IntermediateUsefulness: Very high
Pointing Pair / Triple
When a candidate inside a box is confined to a single row or column, it 'points' outward, letting you eliminate it from the rest of that line.
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Both 6s in the box share a column, pointing 6 out of that column elsewhere.
patterneliminatesolved
How to spot it
- 1Find a box where a candidate appears in only two or three cells.
- 2Check that they all share one row or one column.
- 3Remove that candidate from the rest of that line beyond the box.
When to use
The moment singles dry up. Pointing pairs are the most productive intermediate pattern.
Common mistake
Eliminating inside the box too. The candidate stays live within the box — you only clear the line outside it.