Kakuro Puzzles

Kakuro (also called cross sums or kakro) is a logic-based number-placement puzzle. Think of it as a mathematical crossword — instead of filling letters to form words, you fill digits that add up to given clues.

Each puzzle features a grid of black and white cells. Black cells contain clue numbers — sums that the adjacent run of white cells must equal. Your goal: fill every white cell with a digit from 1 to 9 so each horizontal and vertical run adds up to its clue, with no digit repeated within a single run.

Kakuro puzzles first appeared in Dell Magazines in the 1960s under the name "Cross Sums." The puzzle became massively popular in Japan, where publisher Nikoli gave it the name Kakuro — a portmanteau of the Japanese words for "addition" and "cross."

Unlike Sudoku, which relies purely on placement logic, Kakuro adds an arithmetic layer — knowing the possible digit combinations for each sum is a key solving strategy. For example, a 2-cell run summing to 3 can only be 2, while a 2-cell run summing to 17 must be 9.

Kakuro puzzles always have a unique solution that can be reached through pure logic — no guessing required. This makes every puzzle a satisfying exercise in deductive reasoning, perfect for sharpening your mental arithmetic and logical thinking skills.

New to Kakuro? Start with our complete guide or jump right into an easy puzzle. Ready for a daily challenge? Try today's daily Kakuro puzzle.