VWXYZ-Wing

Level 9 · Purple Belt

Strategy:

Wings

Overview

VWXYZ-Wing uses five cells whose combined candidates total exactly five digits. When properly configured with a pivot and wings, a restricted common candidate can be eliminated from cells seeing all pattern members.

How It Works

  1. Find five cells whose union of candidates contains exactly five digits {V,W,X,Y,Z}.
  2. One cell (pivot) sees the other four (wings).
  3. Identify the restricted candidate that must be in one of the pattern cells.
  4. Eliminate it from cells that see all cells containing that candidate.

Example

Starting position

Look for VWXYZ-Wing.

1

Pivot R2C2 with a 4-cell wing

Found a 5-Y-Wing pattern. The pivot cell R2C2 has candidates connected to a 4-cell wing group.

2

Wing cells form an ALS with the pivot

The wing cells R2C3, R2C6, R2C8, R2C9 form an Almost Locked Set with the pivot.

3

5-Y-Wing, also called VWXYZ-Wing

This is a 5-Y-Wing (also known as VWXYZ-Wing) - the shared candidate is eliminated from common peers.

4

Remove 1 from common peers

One of the 5 cells must contain 1, so eliminate from cells seeing all pattern cells containing it: r2c4.

5

Result

Result after applying the technique.

Tips & Patterns

  • VWXYZ-Wings are rare and extend the N-Y-Wing family to 5 cells.
  • The pattern is equivalent to an Almost Locked Set interaction.
  • Computer assistance is usually needed to find these reliably.