Pointing Pair & Triple

A digit whose only homes within a 3×3 box lie on a single row or column. Eliminate it from the rest of that row or column.

Intermediate sudoku technique

What it is

A pointing pair (two cells) or pointing triple (three cells) is a candidate-elimination pattern. Inside a 3×3 box, look at where a digit could go. If every viable cell sits in the same row, the digit MUST end up in that row — which means it cannot appear in that row outside the box. The same logic applies to columns. Pointing techniques don't place digits directly; they prune candidates so that naked or hidden singles become visible.

Want the full theory?

The Pointing Pair & Triple guide on Sudoku247Wiki walks through the logic step by step, with worked examples, diagrams and FAQs.

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Try it

The Sudoku247Online solver walks you through every move of any puzzle one logical step at a time, naming the technique that justifies each placement. Paste a puzzle to see this technique applied in real time.

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