Kakuro
The addictive cross-sum number puzzle.
The rules
How to play
- 01
The grid
Kakuro is a crossword built from numbers. Fill every white cell with a single digit from 1 to 9.
- 02
Reading clues
Each shaded clue cell carries one or two sums: the figure above the diagonal heads the run going down, the figure below it the run going right.
- 03
Runs sum to the clue
Every horizontal and vertical run of white cells must add up exactly to the clue that heads it — no more, no less.
- 04
No repeats in a run
A digit can never repeat inside a single run, though the same digit may appear elsewhere on the board.
- 05
One solution
A proper Kakuro resolves to a single grid through pure arithmetic and logic. Guessing is never required.
Play smarter
Six ways to crack the sums
Unique combinations
Some clues fix the digit set outright: 17 across two cells must be 8 + 9; a clue of 3 must be 1 + 2.
Cross-reference runs
Use a digit fixed by one run to constrain the run that crosses it at the shared cell.
Calculate the remainder
When a run has a single empty cell left, its value is just the clue minus the digits already placed.
Work the extremes
Low clues force small digits and high clues force large ones — start where the range is tightest.
Remember 45
A full line of nine cells always sums to 45; many missing-cell tricks fall straight out of that fact.
Pencil the candidates
Note the possible digits for tight cells so the right combination reveals itself as the runs fill in.
Watch & learn
Two minutes to mastery
From the Intel desk
Reading for the curious
Kakuro Puzzle: A Complete Beginner's Guide to Cross-Sum Logic
Learn how to solve Kakuro puzzles from scratch. Master the rules, discover essential number combinations, and follow our visual step-by-step tutorial to become a confident Kakuro solver.
Kakuro Strategies: Essential Combinations Every Solver Must Know
Master Kakuro with proven strategies: magic number combinations, cross-reference techniques, and cascade methods. From understanding unique sums to advanced forced-cell analysis, this guide transforms your solving approach.
Keep going
Where to next
Fresh every day
The Daily Kakuro
One shared cross-sum for everyone, every day. Build a streak and compare your solving time.
Go deeper
Rules & strategy guide
From unique combinations to the rule of 45 — the complete written guide with worked examples.
Beyond the grid
Explore all puzzles
Sudoku, Nonograms, Slitherlink and fifteen more logic games await.