Sudoku Solving Techniques

XY-Wing (Block-Column)

The XY-Wing technique involves three cells, and each of them has two candidate digits. Below, we will use a real Sudoku puzzle to demonstrate the Block-Column pattern of this technique as an example.

Example
C1
C2
C3
C4
C5
C6
C7
C8
C9
R1
R2
R3
R4
R5
R6
R7
R8
R9

4

8

9

5

9

4

8

9

3

5

6

9

2
7
1

4

6

3
6
7

5

8

1
4

2

5

8

8

9

2

8

9

2

4

5

9

1

6

8

9

5

6

9

7

4

6

8

4

5

6

3

1

6

9

8

5

6

9

1

9

4

3

9

2
7

3

5

6

6

7

7

9

1

5

9

1

8

2

1

3

8

9

4

6

3

4

3

5

3
2
4

6

7

6

7

5
1
8
9

4

6

8

9

2
1

4

8

3
7
5

6

9

4

6

8

9

4

7

5

3

8

9

4

8

6

1

2

3

4

7

8

1

2

4

7

9

3

4

7

9

6

8

5
1
2

4

7

9

3

4

7

9

6

8

Figure 1: XY-Wing (Block-Column) Pattern in a Sudoku Puzzle

In this puzzle, the pink cell (R8,C5) and the two yellow cells (R7,C6) and (R6,C5) each have two candidate digits. The yellow cell (R7,C6) shares the same 3x3 block B8 with the pink cell, and they have a candidate digit 8 in common. The other yellow cell (R6,C5) shares the same column C5 with the pink cell, and they have a candidate digit 4 in common. Also, the two yellow cells have a common candidate digit 3. These three cells form an XY-Wing (Block-Column) pattern.

C1
C2
C3
C4
C5
C6
C7
C8
C9
R1
R2
R3
R4
R5
R6
R7
R8
R9

4

8

9

5

9

4

8

9

3

5

6

9

2
7
1

4

6

3
6
7

5

8

1
4

2

5

8

8

9

2

8

9

2

4

5

9

1

6

8

9

5

6

9

7

4

6

8

4

5

6

3

1

6

9

8

5

6

9

1

9

4

3

9

2
7

3

5

6

6

7

7

9

1

5

9

1

8

2

1

3

8

9

4

6

3

4

3

5

3
2
4

6

7

6

7

5
1
8
9

4

6

8

9

2
1

4

8

3
7
5

6

9

4

6

8

9

4

7

5

3

8

9

4

8

6

1

2

3

4

7

8

1

2

4

7

9

3

4

7

9

6

8

5
1
2

4

7

9

3

4

7

9

6

8

Figure 2: All Candidate Digit 3's in Orange Cells Removed

There are two possibilities for the pink cell:

So in either case, the orange cells cannot be 3. The candidate digit 3's in the orange cells can be removed, as shown in Figure 2.

Examples for Other Patterns

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