Printable Sudoku Logic Puzzles
At PuzzleAndBrains.com we have hundreds of printable Sudoku puzzles for you. We offer puzzles in 2 formats: 6 by 6 and 9 by 9, and in 4 difficulty levels: easy, medium, hard and very hard. You can find the rules of Sudoku at the bottom of this page.
These are our printable 9 by 9 Hard puzzles, ideal number puzzles to train your basic math skills.
Like our math puzzles for kids? Here are our other printable logic puzzles categories.
The Basic Rules of Sudoku
1. Numbers may only appear once in each row.
Sudoku grids,
in whatever format are divided in rows, colums and regions (marked by a thick black line). In case of the 6 by grid,
the numbers 1 to 6 must be filled in each row and column once. In this example we have 2 ones in the first row.
This is not allowed! The first one (in position 3) is wrong and should be a ........... 5! Good thinking.
2. Numbers may only appear once in each column.
In this 6 by 6 grid,
we have 2 twos in the first column. Also this is not allowed, as we need to fill in the numbers 1 to 6 once in each row, column and region.
Which 2 is wrong? The 2 in position 5 is wrong and needs to be changed to a ........... 4! Please note that in case of a 9 by 9 grid, we have to fill in the numbers 1 to 9 in the rows, columns and regions.
3. Numbers may only appear once in each region.
Similar to the row and column rules, each number must be filled in once in each region of a Sudoku grid. In the 6 by 6 grid,
the regions and are the marked 3 by 2 areas (3 x 2 equals 6 numbers) , whereas in a 9 by 9 grid the regions are 3 by 3
(3 times 3 equals 9 numbers). There are 2 sixes in our top right regions and this is......... not alllowed!
Strategies to solve Sudoku puzzles
There are literally hundreds of websites that have superb solving strategies and techniques for solving Sudoku puzzles. We figured out that instead of using our time to write them all down, we better focus on making printable and easy for the eyes Sudoku puzzles. The sites with solving techniques we recommend are Sudoku of the Day , Kristanix , and Paul's Pages
Solving Sudoku puzzles make you smarter
Sudoku is not a math puzzle but a logic and intelligence puzzle. It is not necessary and even not wise to guess the position of the numbers. The combination of logic and sequential thinking stimulate our associative memory skills. In other words: solving Sudoku's with elimination strategies rather than guessing make us smarter.
Solving Sudoku puzzles is more than numbers
Improving your associative memory does not only improve your number analyzing skills. We can replace the numbers with symbols, sounds, smells, situations, shapes and whatever. Playing number puzzles such as Sudoku, Hidato and Numbrix strengthen your pattern solving abilities.
The Memory Bible (2002) and Prescription (2004)
In his books on the working of the memory and brains, Gary Small, states that our brains age the same way our bodies age. If you want to stay fit, you have to work out or go to the gym. The same principle works for our brain functions, we need to train it to keep fit. If we don't train or challenge our brains and intelligence, our brain functions will degenerate..
Solving Sudokus is better than vitamins
A very interesting article of the Daily Mail claims that solving puzzles such as Sudoku, keeps the brain active and is better for preserving our brain power than whatever vitamin. According to the article mental work outs can have a significant impact on our brain functions later in life. Even dementia and Alzheimer's are mentioned in the article. Click here for the Daily Mail article.
A couple of good reasons to play and solve Sudoku puzzles
Sudoku is not just a game or puzzle to kill time or boredom. Solving Sudokus is actually good for your brain and wellbeing. We came up with a couple of good reasons why you should print out our puzzles and keep doing so (we will not mention that printed versions are better for your eyes).
1. Solving Sudoku puzzles calm you down
Life is hectic; we are always busy and think about a million things. What to eat, how to finish your work, how to make up with your wife (husband), why do your neighbours annoy you, you name it but our minds are always working and under stress. Just like meditation, solving puzzles can relax you and take your mind of earthly matters. This might sound a bit flowery, but we believe it to be true!
2. Solving Sudoku makes us proud and more confident
Some Sudoku puzzles can be real nail biters and the pleasure you get from solving one, the sense of mastery, is comparable with solving another candy crush level. But without the annoying candy sounds of course!
3. Solving problems keeps our brains healthy
If you like to watch soap series whole day, eat crappy food and spend more time on your couch than a potato takes time to grow, there will be a good chance that when you get older you will forget a lot of things. In some cases you can see that as a benefit, but for most people this is not a very pleasurable. Just as speaking French or riding a bicycle, the brain needs to stay stimulated to keep in shape. Puzzles, whether Sudoku or jigsaws, keep our brains active and healthy.
4. Sudoku puzzles are for all ages and intelligence levels
Because Sudoku is so popular and there are so many puzzles available online (of course not as good as on this website), everyone can pick up a Sudoku puzzle and enjoy the puzzles as they come in all levels and sizes.
