Futoshiki
Past dailiesFill every cell so each row and column holds each digit exactly once, and every sign between two cells points from the larger digit to the smaller one. Every puzzle has one solution you can reach by logic alone.
How to play Futoshiki
How to play
Tap a cell, then tap a number on the pad (or type it). On a 5×5 board use 1 to 5, on a 7×7 board 1 to 7. Each digit appears once in every row and column. The point of each sign faces the smaller digit, so 2 < 4 and 5 > 3.
Notes
Turn on Notes (or press N) to pencil in candidates. Placing a digit removes it from the notes in the same row and column for you.
Tips
A cell that is smaller than its neighbour can never hold the largest digit, and a cell that is larger can never hold 1. Follow chains of signs: in a < b < c the first cell is at most two below the top. Then look for the one place a digit can go in a row.
Hints that teach
Hint takes one logical step, applies it to the board and explains it in a sentence. Broken signs and repeated digits are marked with a stripe and a dot, so you can spot them without relying on colour.
Questions
What are the rules of Futoshiki?
Fill the grid so every row and column contains each digit from 1 to the size of the grid exactly once, and every inequality sign between two neighbouring cells is true. A few digits may be given to start.
Does every Futoshiki here have exactly one solution?
Yes. Every puzzle is checked by two separate solvers that count solutions, and by a logical solver that proves it can be finished without guessing at its difficulty level.
What do the difficulty levels mean?
Easy puzzles need only the signs and singles: the one digit a cell can hold, or the one cell a digit can go. Medium puzzles add pairs. Hard 7×7 puzzles need triples or an X-wing somewhere.
Is there a daily Futoshiki?
Yes. The daily puzzle is a 6×6 medium Futoshiki that is the same for everyone and changes at midnight UTC.
What does Futoshiki mean?
Futoshiki is Japanese for “inequality”. The puzzle is also called an inequality puzzle or a greater-than sudoku.