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Kakuro

Cross sums: fill runs of digits to hit every clue.

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Building a puzzle with one solution...

How to play Kakuro

Goal

Fill every white cell with a digit from 1 to 9 so each run adds up to its clue.

  1. 1Each clue gives the sum of the run of white cells to its right (top number) or below it (bottom number).
  2. 2Digits in a run must all be different.
  3. 3Use the combination helper to see which sets of digits can make a run's sum.
  4. 4Wrong sums and repeated digits turn red so you can fix them early.

On a computer

Click a cell, then type 1 to 9. Shift plus a digit or N toggles notes. Arrows move, Backspace erases.

On a phone

Tap a cell, then tap a number on the pad. Turn on Notes for pencil marks.

Play Kakuro free online, the cross sum number puzzle. Fresh puzzles with one unique solution, pencil marks, a combination helper and a daily Kakuro.

Kakuro tips and strategy

  • Learn the unique sums: 3 and 4 in two cells, 16 and 17 in two cells, 6 and 7 in three cells, 23 and 24 in three cells.
  • Where an across run and a down run cross, the digit must belong to a combination of both runs.
  • Watch the helper. Combinations that clash with digits you already placed are crossed out.
  • Use notes for cells with two or three options and come back after nearby runs fill in.
  • Large sums in long runs often leave out just one digit. Work out which one is missing.
  • Fix red cells right away. A wrong digit early makes every crossing run harder.

About Kakuro

Kakuro, also called cross sums, is a number puzzle that looks like a crossword filled with digits. Dark clue cells hold sums, and the white cells next to them form runs. Fill each run with digits from 1 to 9 so they add up to the clue, without repeating a digit inside the same run. Every puzzle here has exactly one solution, checked by a solver before you see it.

Cross sum puzzles appeared in American puzzle magazines in the middle of the twentieth century and became hugely popular in Japan, where the name Kakuro comes from. They mix simple addition with careful logic. Some sums can only be made one way, like 3 in two cells (1 and 2) or 17 in two cells (8 and 9), and those spots are where most solves begin.

This version includes pencil marks, a combination helper that lists every set of digits that fits the selected runs, red highlighting for repeats and impossible sums, a hint button and a daily puzzle shared by everyone.

Kakuro FAQ

How do you play Kakuro?

Fill white cells with digits 1 to 9. Each run of white cells must add up to the clue on its left or above it, and no digit can repeat within a run.

Do these Kakuro puzzles have one solution?

Yes. Every puzzle is checked by a solver to make sure exactly one answer fits all the clues.

What do the two numbers in a clue cell mean?

The number in the top right is the sum for the run going right. The number in the bottom left is the sum for the run going down.

Is Kakuro harder than Sudoku?

It uses a bit of arithmetic, but the logic is similar. Easy Kakuro grids are a gentle start, and hard ones are a real challenge.

Is there a daily Kakuro?

Yes. A new medium puzzle arrives every day and it is the same for every player, so you can compare times.

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