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Futoshiki Hidden Pairs: Two Numbers, Two Places

When two numbers can only go in the same two squares of a row or column, those squares take them, so they can’t be anything else.

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This is one of the Futoshiki techniques, each shown on the same 7×7 from the game, Hard level 5.

The rule

  1. Fill in the notes for a row or column.
  2. For each number it still needs, list the squares where it could go.
  3. If two numbers have the same two places, and only those, cross every other number out of those two squares.

In a real puzzle

On the 7×7, it’s first needed at step 6, before any pair. In column 1, the 1 and the 7 can only go in rows 1 and 7. Those two squares must take them, so their other notes go.

Step 6: a hidden pair in column 1 Column 1's notes. The 1 and the 7 can only go in rows 1 and 7, so those two squares take them, and their other notes go. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 4 5 6 7 3 4 5 2 3 1 3 5 6 1 2 4 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Step 6: column 1’s notes. The 1 and the 7 (teal) fit only rows 1 and 7, so those squares lose everything else (red).

How often you’ll need it

Never on Easy, on 10 of the 50 Medium levels, and on 28 Hard ones. It’s 2 of the 57 moves on the 7×7 here.

Next steps

Questions

What's hidden about it?

The two squares usually have other numbers in their notes too, which hide the pair. You find it by looking at where each number can go, not at what each square could be.