Daily Queens Puzzle — October 22, 2026

Thursday · 10×10 · Tricky · Hard · 25 deductions

10 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 10x10 board split into 10 colour regions, needing 10 queens: one per row, one per column, one per region, none touching. Regions run from 1 to 25 cells.

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

How this board is solved

Solving this 10x10 board takes 25 deductions and needs expert techniques, including testing a queen, drawing on 10 distinct techniques. The first queen you can place for certain is A9. The queens resolve in the order A9 → I2 → J4 → B3 → C5 → G10 → E6 → D1 → F8 → H7. Every step follows by logic, so you never have to guess.

Techniques this board needs

Full solution, step by step (25 deductions)

Single-cell region essential
Single-cell region. This colour covers only one cell, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at A9.
Region line lock essential
Region line lock. This colour must use column 6, so nothing else can. This reasons over column 6. Rules out F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F10.
Region line lock essential
Region line lock. This colour must use column 8, so nothing else can. This reasons over column 8. Rules out H1, H2, H3, H4, H5, H6, H10.
Shared diagonal neighbour intermediate
Shared diagonal neighbour. Every remaining option for this colour touches these cells, so they are out. Rules out C3.
Shared diagonal neighbour intermediate
Shared diagonal neighbour. Every remaining option for this colour touches these cells, so they are out. Rules out C6.
Shared diagonal neighbour intermediate
Shared diagonal neighbour. Every remaining option for this colour touches these cells, so they are out. Rules out E7, G7, E8, G8.
Shared diagonal neighbour intermediate
Shared diagonal neighbour. Every remaining option for this colour touches these cells, so they are out. Rules out I7, I8.
Two-region group lock intermediate
Two-region group lock. 2 colours fit in only 2 columns, reserving them. This reasons over column 10 and column 9. Rules out J8, J10, I1, I10.
Two-region group lock intermediate
Two-region group lock. 2 colours fit in only 2 rows, reserving them. This reasons over row 7 and row 8. Rules out B7, C7, D7, J7, C8, D8.
Two-region group lock intermediate
Two-region group lock. 2 colours fit in only 2 columns, reserving them. This reasons over column 2 and column 3. Rules out B1, B2, C1, C2, C10.
Split-line region lock intermediate
Split-line region lock. 3 colours fit in only 3 rows, reserving them. This reasons over row 5 and row 6 and row 10. Rules out I5, J5, I6, J6.
Region line lock essential
Region line lock. This colour must use column 10, so nothing else can. This reasons over column 10. Rules out J1, J2.
Line uses one region intermediate
Line uses one region. 1 rows can only be filled by 1 colours, using them up. This reasons over row 1. Rules out D2, E2, G2, D3, E3, G3, D4, E4 and 1 more.
Last cell in a line essential
Last cell in a line. Row 2 has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at I2. This reasons over row 2.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at J4.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at B3.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at C5.
Ruled out either way expert
Ruled out either way. These cells are ruled out no matter where this colour's queen goes. Rules out E10.
Region line lock essential
Region line lock. This colour must use column 7, so nothing else can. This reasons over column 7. Rules out G1.
Test a queen expert
Test a queen. A queen here would leave another colour with nowhere to go, so it is out. Rules out G6.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at G10.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at E6.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at D1.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at F8.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at H7.

Answer: queens at A9, I2, J4, B3, C5, G10, E6, D1, F8, H7.