X-Wing sudoku
Pattern card for X-Wing — two rows, two columns, one digit — with a live hard board so the move has somewhere to appear.
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X-Wing sudoku
An X-Wing shows up when one digit’s candidates in two rows (or two columns) line up on exactly the same two columns (or rows). Those four corners form an X. You can eliminate that digit from the other cells in those columns (or rows).
This page is the pattern card plus a live hard board so the move has somewhere to appear. Hint speaks technique names — when an X-Wing is the step, read the label, then try to re-find it yourself.
When
When to use
You searched x-wing / swordfish; hard puzzles stall after pairs; you want a named fish pattern.
When not
When not to
Still learning singles → tips / easy. Full habit loop → strategy. Unblocked school page → sudoku unblocked.
Defaults
Assumptions
Classic 9×9. X-Wing is optional on easy seeds; hard and expert need it more often. Swordfish is the three-line cousin — mentioned here, not a separate product.
Steps
How
- Clean candidates with Pencil before hunting fish.
- Pick a digit; scan two rows for a lock on the same two columns.
- Eliminate that digit elsewhere in those columns (or the swapped case).
- Hint once if stuck; re-find the four corners yourself.
Worked notes
Examples
- Digit 7 only possible in columns 2 and 8 of rows 3 and 6 → X-Wing — strip other 7s from columns 2 and 8
- Hint says X-Wing → mark the four corners before placing a digit
Watch-outs
Gotchas
- Without honest pencil marks, fish patterns are invisible.
- This is not a solver dump page — coaching steps, not a full answer key.
- Swordfish and jellyfish are related; master the two-line X-Wing first.
Nearby pages
Compare
Strategy: sudoku strategyTips: sudoku tipsHard practice: hard sudokuExpert: expert sudoku
Controls
Quick controls
- Hint — a cell/digit, technique name, and short reason.
- Check — flags conflicts without revealing the full grid.
- Pencil — candidate notes for empty cells.
- New puzzle — same difficulty band, fresh seed.
- Daily — fixed local seed for the calendar day.
- Erase — clear the selected cell (not givens).
FAQ
Common questions
What is an X-Wing?
A digit locked to the same two columns in two rows (or swapped) — eliminate that digit elsewhere in those columns.
Do hints teach X-Wing?
When the engine’s next step is an X-Wing, Hint names it and points at the cells involved.
Need it on easy puzzles?
Rarely. Singles and pairs usually finish easy and medium grids.
What about Swordfish?
Three lines instead of two — same family. This URL focuses on the two-line X-Wing.