Easy Sudoku: A Free Easy Sudoku Every Day
This is today's easy sudoku: a full 9 × 9 board that starts with 40 of its 81 squares filled in, so almost every move can be found by simple scanning. Tap an empty square, tap a number under the board, and the game marks any digit that repeats in a row, column or box. Finished? New sudoku deals another easy board right away.
Today's sudoku easy · 9 × 9
9 × 9 · pick a square, then a number
Why start with an easy sudoku
An easy sudoku is the best way to learn the game and a pleasant way to warm up if you already know it. With 40 givens, nearly half the board is done for you, and there is always at least one square you can fill without any notes. That means the puzzle flows: you scan, you find a digit, the new digit opens the next one. Five to ten minutes is a typical time once you know the rules.
Easy boards are also the right choice for older kids moving up from our 4 × 4 and 6 × 6 picture puzzles, for anyone who wants a short mental break rather than a workout, and for players coming back to sudoku after a long pause.
The rules in brief
Fill every empty square with a digit from 1 to 9 so that each row, each column and each 3 × 3 box holds every digit exactly once. Givens cannot be changed. Any correct fill counts, and you will see "Sudoku solved!" when the board is complete.
How to solve an easy sudoku
- Scan for one digit at a time. Choose 1 and look at every box. Where the 1s in the neighboring rows and columns leave only one free spot in a box, write 1. Repeat for 2 through 9.
- Finish the nearly full lines. A row, column or box with one or two empty squares tells you the missing digits immediately.
- Check single squares. For an empty square, count which digits its row, column and box already use. If only one digit is left, that is the answer.
- Repeat. Each digit you place helps the next. On easy boards these three moves are all you need.
Common beginner mistakes
- Guessing. An easy sudoku never needs a guess. If you cannot see the next move, scan again digit by digit.
- Forgetting the box. New players check the row and column and forget the 3 × 3 box. All three rules apply to every square.
- Ignoring red. When two squares turn red, fix it right away; a wrong digit left on the board will block several later moves.
Ready for more?
When easy boards start taking under five minutes, try the medium sudoku, where you will need naked singles and occasionally a few pencil marks. You can always come back to the main daily sudoku page for all three levels and the kids' boards, or switch to words with the daily crossword.
Frequently asked questions
How many numbers does an easy sudoku start with?
Our easy sudoku starts with 40 of the 81 squares filled in, which leaves 41 to solve.
How long does an easy sudoku take?
Most players finish in five to ten minutes once they know the rules. Your first few may take longer, and that is normal.
Can kids play the easy sudoku?
Kids around 9 and up usually manage it. Younger children can start with the 4 × 4 and 6 × 6 picture sudoku on the main sudoku page.
Do I ever need to guess?
No. An easy board always has a square you can fill by scanning or by checking a single square.