About Mini Sudoku
Mini Sudoku is the classic number puzzle cut down to a six-by-six grid. The board is split into six boxes of two rows by three columns, and a few digits are already in place. Fill every empty square with a digit from 1 to 6 so that no digit repeats in any row, any column or any box. There is no arithmetic: what matters is where each digit can and cannot go.
Every board starts with 9 to 11 digits and has exactly one solution, so it can always be finished by reasoning. A digit that would repeat is refused at once; any other is accepted, and you can clear your own digits if a path runs into a dead end. Your record is the time from the moment the board is dealt to the last square, measured by our server to a hundredth of a second, and the leaderboard is monthly: it resets on the 1st of every month at 00:00 UTC.
How to play
- Press Start. The board appears with 9 to 11 digits already in place, and the clock starts.
- Tap an empty square, then tap a digit from 1 to 6 — or type it on your keyboard. Arrow keys move between squares.
- A digit that would repeat in its row, column or box is refused, and the square it clashes with flashes.
- Changed your mind? Tap your digit and press Clear (or Backspace). The digits that came with the board cannot be changed.
- Stuck? Press Helper and the game fills a square for you: the one you have selected, or another empty one. You get one helper a round, or three if you watch a short video before you start.
- The bar at the top counts the squares filled. When all 36 are filled your time is recorded. You can start three rounds an hour, and three more each hour after a short video.
Tips
- Start with the box, row or column that already has the most digits: the fewer gaps, the fewer choices.
- For each digit from 1 to 6, look at where it already stands and cross out its row, column and box. Often only one square is left for it.
- A box has only six squares. If a digit can only go in one row of a box, it cannot go anywhere else in that row.
- When a square can only hold one digit, place it — even if you have not worked out the squares around it.
- Keep the helper for the end of the round, when the last few squares depend on each other.
Questions players ask
When does the leaderboard reset?
On the 1st of every month at 00:00 UTC. The final standings are kept: the top three of each month receive an honour on their profile, and your best time never resets.
What if I put a digit in the wrong place?
A digit that repeats in its row, column or box is refused straight away. Any other digit is accepted, because the rules allow it; if it later leads to a dead end, clear it and try another. Only the time counts, not mistakes.
Does every board have a solution?
Yes, exactly one. Each board is checked when it is made, so a chain of logical steps always reaches the end.
Why only three rounds an hour?
It keeps the monthly board about skill rather than stamina, and makes every round worth playing carefully. A short video unlocks three more rounds each hour.
Do I need an account to play?
No. Press Start and you play straight away under a guest name. Sign in with an account you already have to put your time on the monthly leaderboard.