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 1 other cells.Resolve the two outside rows around three givens
Original puzzle gm-6-0006
By GridMew · Published 15 October 2026 · Updated 16 October 2026
6 × 6 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.
The fixed cats in rows 3, 4 and 5 leave rows 1, 2 and 6. Row 2 is the first single at r2c1. The bottom row can be settled next, without an advanced lock.
6×6 · 3 fixed cats · 3 explained deductions. Region sizes: A: 9 · B: 5 · C: 3 · D: 7 · E: 7 · F: 5.
A deduction worth checking
r6c5 removes r1c5 through their shared column. The top row is then determined by the accumulated column and region quotas.
A move to double-check · r1c5
The long vertical separation does not preserve r1c5. Adjacency and column membership are independent tests, and this exclusion uses the latter.
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.
B A A A A A B B A A A A B E C C D D B E C D D D E E F F F D E E E F F D
Fixed cats: row 5, column 2; row 4, column 6; row 3, column 4. One cat is required in each row, column and region.
Step-by-step walkthrough
2Check row 6
row 6 has only one remaining candidate: row 6, column 5. Every other cell is excluded by earlier placements or deductions. Place the cat here.
Before step 2. Place one cat, then exclude 1 other cells.3Check row 1
row 1 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 3. 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, r4c6, r5c2, r6c5.
Try another puzzle
Use the three completed upper rows as constraints
gm-6-0004 · 6×6 · intro
Practice single-candidate placements on another 6×6 board.
Read this walkthrough →A short finish between three fixed cats
gm-5-0004 · 5×5 · intro
Transfer single-candidate placements to a 5×5 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 →