Daily Queens Puzzle — October 4, 2026

Sunday · 13×13 · Toughest · Medium · 20 deductions

13 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 13x13 board split into 13 colour regions, needing 13 queens: one per row, one per column, one per region, none touching. Regions run from 3 to 37 cells.

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

How this board is solved

Solving this 13x13 board takes 20 deductions and needs the intermediate group-lock techniques, drawing on 5 distinct techniques. It opens by ruling cells out rather than placing a queen. The queens resolve in the order H5 → D2 → J1 → I8 → K10 → L4 → A9 → B13 → C6 → E7 → F11 → G3 → M12. Every step follows by logic, so you never have to guess.

Techniques this board needs

Full solution, step by step (20 deductions)

Shared diagonal neighbour intermediate
Shared diagonal neighbour. Every remaining option for this colour touches these cells, so they are out. Rules out B9.
Shared diagonal neighbour intermediate
Shared diagonal neighbour. Every remaining option for this colour touches these cells, so they are out. Rules out I9.
Two-region group lock intermediate
Two-region group lock. 2 colours fit in only 2 rows, reserving them. This reasons over row 8 and row 9. Rules out C8, D8, E8, F8, G8, H8, K8, L8 and 10 more.
Region line lock essential
Region line lock. This colour must use column 12, so nothing else can. This reasons over column 12. Rules out L1, L2, L3, L11, L12, L13.
Multi-region group lock intermediate
Multi-region group lock. 3 colours fit in only 3 columns, reserving them. This reasons over column 10 and column 9 and column 11. Rules out J3, J4, J5, J6, J7, J12, J13, I1 and 16 more.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at H5.
Two-region group lock intermediate
Two-region group lock. 2 colours fit in only 2 rows, reserving them. This reasons over row 6 and row 7. Rules out L6, M6, F7, G7, K7, L7, M7.
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 A1, A2, A3, A4, B1, B2, B3, B4 and 10 more.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at D2.
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 I8.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at K10.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at L4.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at A9.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at B13.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at C6.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at E7.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at F11.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at G3.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at M12.

Answer: queens at H5, D2, J1, I8, K10, L4, A9, B13, C6, E7, F11, G3, M12.