GridDay

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Last Candidate

Beginner Places a digit Used in: Sudoku, Killer Sudoku, Calcudoku, Futoshiki

Last Candidate

After previous candidate eliminations, a cell may be left with a single remaining possibility. That last candidate is forced, so place it — the earlier cleanup has already ruled everything else out.

How to spot it

Keep your pencil marks current and watch for a cell whose candidate list has shrunk to one.

What you can conclude

That last surviving candidate is the answer.

Worked example

After a naked pair clears 4 and 8 from a cell that read {4,6,8}, only 6 remains — fill it in.

Related techniques

Naked Single · Hidden Single