Daily Queens Puzzle — February 14, 2026

Saturday · 12×12 · Tough · Hard · 22 deductions

12 queens left to place.

Tap once to rule a cell out, twice to place a queen. Right-click marks an exclusion directly. Arrow keys move between cells.

A 12x12 board split into 12 colour regions, needing 12 queens: one per row, one per column, one per region, none touching. Regions run from 4 to 31 cells.

The daily board is the same for everyone and gets harder as the week goes on: Saturday is set to tough. Every daily puzzle has one solution and needs no guessing.

How this board is solved

Solving this 12x12 board takes 22 deductions and needs expert techniques, including testing a queen, drawing on 7 distinct techniques. It opens by ruling cells out rather than placing a queen. The queens resolve in the order L9 → K4 → J1 → E8 → D10 → H12 → F11 → B2 → C5 → G6 → A7 → I3. Every step follows by logic, so you never have to guess.

Techniques this board needs

Full solution, step by step (22 deductions)

Shared diagonal neighbour intermediate
Shared diagonal neighbour. Every remaining option for this colour touches these cells, so they are out. Rules out K2.
Two-region group lock intermediate
Two-region group lock. 2 colours fit in only 2 rows, reserving them. This reasons over row 11 and row 12. Rules out A11, B11, C11, D11, K11, L11, A12, B12 and 4 more.
Region line lock essential
Region line lock. This colour must use row 10, so nothing else can. This reasons over row 10. Rules out A10, B10, C10, F10, G10, H10, I10, J10 and 2 more.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at L9.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at K4.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at J1.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at E8.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at D10.
Multi-region group lock intermediate
Multi-region group lock. 3 colours fit in only 3 columns, reserving them. This reasons over column 1 and column 2 and column 3. Rules out B7, C7, C12.
Region line lock essential
Region line lock. This colour must use row 11, so nothing else can. This reasons over row 11. Rules out H11, I11.
Shared diagonal neighbour intermediate
Shared diagonal neighbour. Every remaining option for this colour touches these cells, so they are out. Rules out F12, G12.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at H12.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at F11.
Ruled out either way expert
Ruled out either way. These cells are ruled out no matter where this colour's queen goes. Rules out C2, C3, B5, B6.
Test a queen expert
Test a queen. A queen here would leave another colour with nowhere to go, so it is out. Rules out A2.
Test a queen expert
Test a queen. A queen here would leave another colour with nowhere to go, so it is out. Rules out A3.
Test a queen expert
Test a queen. Following the consequences of a queen here reaches a dead end, so it is out. Rules out A5.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at B2.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at C5.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at G6.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at A7.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at I3.

Answer: queens at L9, K4, J1, E8, D10, H12, F11, B2, C5, G6, A7, I3.