New: Kerb Clash, clear the jammed car parkNew: Sudoku and Minesweeper, classic puzzles that play offlineInstall any game to your home screen

Futoshiki Pairs: Two Squares, Two Numbers

When two squares in a row or column can only be the same two numbers, they take those two numbers between them. No other square in that line can be either.

Open Futoshiki full screen for more sizes, saved progress and best times.

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. Look for two squares whose notes are the same two numbers, and nothing else.
  3. Cross those two numbers out of every other square in that line.

In a real puzzle

On the 7×7, it’s first needed at step 11. In column 2, rows 3 and 5 can only be 6 or 7. Whichever way round they go, the 6 and the 7 are used up, so every other square in column 2 loses its 6 and 7.

Step 11: a pair in column 2 Column 2's notes. Rows 3 and 5 can only be 6 or 7, so every other square in the column loses its 6 and 7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 6 7 2 3 4 1 6 7 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Step 11: column 2’s notes. Rows 3 and 5 are both 6 or 7 (teal), so the 6s and 7s elsewhere in the column go (red).

How often you’ll need it

Never on Easy, on 15 of the 50 Medium levels, and on 33 Hard ones. It’s 1 of the 57 moves on the 7×7 here.

Next steps

Questions

Do I need notes for pairs?

Almost always. A pair is two squares with exactly the same two numbers in their notes; without notes, you’d have to work out every square’s options in your head.