Cats & Dogs #76: 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

Can you finish the grid? Cats and dogs must balance in every line, no animal may appear three times in a row, and = / × signs tell you whether two neighbors match.

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

About this puzzle

This 6×6 grid starts with 4 filled squares and 6 = / × clues. It can be solved in 32 steps using pairs, gaps, counts and clues.

Start with the clues and the squares already filled in. An = or × next to a known animal gives you its neighbor immediately.

When every square is filled, press Check Answer. The grid is verified against the stored solution and any broken rule is named.

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