Daily Queens Puzzle — October 24, 2026

Saturday · 12×12 · Tough · Hard · 25 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 23 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 25 deductions and needs expert techniques, including testing a queen, drawing on 10 distinct techniques. It opens by ruling cells out rather than placing a queen. The queens resolve in the order C1 → B4 → D7 → K10 → A9 → H8 → E2 → J3 → F12 → I11 → G6 → L5. Every step follows by logic, so you never have to guess.

Techniques this board needs

Full solution, step by step (25 deductions)

Shared diagonal neighbour intermediate
Shared diagonal neighbour. Every remaining option for this colour touches these cells, so they are out. Rules out B5.
Shared diagonal neighbour intermediate
Shared diagonal neighbour. Every remaining option for this colour touches these cells, so they are out. Rules out H11.
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 A3, A7, A8, B3, B6, B7, B8, B9 and 11 more.
Region line lock essential
Region line lock. This colour must use column 4, so nothing else can. This reasons over column 4. Rules out D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6, D10, D11 and 1 more.
Shared diagonal neighbour intermediate
Shared diagonal neighbour. Every remaining option for this colour touches these cells, so they are out. Rules out E8.
Shared diagonal neighbour intermediate
Shared diagonal neighbour. Every remaining option for this colour touches these cells, so they are out. Rules out F11.
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, G11, J11, K11, L11, A12 and 4 more.
Last cell in a line essential
Last cell in a line. Column 3 has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at C1. This reasons over column 3.
Last cell in a line essential
Last cell in a line. Column 2 has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at B4. This reasons over column 2.
Line uses one region intermediate
Line uses one region. 1 columns can only be filled by 1 colours, using them up. This reasons over column 12. Rules out J5, J6, J7, K3, K5, K6, K7, K8 and 1 more.
Multi-region group lock intermediate
Multi-region group lock. 3 colours fit in only 3 rows, reserving them. This reasons over row 8 and row 9 and row 10. Rules out D8, F8, G8, L8, D9, E9, F9, L9 and 4 more.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at D7.
Lines use the same regions intermediate
Lines use the same regions. 2 columns can only be filled by 2 colours, using them up. This reasons over column 10 and column 11. Rules out E3, F2, F3, G2, G3, H2, H3, I2 and 3 more.
Ruled out either way expert
Ruled out either way. These cells are ruled out no matter where this colour's queen goes. Rules out E5.
Test a queen expert
Test a queen. A queen here would leave another colour with nowhere to go, so it is out. Rules out K2.
Last cell in a line essential
Last cell in a line. Column 11 has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at K10. This reasons over column 11.
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 H8.
Test a queen expert
Test a queen. Following the consequences of a queen here reaches a dead end, so it is out. Rules out G5.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at E2.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at J3.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at F12.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at I11.
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 L5.

Answer: queens at C1, B4, D7, K10, A9, H8, E2, J3, F12, I11, G6, L5.