PUZZLE TECHNIQUES

SHIKAKU SOLVING TECHNIQUES

Learn advanced tips to solve Shikaku puzzles. When you know our methods, then you can try your skills and play shikaku puzzles online.

These puzzles are also known as Cell Blocks, Divide by Squares, Divide by Box or Number Area. Try to find the rectangles by logic. This will train your multiplication skills as a 12 can be 1x12, 2x6 or 3x4.

LOOK FOR PRIME NUMBERS

Prime numbers can only have a rectangle with a width of 1 cell. This will help you to narrow down the possibilities. We give a short list of prime numbers: 2,3,5,7,11,13,17,19, ...

In our example prime number 7 has a width of 1 cell and there is only enough space in the vertical direction.

FORCED RECTANGLES

Look for numbers that are close to each other. There you have a great chance of finding rectangles that are forced immediately. That are rectangles with only one possible way to be orientated.

In our Shikaku example number 8 has not enough space to create a 1x8 square. The only solution is a 2x4 square.

LOOK FOR COMMON CELLS

One solving shikaku techniques is to find where at least some cells must be.

For digit 3 in column 1 there are only 2 possilbe rectangles. The cell under digit 3 belongs to both options.

CELLS ONLY REACHABLE BY 1 DIGIT

Another useful shikaku solving strategy is to look for cells that can only be reached by 1 digit.

The cells with a cross can only be reached by number 35 in column 8. So we can make a provisional rectangle. If we have more information, then we can expand the rectangle.