TUVWXYZ-Wing

Level 11 · Red Belt

Strategy:

Requires:

Learn after:

Overview

TUVWXYZ-Wing is a seven-cell wing pattern, extending the wing family further. Seven cells with seven combined candidates allow elimination of a restricted candidate.

How It Works

Find seven cells whose combined candidates total exactly seven digits.
A pivot cell connects to six wing cells.
Identify the restricted candidate forced within the pattern.
Eliminate it from cells seeing all relevant pattern cells.

Example

Look for TUVWXYZ-Wing.

Sudoku grid showing the initial puzzle state for Look for TUVWXYZ-Wing.

1

TUVWXYZ-Wing

Found a 7-Y-Wing pattern. The pivot cell R4C7 has candidates connected to a 6-cell wing group.

Sudoku grid illustrating step 1: TUVWXYZ-Wing — Found a 7-Y-Wing pattern. The pivot cell R4C7 has candidates connected to a 6-cell wing group.

2

TUVWXYZ-Wing

The wing cells R6C1, R6C4, R6C5, R6C6, R6C8, R6C9 form an Almost Locked Set with the pivot.

Sudoku grid illustrating step 2: TUVWXYZ-Wing — The wing cells R6C1, R6C4, R6C5, R6C6, R6C8, R6C9 form an Almost Locked Set with the pivot.

3

TUVWXYZ-Wing

This is a 7-Y-Wing (also known as TUVWXYZ-Wing) - the shared candidate is eliminated from common peers.

Sudoku grid illustrating step 3: TUVWXYZ-Wing — This is a 7-Y-Wing (also known as TUVWXYZ-Wing) - the shared candidate is eliminated from common peers.

4

TUVWXYZ-Wing

One of the 7 cells must contain 5, so eliminate from cells seeing all pattern cells containing it: r4c6.

Sudoku grid illustrating step 4: TUVWXYZ-Wing — One of the 7 cells must contain 5, so eliminate from cells seeing all pattern cells containing it: r4c6.

5

Result after applying the technique.

Sudoku grid showing the result after applying the technique

Tips & Patterns

TUVWXYZ-Wings are almost never needed in practice.
They represent the theoretical extension of the wing concept.
Focus on mastering smaller wings first.