Stars & Stripes Sudoku

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To solve a normal Sudoku puzzle, you fill in a 9 x 9 grid of digits, each square containing a digit, 1 - 9 with none of the digits repeated.

In Stars & Stripes Sudoku we still have 1 - 9 and we’ve added three stars. Each row and column now contains twelve spaces instead of nine and the boxes are 3 x 4. Nine of the spaces in each row, box and column will have one of the nine digits; the other three spaces will contain stars.

Although the puzzle is shaded for appearance, the shading doesn't affect how the puzzle is solved.

4	1	*	5	8	2	*	9	*	3	6	7
6	3	8	*
2	7	9	*
*
5
3
7
8
9
*
1
*

In this example, you can see that the filled in row, column and the box each have 1 - 9 and three stars.

Remember that unlike digits, stars are all the “same”. Having one star in a row, column or box doesn’t prevent it from having others. In fact, there are always three of them.

Solving Strategies

When solving, try to get all the digits filled in for a row, box or column. All the remaining spaces must contain stars.

Similarly, once all the stars are filled in for a row, box or column, everything else must be a digit.

Play a sample puzzle