How to play Kakuro

The goal

Clues

• A run is a line of white squares across or down, between dark squares or the edge.
• Each dark square is split corner to corner. The number in the top-right is the sum of the run to its right; the number in the bottom-left is the sum of the run below it.
• A digit can appear only once in each run, so 4 in two squares must be 1+3, never 2+2.

Playing

• Tap a white square, then tap a digit to place it. Tapping the same digit again clears the square.
• The selected square’s runs are shaded, and their clues are highlighted.
• Under the board, the helper lists the digit sets that can make each of those runs, such as “→ 17 in 2: 8+9”. Sets that don’t include the digits you’ve already placed in the run are left out.
• Some puzzles start with a few digits filled in. These can’t be changed.

Tools

• Notes: turn it on to pencil in possible digits instead of placing them. Placing a digit removes it from the notes in the same runs.
• Erase clears the selected square. Undo takes back your last change.

Mistakes

• A digit repeated within a run turns red.
• A clue turns red when its run adds up to too much, or is full and adds up to the wrong total.

Difficulty

• Easy is a 6×6 grid with short runs, Normal is 8×8 and Hard is 10×10 with longer runs.
• Every puzzle is new and has exactly one solution. Your best times are kept separately for each difficulty.

Keyboard

• 1–9 to place a digit, the arrow keys to move, Backspace to erase, N to switch notes on or off, and Ctrl or ⌘+Z to undo.

Questions

Strategy guides