LinkedIn 6x6 Sudoku #205 Pro-Tips Speed-Run

LinkedIn 6x6 Sudoku #205: Speed-Run Breakdown

Drop into #205 with eyes on the givens: row 1 has 1 and 3; row 2 kicks with 5 and 2; row 3 shows 3 and 2; row 4 starts 1 and 4; row 5 has 4 and 6; row 6 ends with 5 and 3. This setup screams early cross-hatching in the sparse zones. Scan columns first, veteran style.

Pro-Tip 1: Cross-Hatch Column 6 for Quick Wins

Hit column 6 hard. Givens lock 2 (row 3), nothing else yet. Cross-hatch against rows: row 1 blocks 5 (wait, no direct yet), but row 2 empty there, row 4 empty, row 5 empty, row 6 empty. Now boxes: top-right 2x3 has row3-col6=2, so no more 2s. Hatch row1-col6: can't be 1 (row1-col3), 3 (row1-col5), so possibles narrow fast to hidden single spotting 5 there early. Pencil-mark it: only 5 fits after eliminating 1,2,3 from row/box/column. Boom, first placement cascades.

Pro-Tip 2: Box-by-Box for Hidden Singles

Shift to bottom-left box (rows 5-6, cols 1-2). Givens: row5-col3=4 blocks adjacent, row6-col2=5. For 6 in this box, row5-col1 can't (column1 has row4-col1=1, but hunt possibles): only row6-col1 takes 6. That's your hidden single in 6x6 scale, where boxes are tight 2x3. Place it, unlocks row6 fully: col1=6 forces col3=2 (no 1 row4, no3 row6-col4? Wait, chain it).

The Crucial Square: Row 3, Column 1

Grid stalls mid-game? Row 3 is your difficult row. Givens at col2=3, col6=2. Empties: col1,3,4,5. By now, cross-hatching col1 shows row3-col1 can't be 5 (row2-col1), 1 (row4-col1), 3 (row3-col2). Box top-left pins 4 there: only spot left after 5 row2-col1 and 1 row1-col3 bleed in. This square cracks #205 open. Slot 4, row3 now: col3 can't 6 (scan ahead), forces 6 to col3. Chain reaction: col3 row3=6 spots hidden pair in col3, eliminates down to row4-col3=5. Speed-run pivot.

Pro-Tip 3: Naked Pairs in Columns to Close

Post-crack, column 4: row2=2, row5 empty. Naked pair 5-6 in row3-4 col4? No, but row1-col4 emerges 4 early. Hunt pairs: row4 spots 2 in col2 after row1 fills. Final push: row5-col2=1 via elimination (no1 elsewhere row5). Fill row1 left: col1=2 (only after 6 col2 from box). Snowballs to full grid in under 90 seconds.

Your Speed-Run Path Summarized

• Start: Cross-hatch col6 row1=5.
• Mid: Hidden single row6-col1=6.
• Crack: Row3-col1=4 breaks stalemate, chains col3=6, row4-col3=5.
• Finish: Naked triples row2 force 4 col2,1 row4-col2, full solve.

Practice this on #205: crucial row3 turns grind to glide. Next grid, hunt that one square first.