Kakuro: Let the Sums Show You Where Each Number Belongs

An empty grid can tell you more than it first appears. In Card Game Nook’s Kakuro, every white square needs a digit from 1 to 9. The shaded clue cells tell you the total for a connected run of squares, across or down, and no digit may repeat inside that run. Each square belongs to two clues, so a number must satisfy both directions. If you enjoy planning around a grid in 2048, this is a related number puzzle with a different rhythm: you deduce the missing digits rather than slide and merge tiles. Select a white square, then choose a number from the buttons below the board. The keyboard also supports the digits 1–9 and arrow-key movement; Backspace clears a square. Read the highlighted across and down clues before committing to a value. A total of 3 in two squares must use 1 and 2, while 17 in two squares needs 8 and 9. Those fixed pairs give you a starting point, but their order depends on the crossing clues. The no-repeat rule belongs to each individual run, not the whole row or column. Start with a short run whose total leaves few choices, then compare it with the runs crossing it. Pencil marks help you hold possible digits without treating a guess as an answer. The three-dot menu includes a combination reference and further board options. When a move does not help, Undo restores the preceding entry. Hint fills a square and explains the clue relationship behind that choice, so pause to read the explanation rather than racing straight to another hint. A lower Left count means fewer empty squares; it does not by itself prove that every entry is correct. New puzzle creates a different arrangement and restarts the timer. It is a fresh attempt, not a completed solution. Work toward a board in which all white squares are filled, every run reaches its clue total, and none repeats a digit. Take your time: a useful deduction can settle several crossing runs, while a rushed guess can make the next clue harder to read. This embedded version is supplied by Card Game Nook, and its credit link remains visible beside the game.