Daily Queens Puzzle — October 28, 2026

Wednesday · 9×9 · Steady · Hard · 25 deductions

9 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 9x9 board split into 9 colour regions, needing 9 queens: one per row, one per column, one per region, none touching. Regions run from 2 to 18 cells.

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

How this board is solved

Solving this 9x9 board takes 25 deductions and needs expert techniques, including testing a queen, drawing on 8 distinct techniques. It opens on row 4, ruling cells out before any queen goes down. The queens resolve in the order H4 → F3 → E6 → B2 → A5 → D1 → C9 → G7 → I8. Every step follows by logic, so you never have to guess.

Techniques this board needs

Full solution, step by step (25 deductions)

Region line lock essential
Region line lock. This colour must use row 4, so nothing else can. This reasons over row 4. Rules out A4, B4, C4, D4, E4, F4, G4.
Region line lock essential
Region line lock. This colour must use row 6, so nothing else can. This reasons over row 6. Rules out A6, B6, C6, D6, G6, H6, I6.
Shared diagonal neighbour intermediate
Shared diagonal neighbour. Every remaining option for this colour touches these cells, so they are out. Rules out B1.
Shared diagonal neighbour intermediate
Shared diagonal neighbour. Every remaining option for this colour touches these cells, so they are out. Rules out H3, I3, H5, I5.
Shared diagonal neighbour intermediate
Shared diagonal neighbour. Every remaining option for this colour touches these cells, so they are out. Rules out E5, F5, E7, F7.
Shared diagonal neighbour intermediate
Shared diagonal neighbour. Every remaining option for this colour touches these cells, so they are out. Rules out G8.
Two-region group lock intermediate
Two-region group lock. 2 colours fit in only 2 columns, reserving them. This reasons over column 8 and column 9. Rules out H1, H2, H7, I1, I2.
Multi-region group lock intermediate
Multi-region group lock. 3 colours fit in only 3 columns, reserving them. This reasons over column 5 and column 6 and column 7. Rules out E1, E2, E8, E9, F1, F2, G1, G2.
Multi-region group lock intermediate
Multi-region group lock. 3 colours fit in only 3 rows, reserving them. This reasons over row 7 and row 8 and row 9. Rules out A7, B7, C7, A8, B8, C8.
Ruled out either way expert
Ruled out either way. These cells are ruled out no matter where this colour's queen goes. Rules out D2, C3.
Test a queen expert
Test a queen. A queen here would leave another colour with nowhere to go, so it is out. Rules out B3.
Test a queen expert
Test a queen. Following the consequences of a queen here reaches a dead end, so it is out. Rules out I4.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at H4.
Region line lock essential
Region line lock. This colour must use row 3, so nothing else can. This reasons over row 3. Rules out A3, D3.
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 7. Rules out F8, F9.
Test a queen expert
Test a queen. Following the consequences of a queen here reaches a dead end, so it is out. Rules out E3.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at F3.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at E6.
Ruled out either way expert
Ruled out either way. These cells are ruled out no matter where this colour's queen goes. Rules out C1, C2.
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 A5.
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 C9.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at G7.
Forced queen essential
Forced queen. This colour has one legal cell left, so its queen goes there. Place a queen at I8.

Answer: queens at H4, F3, E6, B2, A5, D1, C9, G7, I8.