5. Sudoku puzzles strengthen your cognitive skills
If you can solve difficult puzzles, it is assumable that you can learn whatever you want: French, Math, playing guitar, all kind of educational challenges. It's all about determination, logic skills, spatial skills, memory and not giving up. Forms of intelligence that you can train. Not that the Sudoku logic puzzle is like a magic intelligence pill or something, but being able to complete them does help you master other matters!
Sudoku grids,
in whatever format are divided in rows, colums and regions (marked by a thick black line). In case of the 6 by grid,
the numbers 1 to 6 must be filled in each row and column once. In this example we have 2 ones in the first row.
This is not allowed! The first one (in position 3) is wrong and should be a ........... 5! Good thinking.
2. Numbers may only appear once in each column.
In this 6 by 6 grid,
we have 2 twos in the first column. Also this is not allowed, as we need to fill in the numbers 1 to 6 once in each row, column and region.
Which 2 is wrong? The 2 in position 5 is wrong and needs to be changed to a ........... 4! Please note that in case of a 9 by 9 grid, we have to fill in the numbers 1 to 9 in the rows, columns and regions.
3. Numbers may only appear once in each region.
Similar to the row and column rules, each number must be filled in once in each region of a Sudoku grid. In the 6 by 6 grid,
the regions and are the marked 3 by 2 areas (3 x 2 equals 6 numbers) , whereas in a 9 by 9 grid the regions are 3 by 3
(3 times 3 equals 9 numbers). There are 2 sixes in our top right regions and this is......... not alllowed!
Strategies to solve Sudoku puzzles
There are literally hundreds of websites that have superb solving strategies and techniques for solving Sudoku puzzles. We figured out that instead of using our time to write them all down, we better focus on making printable and easy for the eyes Sudoku puzzles. The sites with solving techniques we recommend are Sudoku of the Day , Kristanix , and Paul's Pages
Solving Sudoku puzzles make you smarter
Sudoku is not a math puzzle but a logic and intelligence puzzle. It is not necessary and even not wise to guess the position of the numbers. The combination of logic and sequential thinking stimulate our associative memory skills. In other words: solving Sudoku's with elimination strategies rather than guessing make us smarter.
Solving Sudoku puzzles is more than numbers
Improving your associative memory does not only improve your number analyzing skills. We can replace the numbers with symbols, sounds, smells, situations, shapes and whatever. Playing number puzzles such as Sudoku, Hidato and Numbrix strengthen your pattern solving abilities.
The Memory Bible (2002) and Prescription (2004)
In his books on the working of the memory and brains, Gary Small, states that our brains age the same way our bodies age. If you want to stay fit, you have to work out or go to the gym. The same principle works for our brain functions, we need to train it to keep fit. If we don't train or challenge our brains and intelligence, our brain functions will degenerate..
Solving Sudokus is better than vitamins
A very interesting article of the Daily Mail claims that solving puzzles such as Sudoku, keeps the brain active and is better for preserving our brain power than whatever vitamin. According to the article mental work outs can have a significant impact on our brain functions later in life. Even dementia and Alzheimer's are mentioned in the article. Click here for the Daily Mail article.
A couple of good reasons to play and solve Sudoku puzzles
Sudoku is not just a game or puzzle to kill time or boredom. Solving Sudokus is actually good for your brain and wellbeing. We came up with a couple of good reasons why you should print out our puzzles and keep doing so (we will not mention that printed versions are better for your eyes).
1. Solving Sudoku puzzles calm you down
Life is hectic; we are always busy and think about a million things. What to eat, how to finish your work, how to make up with your wife (husband), why do your neighbours annoy you, you name it but our minds are always working and under stress. Just like meditation, solving puzzles can relax you and take your mind of earthly matters. This might sound a bit flowery, but we believe it to be true!
2. Solving Sudoku makes us proud and more confident
Some Sudoku puzzles can be real nail biters and the pleasure you get from solving one, the sense of mastery, is comparable with solving another candy crush level. But without the annoying candy sounds of course!
3. Solving problems keeps our brains healthy
If you like to watch soap series whole day, eat crappy food and spend more time on your couch than a potato takes time to grow, there will be a good chance that when you get older you will forget a lot of things. In some cases you can see that as a benefit, but for most people this is not a very pleasurable. Just as speaking French or riding a bicycle, the brain needs to stay stimulated to keep in shape. Puzzles, whether Sudoku or jigsaws, keep our brains active and healthy.
4. Sudoku puzzles are for all ages and intelligence levels
Because Sudoku is so popular and there are so many puzzles available online (of course not as good as on this website), everyone can pick up a Sudoku puzzle and enjoy the puzzles as they come in all levels and sizes.
5. Sudoku puzzles strengthen your cognitive skills
If you can solve difficult puzzles, it is assumable that you can learn whatever you want: French, Math, playing guitar, all kind of educational challenges. It's all about determination, logic skills, spatial skills, memory and not giving up. Forms of intelligence that you can train. Not that the Sudoku logic puzzle is like a magic intelligence pill or something, but being able to complete them does help you master other matters!
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