NYT Sudoku

The Times added Sudoku puzzles to its print edition in the mid-2000s as the global Sudoku craze took off, then folded them into the Games app alongside the Crossword and Spelling Bee. Digital play now includes four daily difficulties, auto-check, notes mode, and streak tracking.

• Launch: mid-2000s in print; later integrated into NYT Games on web and mobile.
• Formats: Easy through Expert grids with optional timers and mistake limits.
• Features: pencil marks, autofill notes, and “check” tools for newer solvers.

Official access and pricing

Play Sudoku at NYTimes.com/puzzles/sudoku. The Times offers four daily difficulties free on web and in the app with a logged-in account; deeper archives, streak stats, and the ad-free app experience are perks of an NYT Games or All Access subscription.

Strategy by skill level

• Start with singles: scan rows, columns, and boxes for places where a digit can only fit once.
• Use pencil marks: note candidates per cell to reveal hidden singles after each placement.
• Spot pairs and triples: when two cells in a unit share the same pair of numbers, eliminate those numbers elsewhere in the unit.
• Graduate to patterns: X-Wing and Swordfish techniques catch repeating candidates in aligned rows and columns on harder puzzles.
• Box-line reduction: if a candidate only appears in one row of a box, remove it from the rest of that row in neighboring boxes.

Starting plan: fill all given numbers into candidates mode, then sweep each 3×3 box for hidden singles. Move to line-based scans (rows and columns) to lock in pairs, and only then attempt advanced patterns. When stuck, toggle off auto-check and test a candidate chain in one corner to see if it forces a contradiction—undo if necessary.

Deliberate drills and timing goals

Adopt a rotating practice plan: on Mondays aim to clear all singles in under two minutes; midweek, focus on spotting pointing pairs and box-line reductions; on weekends, pick one advanced technique (X-Wing, XY-Wing, Swordfish) and apply it at least twice per puzzle. Track how often each tactic appears—the log becomes your personal "Genius" ladder for logic play.

• Corner drill: choose one 3×3 box and solve it completely before moving on. This isolates deduction and prevents scattered guessing.
• Candidate sweep: after every placement, rescan the affected row, column, and box to erase now-impossible numbers. Consistency yields cascading singles.
• Time splits: set a five-minute cap for the opening phase; if you have not placed at least 15 numbers, restart and adjust your scan order.
• Reconstruction: finish a puzzle, erase all givens, and rebuild using only pencil marks. The reconstruction step cements pattern recognition for tougher Expert grids.

Interesting facts

NYT Sudoku joined the platform to give solvers a numbers-based break from word puzzles. Its timer settings mirror the Crossword’s streak tracking, letting players measure personal bests across both logic and vocabulary games.

Practice idea: replay a completed puzzle in “notes only” mode, removing all given digits, and rebuild the solution using just candidate logic. This trains deduction and reduces reliance on guesswork in Expert grids.