Play Today's Kakuro Daily Puzzle
The same Kakuro board for everyone, every day. Crossword-style sums — fill digits so every clue total matches.
How to Play Kakuro
Modes: Easy · Medium · Hard · Daily
Kakuro is a crossword of sums: fill the empty white squares with digits from 1 to 9.
Each horizontal run has a clue in the square to its left — its digits must add up to exactly that total.
Each vertical run has a clue in the square above it — same rule, reading down.
A digit can never repeat inside the same run. Use notes to pencil in candidates before committing.
Rules
Fill every white square with a digit from 1 to 9.
Digits in a run must sum to the run’s clue without repeating.
You may not use the same digit twice in any single run.
Scoring
| Win | solve the whole grid correctly |
| Time | fastest solve wins |
History & Origins of Kakuro
Kakuro grew out of American “cross sums” puzzles that appeared in magazines in the early 20th century, long before sudoku existed.
Japanese publisher Nikoli refined and renamed the format, and its crossword-like grid of horizontal and vertical sums made it a bridge between word puzzles and pure number logic.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Reusing a digit inside one run; Kakuro runs never repeat numbers.
- Starting with big clues instead of tiny totals that force quick pairings.
- Ignoring the crossing clue when you fill a cell.
Tips & Strategy
Start with 2-cell runs: totals of 3, 4, 16 and 17 each have only one digit pair, so they lock cells instantly.
Long runs of 7–9 cells are tightly constrained — a total near 45 forces most digits, so solve those next.
Use the Notes pad to track candidates; when a digit has only one possible cell in a run, place it.
When stuck, scan for runs where the remaining total allows only one combination of digits.
The Hint button fills a provably correct cell to keep you moving.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Kakuro free to play?
- Yes — Kakuro on ThinkyPlay is completely free, with no download and no sign-up.
- What is the difference between Kakuro and Sudoku?
- Sudoku uses a 9×9 Latin square, while Kakuro works like a crossword of sums — every run must total its clue with unique digits.
- Can I play Kakuro on my phone?
- Yes — tap a square and use the on-screen number pad. It works on desktop, tablet and mobile.
- How do hints work?
- The Hint button places a correct digit in the most constrained empty square, so you can keep solving without guessing.
- Who created Kakuro?
- Kakuro grew from American “cross sums” puzzles of the early 1900s; Japanese publisher Nikoli later refined the format.
- What happens if a digit repeats in a run?
- The puzzle rejects it — every run must use distinct digits that sum to the clue.