GLOSSARY

Active Candidate

The candidate that is selected in an active cell. It is framed in green when you are in Answer mode, and in brown when you are in Candidates mode. Candidates can only be active when working with Use Candidates checked.

Block

One of the nine 3x3 sections that make up a Sudoku grid.

Active Cell

The cell that is selected in the puzzle. There can only be one active cell. The active cell is framed in yellow.

Cell

A single square in a Sudoku grid.

Cell Coordinates

The row-letter/column-number combination that identifies a cell in a hint or explanation (For example, A4 or D8).

Candidate(s)

The possible solutions to a cell at any point in solving.

Deduction

Any of the deductive techniques beyond Direct Solves, including Indirect Solve, Locked Candidate, Naked Pair, Naked Triplet, Hidden Pair, Hidden Triplet, X-Wing, XY-Wing, and Swordfish.

Direct Solve

A cell that can be easily solved based on the cells already solved in its row, column, and/or block. That cell will either have only one possible value (all other values have been eliminated), or will be the only cell in its row, column, and/or block that can be a particular value.

Hidden Pair

A deductive solving technique that identifies the same two numbers as candidates for two different cells. See Hidden Pair in the Solving Tips tab.

Hidden Triplet

A deductive solving technique. The hidden triplet is similar to the hidden pair, but it involves three cells instead of two. See Hidden Triplet in the Solving Tips tab.

Indirect Solve

A cell whose solution becomes apparent after candidates have been eliminated (either in that cell or elsewhere) by using deductive techniques. The cell will either have only one possible value (all other values have been eliminated), or will be the only cell in its row, column, and/or block that can be a particular value.

Locked Candidate(s)

A deductive solving technique that identifies a value that must appear at the intersection of a particular block and row or column. See Locked Candidates in the Solving Tips tab.

Naked Pair

A deductive solving technique that identifies two cells in a row, column, or block that each contain the same two candidates, and only those candidates. See Naked Pair in the Solving Tips tab.

Naked Triplet

A deductive solving technique. The naked triplet is similar to the naked pair, but it involves three cells instead of two. See Naked Triplet in the Solving Tips tab.

Seed(s)

The answers already provided for some cells. Each Sudoku puzzle will start with some cells filled in. From there, the values for all the other cells can be logically deduced.

Swordfish

A deductive solving technique. Swordfish is similar to X-Wing, but it takes into account the interaction among three different cells and columns. See Swordfish in the Solving Tips tab.

Value

The answer number for a cell.

X-Wing

A deductive solving technique that takes into account the interaction between two different rows and columns. See X-Wing in the Solving Tips tab.

XY-Wing

A deductive solving technique. An XY-Wing is a relationship that occurs among three cells that form an angle, where each of the three cells has only two values in it. See XY-Wing in the Solving Tips tab.

Extreme Sudoku

A type of Sudoku puzzle in which the two long diagonals of the diagram (forming a shaded X) must also contain the numbers 1 through 9 when the puzzle is finished.