Cats & Dogs #173: 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 R2C4 means they are the same. R2C5 is a cat, so R2C4 is a cat.
  2. R2C4 and R2C5 are both cats, so R2C3 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  3. The × clue between R2C3 and R2C2 means they are different. R2C3 is a dog, so R2C2 is a cat.
  4. The = clue between R2C3 and R3C3 means they are the same. R2C3 is a dog, so R3C3 is a dog.
  5. R2C4 and R2C5 are both cats, so R2C6 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  6. R2C6 and R2C8 are both dogs with one square between them, so R2C7 must be a cat.
  7. R6C2 and R6C3 are both cats, so R6C1 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  8. The = clue between R6C1 and R5C1 means they are the same. R6C1 is a dog, so R5C1 is a dog.
  9. R6C2 and R6C3 are both cats, so R6C4 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  10. The = clue between R6C4 and R7C4 means they are the same. R6C4 is a dog, so R7C4 is a dog.
  11. The × clue between R7C4 and R7C5 means they are different. R7C4 is a dog, so R7C5 is a cat.
  12. The × clue between R7C5 and R6C5 means they are different. R7C5 is a cat, so R6C5 is a dog.
  13. R6C4 and R6C5 are both dogs, so R6C6 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  14. The × clue between R6C6 and R5C6 means they are different. R6C6 is a cat, so R5C6 is a dog.
  15. R7C5 and R7C7 are both cats with one square between them, so R7C6 must be a dog.
  16. The = clue between R7C6 and R8C6 means they are the same. R7C6 is a dog, so R8C6 is a dog.
  17. The × clue between R8C6 and R8C7 means they are different. R8C6 is a dog, so R8C7 is a cat.
  18. The = clue between R8C7 and R8C8 means they are the same. R8C7 is a cat, so R8C8 is a cat.
  19. R5C1 and R6C1 are both dogs, so R4C1 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  20. R5C1 and R6C1 are both dogs, so R7C1 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  21. R2C3 and R3C3 are both dogs, so R1C3 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  22. R2C3 and R3C3 are both dogs, so R4C3 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  23. R4C1 and R4C3 are both cats with one square between them, so R4C2 must be a dog.
  24. R4C3 and R6C3 are both cats with one square between them, so R5C3 must be a dog.
  25. R5C1 and R5C3 are both dogs with one square between them, so R5C2 must be a cat.
  26. R5C2 and R6C2 are both cats, so R7C2 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  27. R7C2 and R7C4 are both dogs with one square between them, so R7C3 must be a cat.
  28. R6C3 and R7C3 are both cats, so R8C3 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  29. The × clue between R8C3 and R8C2 means they are different. R8C3 is a dog, so R8C2 is a cat.
  30. R6C4 and R7C4 are both dogs, so R5C4 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  31. The × clue between R5C4 and R5C5 means they are different. R5C4 is a cat, so R5C5 is a dog.
  32. R5C5 and R5C6 are both dogs, so R5C7 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  33. R6C4 and R7C4 are both dogs, so R8C4 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  34. R5C5 and R6C5 are both dogs, so R4C5 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  35. R4C3 and R4C5 are both cats with one square between them, so R4C4 must be a dog.
  36. R2C5 and R4C5 are both cats with one square between them, so R3C5 must be a dog.
  37. R3C3 and R3C5 are both dogs with one square between them, so R3C4 must be a cat.
  38. R2C4 and R3C4 are both cats, so R1C4 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  39. R5C7 and R7C7 are both cats with one square between them, so R6C7 must be a dog.
  40. Row 2 already has its 4 cats, so R2C1 must be dogs.
  41. Row 5 already has its 4 dogs, so R5C8 must be cats.
  42. Row 6 already has its 4 dogs, so R6C8 must be cats.
  43. R5C8 and R6C8 are both cats, so R4C8 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  44. R2C8 and R4C8 are both dogs with one square between them, so R3C8 must be a cat.
  45. R5C8 and R6C8 are both cats, so R7C8 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  46. Row 8 already has its 4 cats, so R8C1 and R8C5 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. Column 1 already has its 4 dogs, so R3C1 must be cats.
  50. Column 2 already has its 4 cats, so R3C2 must be dogs.
  51. Column 5 already has its 4 dogs, so R1C5 must be cats.
  52. Column 6 already has its 4 dogs, so R1C6 must be cats.
  53. R1C5 and R1C6 are both cats, so R1C7 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  54. Row 1 already has its 4 cats, so R1C8 must be dogs.
  55. Column 6 already has its 4 dogs, so R3C6 must be cats.
  56. R3C6 and R3C8 are both cats with one square between them, so R3C7 must be a dog.
  57. Column 6 already has its 4 dogs, so R4C6 must be cats.
  58. R4C5 and R4C6 are both cats, so R4C7 must be a dog (no three in a row).

About this puzzle

This 8×8 grid starts with 5 filled squares and 13 = / × clues. It can be solved in 58 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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