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X-Wing

An X-Wing is the simplest fish technique. When a digit appears in exactly two cells of two different rows, and those four cells form a perfect rectangle in two columns, the digit can be eliminated from every other cell of those two columns (and vice versa).

Intermediate

How to read the grids

  • Given - clues from the starting puzzle
  • Subject - cells the technique focuses on
  • Eliminated - candidates this technique removes
  • Candidate - pencil marks shown for reference

How to spot it

Pick a digit. Find two rows where that digit has exactly two candidate cells, and those two cells line up in the same two columns. The four corners form an X. Sweep the digit out of those two columns elsewhere.

The four blue cells form the X-Wing - red cells lose 4 as a candidate.

Worked example

Digit 4 appears in only two cells in rows 2 and 6, and those cells share columns 3 and 7. Eliminate 4 from the rest of columns 3 and 7.

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