Puzzles like Sudoku: eight to try next
The puzzles most like Sudoku are Killer Sudoku and Kakuro, which keep the digits and add sums, and Futoshiki, which keeps rows and columns and adds greater-than signs. If you want the same "only one place left" reasoning without numbers, try binary puzzles, star placement puzzles or Light Up. Nonograms and Slitherlink feel different but reward the same patience.
| Puzzle | What you fill in | Arithmetic | How close to Sudoku |
|---|---|---|---|
| Killer Sudoku | Digits 1 to 9 | Addition | Very close: a Sudoku with sums |
| Kakuro | Digits 1 to 9 | Addition | Close: no boxes, runs of sums |
| Futoshiki | Digits | None, only greater-than signs | Close: rows and columns, no boxes |
| Nonograms | Shaded squares | Counting | Different grid, same line-by-line logic |
| Binary puzzles | 0s and 1s | None | Same feel: fill a grid under three rules |
| Star placement | Stars | None | Region logic, like Sudoku's boxes |
| Light Up | Lanterns or bulbs | None | Placement logic with lines of light |
| Slitherlink | A single loop | Counting | Different: you draw, not fill |
1. Killer Sudoku
What it asks: a normal Sudoku, plus cages whose digits add up to the number in their corner, with no repeats inside a cage. Why a Sudoku solver likes it: every Sudoku technique still works, and the sums add a second way in. How it differs: there are usually no given digits, so the first moves come from the cages. How to solve Killer Sudoku.
2. Kakuro
What it asks: fill white squares with 1 to 9 so each run adds up to its clue, no digit repeated in a run. Why: the same "which digit can go here?" question, answered with sums. How it differs: there are no boxes and runs are short, so the puzzle feels like a crossword. How to solve Kakuro.
3. Futoshiki
What it asks: fill a small square grid so every row and column holds each digit once, and every greater-than sign between two squares is true. Why: it is a Sudoku without boxes, and the signs act like tiny clues. How it differs: grids are usually small, so a game is short.
4. Nonograms
What it asks: shade squares so each row and column has runs of the lengths its clues list. Why: you work line by line, ruling things in and out, exactly as you would with candidates. How it differs: you shade instead of writing digits, and a picture appears at the end. How to solve nonograms.
5. Binary puzzles
What it asks: fill a grid with 0s and 1s, no three alike in a line, equal numbers of each in every row and column, no two rows or columns the same. Why: three simple rules and a lot of forced squares, like a Sudoku in two digits. How it differs: with only two symbols, mistakes show up quickly.
6. Star placement puzzles
What it asks: place stars so every row, column and outlined region has the same number of them, and no two stars touch. Why: regions work like Sudoku's boxes, and the best moves come from where a region's star can still go. How it differs: you place only a few stars, so each deduction carries more weight.
7. Light Up
What it asks: place lights so every square is lit, light stops at walls, and no light shines on another. Why: the first move is the Sudoku move, "only one place left", and boards fall into place from a few forced squares. How it differs: a light reaches a whole row and column at once, so one placement settles many squares.
Nightwatch plays the Regional Akari version, where coloured courtyards each need one lantern. There is a new board every night, the same for everybody, and you can play tonight's board in your browser. Light Up rules.
Nightwatch is on Android. On iPhone, play tonight's board here.
Free on Android. A one-time purchase stops every ad.
8. Slitherlink
What it asks: draw one closed loop along the grid lines so each number tells how many of its square's sides the loop uses. Why: small local facts combine into long chains of logic. How it differs: you draw a line instead of filling squares, which takes a little getting used to.
How to choose
Stay close to Sudoku with Killer Sudoku or Futoshiki. Add arithmetic with Kakuro. Leave numbers behind with binary puzzles, star placement or Light Up. For a picture at the end, take nonograms. The field guide to logic puzzles has the rules of all of them on one page.
Questions
What is a puzzle game like Sudoku?
Killer Sudoku, Kakuro and Futoshiki are the closest: they keep Sudoku's digits and its rows and columns, and add sums or greater-than signs. Binary puzzles, star placement puzzles and Light Up use the same reasoning without numbers.
Is there a Sudoku without numbers?
Yes, in spirit. Binary puzzles use only 0 and 1, star placement puzzles use stars, and Light Up uses lights; all three rely on the same question Sudoku asks, which is where a piece can still go.
What should I play after Sudoku?
If you want more of the same, Killer Sudoku. If you want something that feels new but uses the same habits, try Light Up or nonograms.
Nightwatch is on Android. On iPhone, play tonight's board here.
Free on Android. A one-time purchase stops every ad.