GridMew1Check row 2
row 2 has only one remaining candidate: row 2, column 1. Every other cell is excluded by earlier placements or deductions. Place the cat here.
Before step 1. Place one cat, then exclude 0 other cells.Three givens leave two independent row checks
Original puzzle gm-5-0013
By GridMew · Published 15 October 2026 · Updated 16 October 2026
5 × 5 intro
Read the starting position, follow the deductions, and check the move that is easy to misread.
Puzzle board · starting state
How to approach this board
Coordinates such as r2c3 mean row 2, column 3. Count rows from the top and columns from the left.
Rows 1, 4 and 5 are already complete. Rather than recounting every colored area first, inspect rows 2 and 3 against the occupied columns and the given cats’ immediate neighborhoods.
5×5 · 3 fixed cats · 2 explained deductions. Region sizes: A: 4 · B: 6 · C: 6 · D: 4 · E: 5.
A deduction worth checking
Row 2 forces r2c1; row 3 then supplies r3c4. The final check is that each uses a different region as well as a different row and column.
A move to double-check · r2c2
r2c2 touches the given at r1c3. It is unavailable before any new placement, so this board does not begin with a choice between columns 1 and 2.
Green marks the cell being discussed, not a cat to place. This is the starting position after accounting for the fixed cats.
Read the starting board as text
Each line is one row, left to right. Matching letters belong to the same connected region.
B A A A C B B A C C B D D C C B D E E C B D E E E
Fixed cats: row 4, column 2; row 1, column 3; row 5, column 5. One cat is required in each row, column and region.
Step-by-step walkthrough
2Check row 3
row 3 has only one remaining candidate: row 3, column 4. Every other cell is excluded by earlier placements or deductions. Place the cat here.
Before step 2. Place one cat, then exclude 0 other cells.Show solution · reveals all cat positions
The final cats satisfy every row, column and region quota, with no edge or corner contact.
Cat positions: r1c3, r2c1, r3c4, r4c2, r5c5.
Try another puzzle
A short finish between three fixed cats
gm-5-0004 · 5×5 · intro
Practice single-candidate placements on another 5×5 board.
Read this walkthrough →Use the three completed upper rows as constraints
gm-6-0004 · 6×6 · intro
Transfer single-candidate placements to a 6×6 grid; compare how the candidates change.
Read this walkthrough →Let a lower row reserve the right-hand region
gm-8-0002 · 8×8 · challenge
Compare this route with candidate locks, and check why that different rule is needed.
Read this walkthrough →