Techniques · sudoku and killer sudoku
Empty Rectangle
In one box a digit is confined to an L or cross shape. Combined with a strong link outside the box, it rules the digit out of one cell.
In the walkthroughs, every Empty Rectangle step shades the cells of the pattern and names the cell and digit it proves, so you can see the move on the grid rather than read about it. Press “Skip to next hard step” to jump straight to it.
Worked examples
Puzzles from the books where Empty Rectangle is used. Each link opens the full step-by-step solution.
Extreme Sudoku 1 (70 of 150 puzzles)
- Puzzle 2 · Expert 5
- Puzzle 3 · Expert 5
- Puzzle 6 · Expert 5
- Puzzle 8 · Expert 5
- Puzzle 9 · Expert 5
- Puzzle 15 · Expert 6
- Puzzle 16 · Expert 6
- Puzzle 19 · Expert 5
Extreme Killer Sudoku 1 (32 of 150 puzzles)
- Puzzle 10 · Expert 4
- Puzzle 15 · Expert 3
- Puzzle 16 · Expert 3
- Puzzle 17 · Expert 3
- Puzzle 23 · Expert 2
- Puzzle 31 · Expert 3
- Puzzle 37 · Expert 2
- Puzzle 39 · Expert 3
Extreme Sudoku 2 (63 of 150 puzzles)
- Puzzle 2 · Expert 5
- Puzzle 5 · Expert 5
- Puzzle 6 · Expert 5
- Puzzle 9 · Expert 6
- Puzzle 10 · Expert 6
- Puzzle 24 · Expert 6
- Puzzle 25 · Expert 6
- Puzzle 26 · Expert 6
Extreme Killer Sudoku 2 (33 of 150 puzzles)
- Puzzle 6 · Expert 3
- Puzzle 7 · Expert 3
- Puzzle 8 · Expert 3
- Puzzle 9 · Expert 3
- Puzzle 12 · Expert 2
- Puzzle 26 · Expert 2
- Puzzle 39 · Expert 2
- Puzzle 42 · Expert 2
Extreme Sudoku 3 (66 of 150 puzzles)
- Puzzle 4 · Expert 5
- Puzzle 5 · Expert 5
- Puzzle 6 · Expert 5
- Puzzle 8 · Expert 5
- Puzzle 12 · Expert 6
- Puzzle 14 · Expert 5
- Puzzle 15 · Expert 5
- Puzzle 21 · Expert 5
Extreme Killer Sudoku 3 (39 of 150 puzzles)
- Puzzle 1 · Expert 2
- Puzzle 3 · Expert 2
- Puzzle 7 · Expert 2
- Puzzle 15 · Expert 3
- Puzzle 17 · Expert 3
- Puzzle 18 · Expert 3
- Puzzle 20 · Expert 3
- Puzzle 26 · Expert 3
Where it sits
See the whole ladder on hard sudoku techniques and hard killer sudoku techniques, or look a puzzle up by number under solutions.