Sudoku Keyboard Shortcuts

On a desktop keyboard you can play every Sudoku69 game without the mouse: move between cells with the arrow keys, then type a digit. A new game starts with the top-left cell selected. The same keys work in Classic 9x9, Killer 9x9 and 16x16. This guide lists all the sudoku keyboard shortcuts, then the keys that work around the rest of the site. It is written for beginners who are new to playing sudoku on a computer.

Which keys work in a puzzle?

Holding a digit, Space, N, X or Escape does not repeat the action. Only the arrows, Z and redo repeat.

Redo works only right after an undo. Placing a digit, erasing, writing a note or taking a hint clears the redo list.

Which keys work in Paint mode?

Paint marks a cell with one of four colours. It helps you follow chains and track candidates without changing any digit. The Paint tool appears under the number pad when the Colour cells setting is on. Press P to switch Paint mode on or off. While it is on, the digit keys paint instead of placing digits.

Other digits and letters do nothing while Paint mode is on, and the numeric keypad is inert too. Paint never changes a digit or a note.

How do the arrow keys move around the board?

Each press moves the selection one cell. The selection stops at the edge: the right arrow on the last column does not jump to the first. Arrows act only while the board is visible on screen, so further down the page they scroll the page as usual. You can still select a cell by clicking it or tapping it on a touch screen.

Givens and cells revealed by a hint cannot be changed. Hints cannot be undone.

Why is there no key for Hint?

A hint costs points, so a stray key press could waste one. Use the Hint button under the number pad instead.

What happens when the game is paused?

Escape pauses the game and Escape again resumes it. While paused, every other puzzle key does nothing. You can also resume by clicking the board, the play button or a number-pad button.

What changes in 16x16?

The 16x16 board uses 16 symbols: the digits 1 to 9 and the letters A to G. Press the letter key to place a letter, with no Shift needed (Shift also works). Notes mode, arrows and clear work the same way as on a 9x9 board. The rules are in how to play 16x16 sudoku.

Which puzzle keys are ignored?

• Keys typed while you are in a text field.
• Alt or Option combinations, and Ctrl or ⌘ combinations other than undo and redo, so browser and system shortcuts such as Ctrl+C keep working.
• Escape while a dialog or menu is open: it closes that dialog or menu and does not pause the game.
• P and the paint keys when the Colour cells setting is off.

What are the onscreen controls?

Under the number pad you find Undo, Redo, Erase, Notes and Hint, plus Paint when the Colour cells setting is on. Notes shows an ON or OFF badge, and Hint shows how many hints are left (3 per game). They do the same as the keys above (except Hint, which has no key), and they are the only way to play on a phone or tablet. If you switch on "Show how many of each digit are left" in Settings, a small number on each number-pad key shows how many of that digit you still need to place.

Which keys work around the site?

These work on every page, not only in a puzzle.

How do the menus work with a keyboard?

In the compact (mobile) menu, press Space on a focused game mode to open its level list. Press Space on the language entry to open the language list.

How do I read the profile charts?

Focus a chart on the profile page with Tab, then move through its points:

Where do I start?

New to the game? Read how to play sudoku first. Playing killer? See how to play killer sudoku. Then jump into an easy classic puzzle and try the keys.