are reserved for the triple.
In row 4, the 3 highlighted cells can contain only the digits 4, 6 and 9. These digits must fill those cells in some order, so remove these candidates from the other cells in row 4.
What to look for
Find three cells in one house whose candidates, taken together, are exactly three digits. Each cell can have two or three of those candidates. The hints only point out naked triples in rows and columns.
Why it works
The three cells need three different digits, so they must use all three candidates between them. No other cell in the house can contain any of those digits.
Try it step by step
- Choose three cells in the same house.
- Count the different candidates across all three cells.
- If there are exactly three, remove those digits from the other cells in the house.
Try it on a real puzzle
Start with the highlighted step, then keep solving. Use "Apply hint" to make the suggested change, or enter your own digits and candidate notes. Use "Undo" to reverse your last change.
| C1 | C2 | C3 | C4 | C5 | C6 | C7 | C8 | C9 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | |||||||||
| R2 | |||||||||
| R3 | |||||||||
| R4 | |||||||||
| R5 | |||||||||
| R6 | |||||||||
| R7 | |||||||||
| R8 | |||||||||
| R9 |
Use the arrow keys to move, 1-9 to enter a digit and Backspace or Delete to clear a cell. To add or remove a candidate, press C and then 1-9.
Source puzzle number: 168873 · Play this puzzle from the start
A simple example
The sets {1, 2}, {2, 3} and {1, 3} form a naked triple. So do three cells each showing {1, 2, 3}.
A house is a row, column or 3 × 3 box. A line is a row or column. Two cells "see" each other when they share a house. R1C3 means row 1, column 3. Boxes are numbered 1-9 from left to right and top to bottom. Braces such as {1, 2} show a cell's candidates, not confirmed digits.