Cats & Dogs #26: 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 R5C4 and R5C5 means they are different. R5C4 is a cat, so R5C5 is a dog.
  2. The = clue between R5C4 and R6C4 means they are the same. R5C4 is a cat, so R6C4 is a cat.
  3. R5C4 and R6C4 are both cats, so R4C4 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  4. The = clue between R4C4 and R4C3 means they are the same. R4C4 is a dog, so R4C3 is a dog.
  5. R4C3 and R4C4 are both dogs, so R4C2 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  6. The = clue between R4C2 and R5C2 means they are the same. R4C2 is a cat, so R5C2 is a cat.
  7. R4C3 and R4C4 are both dogs, so R4C5 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  8. The × clue between R4C5 and R3C5 means they are different. R4C5 is a cat, so R3C5 is a dog.
  9. R5C2 and R5C4 are both cats with one square between them, so R5C3 must be a dog.
  10. R4C2 and R5C2 are both cats, so R3C2 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  11. R4C2 and R5C2 are both cats, so R6C2 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  12. R4C3 and R5C3 are both dogs, so R3C3 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  13. R2C3 and R3C3 are both cats, so R1C3 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  14. R4C3 and R5C3 are both dogs, so R6C3 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  15. R6C3 and R6C4 are both cats, so R6C5 must be a dog (no three in a row).
  16. The × clue between R6C5 and R6C6 means they are different. R6C5 is a dog, so R6C6 is a cat.
  17. Row 6 already has its 3 cats, so R6C1 must be dogs.
  18. Column 5 already has its 3 dogs, so R1C5 and R2C5 must be cats.
  19. R2C3 and R2C5 are both cats with one square between them, so R2C4 must be a dog.
  20. R2C4 and R4C4 are both dogs with one square between them, so R3C4 must be a cat.
  21. Row 3 already has its 3 cats, so R3C1 must be dogs.
  22. The = clue between R3C1 and R2C1 means they are the same. R3C1 is a dog, so R2C1 is a dog.
  23. R2C1 and R3C1 are both dogs, so R1C1 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  24. R2C1 and R3C1 are both dogs, so R4C1 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  25. Row 4 already has its 3 cats, so R4C6 must be dogs.
  26. Column 1 already has its 3 dogs, so R5C1 must be cats.
  27. Row 5 already has its 3 cats, so R5C6 must be dogs.
  28. Column 4 already has its 3 cats, so R1C4 must be dogs.
  29. R1C3 and R1C4 are both dogs, so R1C2 must be a cat (no three in a row).
  30. Row 1 already has its 3 cats, so R1C6 must be dogs.
  31. Column 2 already has its 3 cats, so R2C2 must be dogs.
  32. Row 2 already has its 3 dogs, so R2C6 must be cats.

About this puzzle

This 6×6 grid starts with 3 filled squares and 7 = / × 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.

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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