Let's Get Ready For Sudoku - 6 x 6

OK, you've read the blog on 4 x 4 Sudoku puzzles- right?

Now we're going to start on a harder 6 x 6 puzzle and go over some tips on how to solve them.

First of all, here's a solved 6 x 6 using numbers instead of symbols like we used in the 4 x 4 puzzle.

Notice that each line across, each line up and down, and each 3 x 2 rectangle has the numbers 1 to 6 without any duplicated. This is a solved puzzle.

Here's our first puzzle to solve, but I'm going to give you some tips on how to solve it.

Look at the two squares colored red below. We know from the rules that the missing numbers are 1 and 2 in the upper left rectangle. We also know by looking across that the 1 and 2 cannot be on the same line as the 1 and 2 in the upper right box. So 1 and 2 go where they are shown.

Now look at the first two rows. Five of the six possible numbers are filled in on those rows, so we know what numbers go there.

With these numbers filled in, we can see three different up and down columns that have two possible numbers, just like our first two numbers in the first two rows. They are filled in with red below.

 

Now we can fill in three more numbers because they are the only choices left for the center-left and bottom-left rectangles and the 5th row.

 

 

Now we fill in the 4th row with the only number remaining and the bottom-right rectangle with the two numbers remaining.

 

 

Now the last two numbers are a cinch, they are the only possibilities for column four and five.

 

 

 

Great! We've solved it.

 

Now here are two puzzles for you to solve on your own. Print them out to make it easier.