GridMew1Check region E
region E has only one remaining candidate: row 5, column 1. Every other cell is excluded by earlier placements or deductions. Place the cat here.
Before step 1. Place one cat, then exclude 4 other cells.Read the bottom-left region through the fixed column
Original puzzle gm-5-0016
By GridMew · Published 15 October 2026 · Updated 16 October 2026
5 × 5 practice
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.
The given at r3c2 touches r4c1, one of region E’s two bottom-left cells. E is forced at r5c1, and that placement clears much of the bottom row while reaching the top of column 1.
5×5 · 1 fixed cats · 4 explained deductions. Region sizes: A: 7 · B: 5 · C: 5 · D: 6 · E: 2.
A deduction worth checking
Column 3 resolves at r1c3 after E is filled. Its contact with row 2 removes r2c4 and leaves the later right-edge placement.
A move to double-check · r2c4
r2c4 is a corner neighbor of r1c3. The exclusion is local even though the earlier deduction that enabled it came from the far bottom-left.
Green marks the cell being discussed, not a cat to place. This is the position before step 2; compare the deduction below.
Read the starting board as text
Each line is one row, left to right. Matching letters belong to the same connected region.
A A A A B A A A B B C C C D B E C C D B E D D D D
Fixed cats: row 3, column 2. One cat is required in each row, column and region.
Step-by-step walkthrough
2Check column 3
column 3 has only one remaining candidate: row 1, column 3. Every other cell is excluded by earlier placements or deductions. Place the cat here.
Before step 2. Place one cat, then exclude 3 other cells.3Check row 2
row 2 has only one remaining candidate: row 2, column 5. Every other cell is excluded by earlier placements or deductions. Place the cat here.
Before step 3. Place one cat, then exclude 1 other cells.4Check row 4
row 4 has only one remaining candidate: row 4, column 4. Every other cell is excluded by earlier placements or deductions. Place the cat here.
Before step 4. 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, r2c5, r3c2, r4c4, r5c1.
Try another puzzle
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