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Cage Remainder

Beginner Places a digit Used in: Killer Sudoku, Kakuro

Cage Remainder

A cage or run has a fixed total. When only one cell is still empty, its value is simply that total minus the digits already placed — a group summing to 15 with a 6 and a 4 must finish with a 5. The same move is called Cage Completion in Killer Sudoku and Run Total in Kakuro.

How to spot it

A cage or run with exactly one empty cell left.

What you can conclude

Subtract the placed digits from the cage or run total — that is the missing cell.

Worked example

A 15-cage already holding 6 and 4 must finish with 15 − 6 − 4 = 5.

Related techniques

Single-Cell Cage · Cage Combination · Rule of 45