Cats & Dogs #36: 6x6 Grid Puzzle (Easy)

easy

Tap a square: 🐱 cat → 🐶 dog → clear

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🐱 3 cats and 🐶 3 dogs in every row and column = same   × different

Use pure logic to place every cat and dog. Each row and column holds 3 of each animal, three in a row is never allowed, and the clues between squares settle the rest.

  • Exactly 3 cats and 3 dogs in every row and every column.
  • Never three of the same animal in a row, across or down.
  • An = between two squares means the same animal; a × means different animals.

Step-by-step solution

Squares are written as R<row>C<column>, counting from the top-left.

  1. The × clue between R3C2 and R3C1 means they are different. R3C2 is a cat, so R3C1 is a dog.
  2. The = clue between R3C1 and R2C1 means they are the same. R3C1 is a dog, so R2C1 is a dog.
  3. R4C2 and R4C4 are both cats with one square between them, so R4C3 must be a dog.
  4. R2C1 and R3C1 are both dogs, so R1C1 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  5. R2C1 and R3C1 are both dogs, so R4C1 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  6. R3C2 and R4C2 are both cats, so R2C2 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  7. R2C1 and R2C2 are both dogs, so R2C3 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  8. R3C2 and R4C2 are both cats, so R5C2 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  9. Row 2 already has its 3 dogs, so R2C4 must be cats.
  10. R2C4 and R4C4 are both cats with one square between them, so R3C4 must be a dog.
  11. Row 2 already has its 3 dogs, so R2C6 must be cats.
  12. Row 4 already has its 3 cats, so R4C5 must be dogs.
  13. The × clue between R4C5 and R5C5 means they are different. R4C5 is a dog, so R5C5 is a cat.
  14. The = clue between R5C5 and R6C5 means they are the same. R5C5 is a cat, so R6C5 is a cat.
  15. R2C5 and R4C5 are both dogs with one square between them, so R3C5 must be a cat.
  16. Row 4 already has its 3 cats, so R4C6 must be dogs.
  17. Column 5 already has its 3 cats, so R1C5 must be dogs.
  18. R1C5 and R1C6 are both dogs, so R1C4 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  19. The = clue between R1C4 and R1C3 means they are the same. R1C4 is a cat, so R1C3 is a cat.
  20. R1C1 and R1C3 are both cats with one square between them, so R1C2 must be a dog.
  21. R1C3 and R2C3 are both cats, so R3C3 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  22. R3C3 and R4C3 are both dogs, so R5C3 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  23. R5C3 and R5C5 are both cats with one square between them, so R5C4 must be a dog.
  24. Row 3 already has its 3 dogs, so R3C6 must be cats.
  25. Column 2 already has its 3 dogs, so R6C2 must be cats.
  26. The = clue between R6C2 and R6C1 means they are the same. R6C2 is a cat, so R6C1 is a cat.
  27. R6C1 and R6C2 are both cats, so R6C3 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  28. R4C1 and R6C1 are both cats with one square between them, so R5C1 must be a dog.
  29. Row 5 already has its 3 dogs, so R5C6 must be cats.
  30. Row 6 already has its 3 cats, so R6C4 and R6C6 must be dogs.

About this puzzle

This 6×6 grid starts with 5 filled squares and 6 = / × clues. It can be solved in 30 steps using pairs, gaps, counts and clues.

Count as you go. Once a row or column has all of one animal, every remaining empty square in it must be the other.

Every puzzle on this site has exactly one solution that can be reached by deduction. If you are guessing, look again at the rows and columns that are nearly full.

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