Sudoku technique guide

Remote Pair Sudoku Technique

A Remote Pair follows a chain of identical two-candidate cells. This guide explains the idea in plain English, when to look for it, and the common mistake to avoid.

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At a glance

Difficulty

Hard

This is where Remote Pair normally sits in a human solving path.

Family

Visual chain techniques

It belongs to the visual chain techniques group of Sudoku logic.

Main action

Usually remove candidates

Most technique moves reduce notes first. That often reveals a simpler placement afterwards.

What is Remote Pair?

A Remote Pair follows a chain of identical two-candidate cells.

The important thing is that this is logic, not guessing. You are using the current candidates to prove that a number must either go in one place, or cannot stay in another place.

In SudoSketch, this technique is designed to work with notes and Coach highlighting, so the key cells and removal cells can be shown clearly.

How Remote Pair works

Find a chain of cells that all have the same two candidates.
The candidates must alternate along the chain.
Any cell that sees both ends of the chain can lose the shared candidates.

When to look for it

Look for Remote Pair after easier moves have stopped working. First check for naked singles, hidden singles, locked candidates and simple pairs. If those do not move the puzzle forward, this technique may be worth checking.

For learning, do not try to scan for every advanced technique at once. Pick one method, understand the shape, and practise spotting that one pattern.

Common mistake

Every chain cell must have the same two candidates.

If you are unsure, rebuild the candidates first. Bad notes create bad logic, and Sudoku will absolutely punish you for it like a tiny spreadsheet goblin.

Remote Pair FAQ

What is Remote Pair in Sudoku?