LinkedIn 6x6 Sudoku #222 Pro-Tips Speed-Run
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Mini Sudoku #222 - Near Miss
LinkedIn Sudoku #222 (Near Miss) for March 21, 2026 full solution with question numbers and solutions.
LinkedIn 6x6 Sudoku #222: Pro-Tips Speed-Run Guide
Jump into #222 like a pro. This grid starts sparse: 4s anchor the corners, 6s and 3s tease the edges. Scan fast, strike hard. The crucial square at row 1, column 1 cracks it open, but row 6's empty stretch is your real difficult row - force placements there to cascade the solve.
Initial Scan: Naked Singles and Quick Fills
Hit the givens first. Row 1 has 6 (col2) and 3 (col6) - cross-hatch for 5 in row1,col1. No other spot fits without row or block clash. Boom, first placement. Row 2 locks 2 (col3), 5 (col5). Row 6's 4 (col1), 2 (col5) scream for action - only 3 fits col2 there after column checks.
Cross-Hatching Mastery in 6x6 Blocks
In this compact 6x6, cross-hatching shines. Take top-left block: givens block 1-6 paths. Hunt 4's column exclusions - row3,col2 can't take it (row clash), row4,col2 blocked. Pin 4 there. Flip to rows: row5 needs 5, cross out column foes, lands row5,col3. Each hatch slashes candidates, turning fog to laser focus.
Hidden Singles: The Row 6 Breaker
Row 6 is brutal - three givens, three empties. After early fills, candidates dwindle. Hidden single emerges for 5: peers in row can't hold it (2,4 lockouts), block forces it col3. That unlocks 6 next door via block pair elimination - no room for duplicates. Row cracks, spilling into columns 3-4. Chain reaction: col1 fills top-to-bottom.
Pairs and Propagation: Speed-Run Fuel
Post row6 break, spot naked pairs. Middle block row3-4: two cells duel over 4,5 - eliminate from peers. Hidden pair in col6 row1-2 forces 1 and 6 swaps. Re-scan blocks religiously. One fill ripples: top-right block completes, middle row locks via column singles. Final push: bottom-right's 1 hidden in row4,col4 after vertical hatch.
The Aha! Cascade to Finish
Row6's hidden single was the domino. It flooded col3 with 5s path, cleared block mates, exposed singles grid-wide. By alternating row-col-block scans, #222 fell in under 90 seconds. Practice this flow: fill, propagate, hatch again. Your speed-run PB awaits.