GridWits

XYZ-Wing

Expert Used by Smart Hint

Like XY-Wing, but the pivot keeps a third candidate, which tightens where the elimination applies.

A 1 B 2 C 3 D 4 E 5 F 6 G 7 H 8 I 9 1 2 3 1 3 4 2 3 3 7 5 6 8 9

How it works

  1. A1 is a tri-value pivot with candidates {1, 2, 3}. B1 shares its row and two of those candidates {1, 3}; A2 shares its column and {2, 3}.
  2. Because the pivot itself could still be 3, only cells that see all three — pivot, B1, and A2 — are safe to clear. B2 sees all three, so its 3 can be eliminated.

Play a Sudoku that needs this technique →