Easy Sudoku (Metro)

About Easy Sudoku (Metro)

Easy Sudoku is one of the free puzzles on Metro's puzzles pages, next to its crosswords, Word Wheel, Hangman and Jigsaw. Metro publishes its sudoku at three levels, easy, medium and hard, and this page is the easy one. The page describes it as a basic web sudoku for phone, tablet or computer. Metro's puzzles hub says its free puzzles run Monday to Friday, so a new easy grid arrives each weekday.

The grid is the classic 9 by 9: fill every empty square so that each row, each column and each 3 by 3 box holds the digits 1 to 9 exactly once. The easy level starts with many digits already placed, so most squares can be found by looking along a row, column or box for the one digit still missing.

You play in the browser with no account. Pick a square and tap a digit on the number pad beside the grid, or switch to the pen to jot small candidate notes. A timer runs above the board and can be paused, a Rules button explains the game, Hint fills in help when you are stuck, and Check marks your entries. When you finish, the page shows your time and offers a link to share the puzzle with friends.

The page carries advertising. On Saturdays and Sundays the free grid is replaced by an offer for Puzzles+, Metro's paid weekend bundle of more than 30 puzzles, including two easy sudokus and competition puzzles with prizes, at 99p a week. The weekday easy sudoku stays free. It suits beginners, children learning sudoku and anyone who wants a quick daily grid before moving up to Metro's medium and hard levels.

How to play Easy Sudoku (Metro)

1. Open the Easy Sudoku page on metro.co.uk; the day's grid loads under the Rules, Hint and Check buttons.
2. Look for a row, column or 3 by 3 box that is missing only one or two digits.
3. Select an empty square and tap the digit that belongs there on the number pad.
4. Use the pen button to add small candidate notes in a square when more than one digit could fit.
5. Press Check to see whether your entries are right, or Hint if you are stuck.
6. Fill every square so each row, column and box holds 1 to 9 once; the page then shows your time and a share link.

Tips

• Start with the digit that already appears most often in the grid and find where it is still missing in each box.
• Scan each 3 by 3 box for the one square where a digit can go; on the easy level this finds most answers.
• Pause the timer if you step away, since your finishing time is what you share.
• Once the easy grid feels quick, try the medium and hard sudokus on the same Metro page menu.

Questions