For a challenge
Hard Sudoku Printable: Hard and Expert Puzzles with Answers
Print free hard and expert sudoku puzzles with answer keys, 1 to 6 per page, or play them on screen. Hard puzzles need pairs; expert puzzles need more.
Your printable puzzles
Puzzle pages appear here once the page loads, with the answer key at the end. Every puzzle has exactly one solution.
Play a hard sudoku on screen
The board appears here once the page loads.
Puzzles are generated in your browser and every one is checked to have exactly one solution. Difficulty is set by the solving steps a puzzle needs, not only by how many numbers it starts with. Nothing is uploaded or saved. Print at 100% scale.
What makes these puzzles hard
Hard puzzles cannot be finished with single-candidate steps alone. At some point you need a naked pair, a pointing pair or a box-line reduction to remove candidates. Expert puzzles go further and need techniques beyond those. All of them have exactly one solution.
- Pencil in candidates for every empty cell before looking for pairs.
- Two puzzles per page leaves room for notes.
- Keep the answer pages for checking, not peeking.
Common questions
What is the difference between hard and expert?
Hard puzzles can be solved with singles plus pairs and pointing eliminations. Expert puzzles cannot; they need more advanced techniques or careful trial in your notes.
How many numbers do hard puzzles start with?
Usually 26 to 30. Expert puzzles usually start with 24 to 26.
The studio notebook
A useful place to begin.
Clear steps, considered details, and ideas you can put to use.
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