Futoshiki, Japanese for "not equal", packs a lot of logic into a small grid. Every futoshiki on this page comes from our own generator; the futoshiki solver confirms each grid has exactly one answer, and its hint logic has to finish the grid on its own before you see it.
How to play futoshiki
- Fill a grid of n by n squares with the numbers 1 to n.
- Each number appears once in every row and once in every column.
- The signs between squares must hold: the open side of < or > faces the bigger number, and ∧ or ∨ do the same between a square and the one below it.
- Some grids start with a few numbers already placed.
Tap a square and a number, or type it. Pencil writes candidates in small print. A number that repeats in its line or breaks a sign turns red as soon as you enter it.
The three levels
Easy is 4 by 4, medium 5 by 5 and hard 6 by 6. At each size the grid has to be solvable by the same logic the hint uses: the only number left for a square, the only square left for a number in a line, the limits the signs put on each square, and those checks repeated until nothing changes. No grid needs a guess.
Futoshiki strategy
- Ends of a chain: a square smaller than its neighbor can never hold n, and a square bigger than its neighbor can never hold 1. In a chain a < b < c the first square is at most n minus 2.
- Squeezed squares: a square that is bigger than one neighbor and smaller than another sits strictly between them; on a 4 by 4 grid that often leaves only 2 or 3.
- Count the lines: once a row has three of its four numbers, the last is forced, so finish nearly full lines first.
- Pencil the tight spots: squares inside long sign chains have the fewest options; note them and the rest of the line follows.
Hints and records
Hint names the next logical step and why it holds, for example the signs that limit a square, and places the number. A wrong number is removed first. Check marks numbers that do not match the answer and Show mistakes does it live. Games, best and average times and the daily streak are kept per level in this browser. For a similar number grid with sums and products, try calcudoku, or skyscrapers, where clues count visible towers.
Solver tested . Found a problem? Tell us.
Questions
What does futoshiki mean?
It is Japanese for "not equal", after the inequality signs that are the puzzle’s main clues.
Which way do the signs point?
The open, wide side faces the bigger number and the point faces the smaller one, just like in math: 2 < 4.
Do I need to guess on hard grids?
No. Every grid here is checked to be solvable by logic steps alone, and to have exactly one answer.
Is the daily futoshiki the same for everyone?
Yes. Our generator makes it from the date, one grid per level, and it changes at midnight on your device.