Medium Printable Sudoku
Medium printable sudoku puzzles have about 30 to 35 given numbers and need one step beyond singles: a naked or hidden pair, a pointing pair or a box/line reduction. Each one is checked to need at least one of those, and to have exactly one solution. Answers are on the last page.
Medium Sudoku generator
The generator needs JavaScript. The puzzle shown below is a fixed sample you can print with your browser.
#M-00001 · 33 given numbers
How to print it
- Choose a level and how many puzzles you want on each page.
- Choose the number of pages and A4 or US Letter paper.
- Press Print, or Download PDF to save the puzzles as a file.
- Keep the last page: it holds the answers, marked with each puzzle’s code.
What medium puzzles ask of you
At some point in a medium puzzle no cell has a single obvious digit. You then need to write candidates, the small digits that are still possible in each cell, and remove some of them with a pattern.
- Naked pair: two cells in a row, column or box that can only hold the same two digits. Those digits can be removed from every other cell in that unit.
- Hidden pair: two digits that can only go in the same two cells of a unit. Every other candidate in those two cells can go.
- Pointing pair: inside a box, a digit can only sit in one row or one column. It can then be removed from that row or column outside the box.
- Box/line reduction: the reverse: in a row or column, a digit fits only inside one box, so it can be removed from the rest of that box.
In 1000 generated medium puzzles the naked pair was the most common of these. Each puzzle also needs plenty of singles.
How to get through a medium puzzle
- Fill in every single you can find first.
- When you are stuck, write candidates in all empty cells of one box at a time.
- Look for two cells in a unit with the same two candidates.
- After each elimination, look for new singles. One pair often opens up several cells.
All levels
| Level | Given numbers | Median | Techniques needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | 36–40 | 38 | Naked and hidden singles only |
| Medium | 30–35 | 31 | Singles plus naked or hidden pairs, pointing pairs and box/line reduction |
| Hard | 26–31 | 28 | All of the above plus naked or hidden triples or an X-Wing |
| Expert | 24–28 | 28 | Swordfish or XY-Wing, or longer chains that go beyond the techniques the grader knows |
Given numbers measured on 1000 generated puzzles per level (October 15, 2026). The level comes from which techniques a step-by-step solver needs, not from the count of given numbers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between easy and medium sudoku?
Easy puzzles can be finished with singles only. A medium puzzle reaches a point where no single is left and you need a pair or a pointing pair to remove candidates. Medium puzzles here also have somewhat fewer given numbers.
Do I need to write candidates for medium sudoku?
Usually yes, at least in the part of the grid where you are stuck. Pairs and pointing pairs are found by comparing candidates, which is hard to do in your head. Printing one or two puzzles per page leaves room for small pencil marks.
What is a pointing pair?
If a digit can only go in two or three cells of a box and those cells are all in the same row or column, the digit must be in that box’s part of the line. So you can remove it from the rest of the row or column.
Why is my medium puzzle harder than another one?
Two medium puzzles can feel different. One may need a single pair early, another may need several in a row. The level only says which techniques are needed at most, not how many times.
Can I print medium sudoku 4 per page?
Yes. Pick 4 under puzzles per page and the number of pages you want, then press Print or Download PDF. Four puzzles per page leaves less room for candidates, so try 2 per page if you write a lot of notes.
Last updated: October 15, 2026