Cats & Dogs #64: 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 R4C3 and R3C3 means they are different. R4C3 is a dog, so R3C3 is a cat.
  2. The = clue between R3C3 and R3C2 means they are the same. R3C3 is a cat, so R3C2 is a cat.
  3. The × clue between R5C2 and R6C2 means they are different. R5C2 is a dog, so R6C2 is a cat.
  4. The × clue between R6C2 and R6C3 means they are different. R6C2 is a cat, so R6C3 is a dog.
  5. R2C5 and R2C6 are both dogs, so R2C4 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  6. The = clue between R2C4 and R1C4 means they are the same. R2C4 is a cat, so R1C4 is a cat.
  7. R3C2 and R3C3 are both cats, so R3C1 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  8. R3C2 and R3C3 are both cats, so R3C4 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  9. R4C3 and R6C3 are both dogs with one square between them, so R5C3 must be a cat.
  10. Column 4 already has its 3 cats, so R5C4 and R6C4 must be dogs.
  11. R6C3 and R6C4 are both dogs, so R6C5 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  12. The = clue between R6C5 and R6C6 means they are the same. R6C5 is a cat, so R6C6 is a cat.
  13. The = clue between R6C6 and R5C6 means they are the same. R6C6 is a cat, so R5C6 is a cat.
  14. R5C6 and R6C6 are both cats, so R4C6 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  15. R2C6 and R4C6 are both dogs with one square between them, so R3C6 must be a cat.
  16. Row 3 already has its 3 cats, so R3C5 must be dogs.
  17. R2C5 and R3C5 are both dogs, so R1C5 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  18. R1C4 and R1C5 are both cats, so R1C3 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  19. R1C4 and R1C5 are both cats, so R1C6 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  20. R2C5 and R3C5 are both dogs, so R4C5 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  21. R4C5 and R6C5 are both cats with one square between them, so R5C5 must be a dog.
  22. Row 1 already has its 3 cats, so R1C2 must be dogs.
  23. Row 5 already has its 3 dogs, so R5C1 must be cats.
  24. Row 6 already has its 3 cats, so R6C1 must be dogs.
  25. Column 3 already has its 3 dogs, so R2C3 must be cats.
  26. R2C3 and R2C4 are both cats, so R2C2 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  27. Row 2 already has its 3 dogs, so R2C1 must be cats.
  28. Column 1 already has its 3 cats, so R4C1 must be dogs.
  29. R4C1 and R4C3 are both dogs with one square between them, so R4C2 must be a cat.

About this puzzle

This 6×6 grid starts with 6 filled squares and 7 = / × clues. It can be solved in 29 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.

This kind of puzzle is known as a binary or Takuzu puzzle, here with cats and dogs and extra = / × clues.

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