Play 6×6 Sudoku Online
A smaller, friendlier Sudoku grid — great for beginners.
How to Play 6×6 Sudoku
Modes: Classic · Daily
Fill the 6×6 grid so every row, column and 2×3 box holds the numbers 1–6.
A cell is correct when no digit repeats in its row, column or box.
Tap a cell and pick 1–6 from the pad; use the eraser to remove a digit.
Complete the grid to win.
Rules
Each row, column and 2×3 box must contain 1–6 exactly once.
Cells shown in blue are given and cannot be changed.
Conflicting duplicates are highlighted in red.
Scoring
| Solved | complete the grid |
| Time | fastest solve wins |
History & Origins of 6×6 Sudoku
Sudoku’s family tree begins with the Latin-square puzzles of the late nineteenth century, and the exact form millions play today descends from Howard Garns’s 1979 ’Number Place’. When the pastime exploded in the 2000s, publishers wanted versions for every pace, and smaller grids soon followed for players with minutes rather than an hour.
Compact 6×6 Sudoku shrinks the grid to 36 cells and swaps the familiar 3×3 boxes for six 2×3 blocks, keeping only the digits 1–6. That smaller footprint makes it an ideal classroom warm-up and a gentle on-ramp for children and adults who find a full 9×9 grid intimidating.
Played here, the three difficulties change how much help you start with: Easy boards open with the most digits already placed, Hard with the fewest. Duplicates anywhere in a row, column or 2×3 box turn red the instant they appear, and a Hint can quietly fill the next provable cell whenever you stall.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Checking only rows and columns and skipping the 2×3 boxes — the box borders are thinner than the outer frame, so a repeat inside a block is easy to overlook.
- Placing a digit in a row with two empty cells without first scanning the whole box; in a 6×6 the box often settles which of the two candidates is right.
- Hunting for a notes mode that does not exist. The grid is small enough to track two or three candidates in your head, and red conflict flags catch slips the moment they happen.
- Leaving a red duplicate in place ’for now’ and stacking more guesses on top; the board will not let you win until every repeat is erased and rethought.
- Trying to edit a given cell. Givens are locked, so tap past them to an empty square instead of fighting the controls.
Tips & Strategy
Look for rows or boxes with only one empty cell left.
Scan a 2×3 box and its three columns together.
Use notes-free candidates in your head — the grid is small.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is 6×6 Sudoku free to play?
- Yes — 6×6 Sudoku on ThinkyPlay is free, with no download and no sign-up.
- What are the rules?
- Fill each row, column and 2×3 box with 1–6 without repeats — just like Sudoku, minus two rows.
- Is there a daily 6×6?
- Yes — the Daily 6×6 Sudoku gives everyone the same friendly grid each day.
- Why are the difficulties different if the board is always 6×6?
- Difficulty comes from the starting givens. Easy opens with roughly two dozen digits already placed, Hard trims that toward sixteen, so a Hard solve asks you to deduce far more of the 36 cells for yourself.
- Does 6×6 Sudoku have a notes or pencil-marks mode?
- No, and you will not miss it. With only 36 cells and digits 1–6, candidates are easy to hold in your head, and the game highlights any conflict in red as soon as it appears.
- What exactly does the Hint button do?
- It fills in the next cell that logic already decides, so a hint never guesses. There is no limit to how often you can use it, but your clock keeps running and best times are recorded.