Medium technique · Technique Academy

Hidden Pair

A hidden pair is two digits that, within one unit, can only go in the same two cells. Those cells may carry other candidates, but those are decoys.

Professor Cryptic, the owl who teaches in the app
Professor Cryptic is thinking

The reasoning

Why does the Hidden Pair work?

The two digits must occupy the two cells, so every other candidate in them can be wiped away. What remains is a naked pair, revealed.

A worked example

What does the Hidden Pair look like on a real board?

Hidden Pair worked exampleA sudoku board with pencil marks. The Hidden Pair uses R3C3, R7C3 and digits 5, 6 (column 3). The move strikes candidates 5 in R3C3, 6 in R3C3, 5 in R7C3, 6 in R7C3.124891289249612437245712324812459234624623524569247123483482916575714368922962957841314615456756238926828316895748958973584261
The move strikes candidates 5 in R3C3, 6 in R3C3, 5 in R7C3, 6 in R7C3. Digits 5, 6, column 3.
  • Cells that form the pattern
  • Cells that lose a candidate
  • Struck digit: ruled out

Make it stick

How can you practise the Hidden Pair?

The Technique Academy in Cryptic gives every technique its own lesson and 5 practice boards that need exactly this move.

Get it onGoogle PlayPlay Cryptic on the web

Further reading: HoDoKu's page on this family of techniques.

EasierNaked PairHarderPointing