Best –
How to play
Goal
Fill the grid so each row and each column contains every number once (1 to 4 on a 4×4 grid, 1 to 6 on 6×6), and every inequality sign is true.
How it works
- The signs between squares say which is bigger. < and > work across; ∧ means the square below is bigger and ∨ means the square above is bigger. The sign always points at the smaller number.
- Darker numbers are given. Tap an empty square, then tap a number. ⌫ clears it.
- Repeated numbers turn red, and so does a sign that is broken.
- Every puzzle has exactly one solution.
Tips
- A square that is smaller than its neighbour can never hold the largest number; a square that is bigger can never hold 1.
- Follow chains: if a < b < c across three squares on a 4×4 grid, then a can only be 1 or 2.
- When a row has just one gap, it's the number that's missing.
The history of Futoshiki
Futoshiki means “inequality” in Japanese. The puzzle was created in Japan in 2001 by Tamaki Seto and became a newspaper favourite worldwide after Sudoku.