Hidden Pair

A Hidden Pair occurs when two candidates appear in exactly two cells within a house, even though those cells may contain other candidates. Since those two digits must go in those two cells, all other candidates can be eliminated from them.

Technique

1. Within a house, find two digits that appear as candidates in exactly the same two cells.
2. These two cells are the only places for those two digits within the house.
3. Eliminate all other candidates from those two cells, leaving only the pair.

Tips

• Look for digits that appear rarely (2-3 times) within a house.
• After finding a Hidden Pair, check if it creates Naked Singles.
• Hidden Pairs are often easier to spot in blocks than in rows/columns.