Cats & Dogs #148: 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

Use pure logic to place every cat and dog. Each row and column holds 4 of each animal, three in a row is never allowed, and the clues between squares settle the rest.

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

About this puzzle

This 8×8 grid starts with 8 filled squares and 9 = / × clues. It can be solved in 55 steps using pairs, gaps, counts and clues.

Whenever two of the same animal sit side by side, the squares on both ends must be the other animal. Look for these pairs first.

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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