600 Killer Sudoku Puzzles & Answers
Get ready for a fun family challenge with our free printable Killer Sudoku puzzles! These puzzles are perfect for those who love Sudoku but want something new and a little different.
Classic Sudoku is something we all know and love, but it is often just something to pass time with in the airport. Killer Sudoku has a lot of similarities with Classic Sudoku but has a few different rules that make it even more fun.
Killer Sudoku will strengthen your logical thinking skills like Classic Sudoku, but it also includes some basic maths too. This means it is great brain training for you and the whole family.
Whether you’re looking for a family activity, resources for your child, or a good new challenge – you will love these puzzles. Keep reading below to find out more about Killer Sudoku and download our puzzles for free!
What’s Included in Our Killer Sudoku Printable Pack?
This pack contains 600 different Killer Sudoku puzzles, which are split between different levels of difficulty. The easy ones will be perfect for beginners or children, and the hard ones are great for those familiar with Killer Sudoku who are looking for a good challenge. 600 puzzles is certainly enough to keep the whole family busy for a while!
See each pack below where you can download these printable Killer Sudoku puzzles for free in PDF format.
What is Killer Sudoku?
Killer Sudoku is a puzzle that combines elements of Classic Sudoku with a Japanese arithmetic game named ‘Kakuro’.
Similarities of Killer Sudoku to Classic Sudoku
The same as Classic Sudoku, there is a grid template split into 9 blocks. Each of these blocks are then subdivided into 3×3 cells. Each block must be completed with the numbers 1 to 9 (not repeated). All rows and columns should also follow this rule and be completed with numbers 1 to 9.
You work out what number goes where using logic, and usually some numbers are filled in at the start so you can begin to work out the rest.
Did you know? Modern Classic Sudoku was created by a man from the USA named Howard Garns in 1979! Killer Sudoku was created in Japan, later on, in the mid 1990s.
How Killer Sudoku is Different
How Killer Sudoku differs is that firstly no numbers are included initially. The main difference is that there are ‘cages’ over the whole grid, which in our puzzles are shown by the thin dotted lines that cover the board and group cells together.
The little number in the top left of the cage will show the sum of all of the numbers in the cage when completed correctly. This is how Killer Sudoku is based on maths.
Why should I play Killer Sudoku?
Killer Sudoku, much like Classic Sudoku, has many benefits. It exercises your brain and keeps it active, it is said to improve your memory and concentration, and it helps strengthen your logical thinking. Killer Sudoku in particular also helps strengthen your mental mathematics skills.
It has these benefits for those of all ages and so the whole family can join in. Puzzles are a great way to spend time – it’s easy to wake up and look at social media but maybe instead you should take some time every morning with your coffee to complete a Killer Sudoku puzzle or two instead. Or even do them together after the kids are home from school, to train your brains all together!
How to Play Killer Sudoku?
Although the grid may look slightly intimidating if you have never played before, the rules are really quite simple and make for a game that is great fun:
- As with Classic Sudoku, you complete all rows, columns and 3×3 blocks with numbers 1 to 9. Numbers must not repeat within these rows, columns and 3×3 blocks.
- However, you must also do this by paying attention to the cages within the puzzle.
- The sum of each cage should equal the number shown in the top left of it.
- Numbers will not repeat within cages either.
The different difficulty levels truly do mean that it is something everyone can do. The maths involved even means that sometimes Killer Sudoku can be easier to solve than Classic Sudoku. Of course the hard puzzles will still be a great challenge for anyone looking for this!
Happy puzzle solving!
Other Fun Printable Puzzles
If you’re eager to explore more great puzzles, we’ve got some fantastic options for you to try next! Start with our 108 Free Printable Easy Sudoku Puzzles, perfect for revisiting the basics of classic Sudoku. These puzzles are a great way to challenge your logic skills while having fun.
If you’re in the mood to practice your geography skills, why not try our Printable Guess the Country Quiz: Silhouette Version? This engaging quiz will put your knowledge of countries to the test while keeping things entertaining.
For younger puzzlers or to keep your little ones busy, dive into our 20 Free Printable Mazes for Kids. These mazes are not only fun but also excellent for developing problem-solving skills.