Hardest Sudoku — SE grade 2.3–3.1
SE grade 2.3 to 3.1
By The Hardest Sudoku Team · Last updated
TL;DR
Still singles, but you scan more carefully before the next placement appears — the point where pencil marks start to earn their keep.
What is a SE grade 2.3–3.1 puzzle like?
Still singles, but you scan more carefully before the next placement appears — the point where pencil marks start to earn their keep.
Which techniques does this band need?
Puzzles in this band typically require:
What this band actually requires
We publish 41 puzzles in this band, and a full logical solve takes 59 steps on average. These are measured from our own solver, not estimated.
- · Naked Single — needed by 41 of 41
- · Hidden Single — needed by 41 of 41
- · Claiming (Locked Candidates) — needed by 17 of 41
- · Pointing (Locked Candidates) — needed by 34 of 41
- · Naked Pair — needed by 18 of 41
Technique counts come from running our step-by-step solver over every published puzzle in the band.
Puzzles in this band
Where does this sit on the scale?
See the full ladder on the SE grade page. The hardest puzzles — the monsters — live at the top of the scale; meet them on What is the hardest Sudoku?
Play puzzles at this grade →