GridDay

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ALS-XZ

Expert Removes candidates Used in: Sudoku, Killer Sudoku

ALS-XZ

Two Almost Locked Sets are joined by a restricted common digit (X). That link forces a second shared digit (Z) into the sets, so Z can be removed from any cell that sees every Z candidate in both sets.

How to spot it

Two almost-locked sets joined by a restricted common digit.

What you can conclude

Eliminate the second shared digit from any cell that sees all of its candidates in both sets.

Worked example

Two almost-locked sets sharing a restricted 4 force a 7 into them; a cell that sees all their 7s cannot be 7.

Related techniques

X-Chain · XY-Chain · Inference Chain