Cats & Dogs #188: 8x8 Grid Puzzle (Medium)

medium

Tap a square: 🐱 cat → 🐶 dog → clear

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🐱 4 cats and 🐶 4 dogs in every row and column = same   × different

Fill the 8x8 grid with cats and dogs so that every row and every column has exactly 4 of each, and never more than two of the same animal side by side.

  • Exactly 4 cats and 4 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 R2C5 and R3C5 means they are different. R2C5 is a dog, so R3C5 is a cat.
  2. The = clue between R3C5 and R4C5 means they are the same. R3C5 is a cat, so R4C5 is a cat.
  3. The × clue between R6C8 and R7C8 means they are different. R6C8 is a dog, so R7C8 is a cat.
  4. The × clue between R7C4 and R8C4 means they are different. R7C4 is a cat, so R8C4 is a dog.
  5. The = clue between R7C8 and R8C8 means they are the same. R7C8 is a cat, so R8C8 is a cat.
  6. The = clue between R8C8 and R8C7 means they are the same. R8C8 is a cat, so R8C7 is a cat.
  7. R8C7 and R8C8 are both cats, so R8C6 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  8. R8C4 and R8C6 are both dogs with one square between them, so R8C5 must be a cat.
  9. The = clue between R8C5 and R7C5 means they are the same. R8C5 is a cat, so R7C5 is a cat.
  10. R7C4 and R7C5 are both cats, so R7C3 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  11. The × clue between R7C3 and R7C2 means they are different. R7C3 is a dog, so R7C2 is a cat.
  12. R7C4 and R7C5 are both cats, so R7C6 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  13. R3C5 and R4C5 are both cats, so R5C5 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  14. R7C5 and R8C5 are both cats, so R6C5 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  15. R7C6 and R8C6 are both dogs, so R6C6 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  16. The × clue between R6C6 and R5C6 means they are different. R6C6 is a cat, so R5C6 is a dog.
  17. R5C5 and R5C6 are both dogs, so R5C4 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  18. R5C5 and R5C6 are both dogs, so R5C7 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  19. R5C4 and R7C4 are both cats with one square between them, so R6C4 must be a dog.
  20. R6C4 and R6C5 are both dogs, so R6C3 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  21. Row 7 already has its 4 cats, so R7C1 must be dogs.
  22. The × clue between R7C1 and R6C1 means they are different. R7C1 is a dog, so R6C1 is a cat.
  23. R6C1 and R6C3 are both cats with one square between them, so R6C2 must be a dog.
  24. R4C1 and R6C1 are both cats with one square between them, so R5C1 must be a dog.
  25. The × clue between R5C1 and R5C2 means they are different. R5C1 is a dog, so R5C2 is a cat.
  26. R5C2 and R5C4 are both cats with one square between them, so R5C3 must be a dog.
  27. The = clue between R5C3 and R4C3 means they are the same. R5C3 is a dog, so R4C3 is a dog.
  28. R4C3 and R5C3 are both dogs, so R3C3 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  29. R3C3 and R3C5 are both cats with one square between them, so R3C4 must be a dog.
  30. Row 5 already has its 4 dogs, so R5C8 must be cats.
  31. Row 6 already has its 4 dogs, so R6C7 must be cats.
  32. R5C7 and R6C7 are both cats, so R4C7 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  33. The × clue between R4C7 and R4C6 means they are different. R4C7 is a dog, so R4C6 is a cat.
  34. R4C5 and R4C6 are both cats, so R4C4 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  35. R4C3 and R4C4 are both dogs, so R4C2 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  36. R4C2 and R5C2 are both cats, so R3C2 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  37. R3C4 and R4C4 are both dogs, so R2C4 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  38. The × clue between R2C4 and R2C3 means they are different. R2C4 is a cat, so R2C3 is a dog.
  39. R5C7 and R6C7 are both cats, so R7C7 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  40. Row 4 already has its 4 cats, so R4C8 must be dogs.
  41. The × clue between R4C8 and R3C8 means they are different. R4C8 is a dog, so R3C8 is a cat.
  42. The = clue between R3C8 and R3C7 means they are the same. R3C8 is a cat, so R3C7 is a cat.
  43. R3C5 and R3C7 are both cats with one square between them, so R3C6 must be a dog.
  44. Row 3 already has its 4 cats, so R3C1 must be dogs.
  45. Column 3 already has its 4 dogs, so R1C3 and R8C3 must be cats.
  46. Row 8 already has its 4 cats, so R8C1 and R8C2 must be dogs.
  47. Column 1 already has its 4 dogs, so R1C1 must be cats.
  48. R1C1 and R1C3 are both cats with one square between them, so R1C2 must be a dog.
  49. R1C2 and R3C2 are both dogs with one square between them, so R2C2 must be a cat.
  50. Column 1 already has its 4 dogs, so R2C1 must be cats.
  51. Column 4 already has its 4 dogs, so R1C4 must be cats.
  52. R1C3 and R1C4 are both cats, so R1C5 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  53. Column 6 already has its 4 dogs, so R1C6 must be cats.
  54. Row 1 already has its 4 cats, so R1C7 and R1C8 must be dogs.
  55. Column 6 already has its 4 dogs, so R2C6 must be cats.
  56. Row 2 already has its 4 cats, so R2C7 and R2C8 must be dogs.

About this puzzle

This 8×8 grid starts with 4 filled squares and 16 = / × clues. It can be solved in 56 steps using pairs, gaps, counts and clues.

Watch for a gap: if the squares on either side of an empty square match, the empty one must be different.

Stuck? Open the step-by-step solution below -- each step names the squares involved, so you can use it as a hint and finish the puzzle yourself.

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