Free Kakuro — Play Online
Click a cell, then type a number · Shift + number toggles candidates
How to Play Kakuro
Full rules guide →Kakuro mixes a crossword-style layout with pure arithmetic. Each white square belongs to an across and/or down run, and the shaded clue cells tell you the exact sum you must hit without repeating digits.
Reading the grid
- The triangle in the bottom-left of a clue cell labels the sum for the across run to its right.
- The triangle in the top-right labels the sum for the down run below it.
- Runs vary in length—long stretches tend to carry larger totals and invite combination analysis.
Quick start checklist
- Begin with short runs such as 3-in-2 (must be 1+2) or 4-in-2 (must be 1+3) to claim guaranteed digits.
- Mark pencil candidates by holding Shift and tapping numbers whenever a placement is uncertain.
- Compare crossing runs—when one narrows to {2,5}, the other cannot use 2 or 5 elsewhere in that run.
Work an example
Suppose a horizontal clue of 16 spans three cells. The only non-repeating triples that sum to 16 are {1,6,9}, {2,5,9}, {3,4,9}, {3,6,7}, and {4,5,7}. If the overlapping vertical runs already use 1 and 6, you can strike every combination containing those digits and zero in on the remaining options.
Avoid these early mistakes
- Do not repeat digits within a run—even if the totals work out, duplicated numbers break the Kakuro rules.
- Recalculate after every placement; a new digit often tightens another run to a single option.
- Write down eliminations. The app’s candidate marks mirror the notes veteran solvers keep on paper.
Level up your solving
Once the basics feel natural, read our tips and tricks guide for a ten-step solving checklist, try the Kakuro helper when a run gets messy, then dive into the technique library (all open in a new tab — your puzzle stays here). Start with sum singles and cross sums, then progress to combination pruning, min/max boundary forcing, and advanced locked-set strategies to master tougher grids.
If you want the gentlest on-ramp, open the easy Kakuro guide for beginner patterns and a direct link into Easy mode. When easy starts feeling automatic, move into the medium Kakuro guide for candidate-pruning habits and intermediate solving flow.
Kakuro FAQ
- What is Kakuro?
- Kakuro is a logic puzzle that combines a crossword-style grid with arithmetic. Each run of white cells must sum to the clue in the adjacent shaded cell using the digits 1–9 without repetition. It is sometimes called a cross-sum puzzle or arithmetic crossword.
- How is Kakuro different from Sudoku?
- Sudoku requires placing 1–9 once in each row, column, and 3×3 box with no arithmetic. Kakuro requires digits to sum to specific clue values — the grid acts like a crossword, not a box. Both use deduction, but Kakuro skews toward number sense and sum-combination analysis.
- Can Kakuro puzzles have more than one solution?
- A well-formed Kakuro puzzle has exactly one valid solution. Every puzzle on this site is generated with a uniqueness check — if the solver finds more than one solution during generation, the puzzle is discarded and regenerated.
- What difficulty levels are available?
- Four levels: Easy, Medium, Hard, and Ultra Hard. Easy puzzles are solvable with basic sum-singles and short-run analysis. Medium introduces combination pruning. Hard and Ultra Hard require advanced techniques like locked sets and forcing chains. Use the difficulty selector at the top of the grid, start with the easy Kakuro guide, then step up through the medium Kakuro guide as your note-taking gets sharper.
- Is Free Kakuro really free?
- Yes. No account, no payment, no ads blocking the game. Puzzles are generated in your browser — nothing is sent to a server. Play as many as you like.
- Where can I find free Kakuro puzzles online?
- Start here on the homepage for instant play, or visit the free Kakuro puzzles guide for an overview of difficulty levels, learning resources, and the best next page for your skill level.
- How do you play Kakuro?
- Fill every white cell with a digit 1–9 so that each row or column run sums to its clue value and no digit repeats within the same run. Start by finding short runs with only one valid combination — a 2-cell run totalling 3 can only be {1,2}. Read the full rules guide for a step-by-step walkthrough with worked examples.
- Do you have a Kakuro helper or calculator?
- Yes. Use the Kakuro helper to filter valid combinations by run length, clue sum, required digits, and excluded digits. It is useful when crossing runs narrow a clue but do not place every digit yet.
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