Killer Sudoku Helper
Killer Sudoku Combination Calculator
Quick facts
Killer Sudoku calculator facts
- Purpose
- Lists digit combinations that match a cage sum and cell count.
- Inputs
- Use sum, number of cells, available digits, and the repeat setting.
- Standard use
- Keep repeats off for ordinary Killer Sudoku cages.
- Access
- The calculator is free and runs in the browser without an account.
Use this Killer Sudoku combination calculator to list every digit set that can fit a cage. Enter the target sum, choose how many cells are in the cage, remove digits that are already impossible, and copy the remaining combinations into your notes.
The calculator runs in your browser. It works for standard no-repeat Killer Sudoku cages, and it can also allow repeated digits for Kakuro, KenKen, or custom sum puzzles where repeats are part of the rules.
Find Cage Combinations
Start with the cage clue, then narrow the available digit buttons as your grid fills in. For example, if a row already contains 7, turn off 7 before checking the cage.
- Use no repeats for ordinary Killer Sudoku cages.
- Allow repeats only when the puzzle explicitly permits them.
- Copy the output when you want to compare candidates in another note.
How to Use the Calculator
- Enter the cage sum, such as 17.
- Enter the number of cells in the cage, such as 3.
- Keep repeats turned off for normal Killer Sudoku.
- Turn off any digits that the row, column, box, or cage already rules out.
- Use the remaining combinations to decide which candidates are worth penciling in.
Worked Example: 17 in 3 Cells
A 3-cell cage with a sum of 17 and no repeated digits has seven basic combinations: 1 + 7 + 9, 2 + 6 + 9, 2 + 7 + 8, 3 + 5 + 9, 3 + 6 + 8, 4 + 5 + 8, and 4 + 6 + 7. If one of those digits is already used in the same row, column, or box, remove it from the available digits and the list gets shorter.
This is the main value of a cage calculator: it does the arithmetic quickly, but the solving still comes from Sudoku logic. The output tells you what can fit the cage; the grid tells you which of those combinations can actually survive.
Common Cage Patterns
| Clue | Typical no-repeat combinations | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| 3 in 2 cells | 1 + 2 | Both digits are forced as a pair. |
| 17 in 2 cells | 8 + 9 | High pair, useful for row and box eliminations. |
| 10 in 4 cells | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 | Low four-cell cage with no room for larger digits. |
| 30 in 4 cells | 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 | High four-cell cage that blocks low digits. |
Killer Sudoku, Kakuro, and KenKen
Killer Sudoku usually combines Sudoku placement rules with cage sums, so a digit cannot repeat inside a cage. Kakuro also uses clue sums and combinations, but the layout is different. KenKen and other arithmetic puzzles may allow or disallow repeats depending on the publisher. That is why the repeat toggle is included here: the same search is useful across several puzzle families, but the rule has to match the puzzle in front of you.
FAQ
What does a Killer Sudoku combination calculator do?
It lists the possible digit sets for a cage total and cell count, then lets you remove unavailable digits.
Should I allow repeated digits?
Leave repeats off for standard Killer Sudoku. Turn repeats on only for puzzle variants that explicitly allow duplicate digits in a cage.
Why is the maximum sum higher than 45?
No-repeat Sudoku digits 1 through 9 total 45, but repeat-friendly variants can exceed that when a cage has many cells.
Can this solve the full Killer Sudoku grid?
No. It only finds cage combinations. You still use Sudoku logic, row and column restrictions, boxes, and cage placement to solve the grid.
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