Suguru for beginners
Suguru is a number puzzle from Japan that takes about a minute to learn. You might know it as the Tectonic puzzle, or as Number Blocks. Same rules, same puzzle.
This page covers the rules, the mistake nearly everyone makes at first, and one small puzzle solved from start to finish.
The rules
The grid is split into blocks with thick outlines. Some cells start with a number in them. Your job is to fill in the rest so that:
- Each block holds the numbers 1 up to its size, once each. A block of 2 cells holds 1 and 2. A block of 5 holds 1 to 5.
- Equal numbers never touch. Not side by side, not above and below, and not corner to corner either.
That's all of it. There's no rule about rows or columns, and no adding up. Every puzzle has exactly one answer, and you can always reach it by reasoning, so you never need to guess.
The mistake everyone makes
It's the corners. Most of us bring a habit over from sudoku: check the cells above, below and to either side. That misses the four diagonal ones.
The fix is a small habit: before you write a number in, glance at all eight cells around it. The game underlines clashes in red as you go, which helps while the habit sets in.
A small puzzle, start to finish
This one is 4×4, smaller than any of the daily puzzles (those start at 5×5 on Mondays). It has four blocks: the top row, a block of 5 on the left, a block of 5 on the right, and a block of 2 in the bottom-left corner. Have a go in your head first if you like.
The puzzle
Steps 1 to 4
- The block of 2 in the corner already has its 1, so the other cell is 2. Small blocks are the easiest place to start.
- The big block on the left has its 5 and 4. This cell touches the 3 above it and the 1 at its bottom-left corner. The only number left is 2.
- That block now needs a 1 and a 3. This cell touches the 3 at the top, so it's the 1.
- And the last cell of the block gets the 3.
Steps 5 to 7
- The top row is a block of 4 with a 3 in it, so it needs 1, 2 and 4. This cell touches the 2 and the 1 below it, so it's the 4.
- The first cell touches the 2 on its corner, and the 4 is used, so it's the 1.
- Which leaves the 2 for the last cell.
Steps 8 to 11
- The block on the right has a 1 and needs 2, 3, 4 and 5. This cell touches a 2, a 1, a 4 and a 3, so it's the 5.
- This one touches the 4 and the 3 to its left. With the 5 in, that leaves 2.
- This one touches the 4, the 2 and the 1, and the 5 is in, so it's the 3.
- The 4 goes in the last cell, and the puzzle's solved.
There wasn't a single guess. Every number had a reason, and the reasons only ever came from the two rules. Bigger puzzles work the same way; there's just more going on.
Habits that help
- Start small. A block of 2 with a number in it is already solved. So is a block of 3 with two numbers in it.
- Ask where the 1s go. Every block has a 1. Pick a block without one and see which of its cells could still take it.
- Check all eight neighbours before you write anything in.
- Forget rows and columns. A row can have two 3s in it, as long as they don't touch.
- Use notes when a cell has two or three options. In the game, tap Notes (or press N) and pencil them in.
- If you're stuck, look somewhere else. There's always a move on the board, and one number placed elsewhere often opens up the block you were stuck on.
What next
The daily puzzle is gentle on Mondays and gets harder through the week, so Monday is the one to start with. When the easy days feel routine, the solving techniques guide covers the moves you'll need for the rest. And if you play sudoku, the comparison with sudoku points out what carries over.
More guides
- Suguru solving techniques
Six ways to make progress, from the only number left to a short what-if, each with a worked example. - Suguru vs sudoku
What carries over from sudoku, what doesn’t, and why the two feel so different to solve.