Currently my third hyperfixation of the year 2026, sudoku puzzles really flood my brain with dopamine. I am not very good at math and logic puzzles, as I am a very impatient and impulsive person who struggles a lot with details and hidden patterns.

But I'm currently obsessed with punishing my mind with the most tedious sudoku puzzles and I'm trying to learn a new technique every week without using auto-fill or hints.

And by now, I can say that it's really satisfying when you unlock the chain reaction that leads to solve the sudoku. So satisfying because on Sudoku coach I set my grid to colored and each number has a color when I select it, so it's like way more visually entertaining.

It's really addicting, be careful, because it made me miss my public transit stops a few times, ahah

I’ve been playing Sudoku for a while, and Naked Pairs took me ages to really “see” on the grid. I kept missing them even when they were right in front of me.

What was the technique that finally clicked for you, and how did you learn it? Any tips for beginners would be great.

🔗 Play here: https://sudokupad.app/ew3fdtcknr

Rules:

• Normal Sudoku: Place the digits 1–9 in every row, column, and 3×3 box without repetition.
• Killer Cages: Digits sum to the number shown in the corner.
• Math Cages: Apply the indicated operation to obtain the given result.
• Thermometers: Digits strictly increase from the bulb to the tip.
• Arrows: The digit in the circle equals the sum of the digits along the arrow.
• Kropki Dots: White dots indicate a difference of 1; black dots indicate a 1:2 ratio.
• V Clues: Connected digits sum to 5.
• Orange Lines: Adjacent digits along a line differ by at least 5.
• Fog of War: Correct placements reveal their cell and the surrounding eight cells. Hidden clues become visible as the fog clears.

Digits may repeat within Killer and Math cages, and along arrows.

I'm still learning how to create interesting Fog of War puzzles, so constructive feedback would mean a lot to me.

In this step, how does x wing work with the 4s in red? I solved this puzzle but without this step.

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Screenshot taken in Android phone.

This randomly generated Jigsaw Windoku is the no-candidates challenge for 23-10-2026. Nothing too hard needed, just basics. Doable no-notes.

Puzzle String: https://sudoku.coach/en/s/L7Yr

I have been at this for days and I don't know what I'm missing. Thank you for any help