Kakuro Game— play Kakuro online, free
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Select a white cell, then enter a digit 1–9.
What is Kakuro
The crossword made of numbers
Kakuro is a single-player logic puzzle. Fill the white cells with digits 1 to 9 so that each run adds up to the clue that starts it, without repeating a digit inside the run. Because every cell sits in two runs — one across, one down — each entry has to satisfy two sums at once, and that overlap is what lets you solve the grid by deduction alone. It is quick to learn, deep to master, and no two puzzles are alike.
- Always one solution
- Every puzzle is generated when you start it and verified by a solver to have exactly one solution, so you can always finish by logic — no guessing.
- Three sizes, endless puzzles
- Easy 5×5, Medium 7×7 and Hard 8×8. Start a fresh grid whenever you like; there is no daily limit and no queue.
- Notes, checks and hints
- Pencil notes with auto-fill, unlimited undo, a mistake check, a hint when you are truly stuck, and a helper that lists the digit sets behind each sum.
- Progress saved locally
- Wins, streaks and best hint-free times for each size are kept on your device, and an unfinished puzzle resumes after a refresh — never on a server.
How to play
How to play Kakuro
Kakuro is a game of sums and elimination. Read each clue, fill the runs with digits 1–9 that add up without repeating, and let the crossing runs decide every cell.
- 1
Read the clues
Shaded cells hold clues. A number in the top-right of a shaded cell is the target sum for the run of white cells to its right (across). A number in the bottom-left is the target sum for the run of white cells beneath it (down). A run ends at the next shaded cell or the edge of the grid.
- 2
Fill runs with 1–9
Type a digit from 1 to 9 into each white cell so every run adds up to its clue. A digit may not appear twice in the same run, so a run of three cells with a clue of 7 can only be made from 1, 2 and 4. Digits can repeat between different runs.
- 3
Cross-check both directions
Every white cell belongs to two runs — one across and one down — so each digit has to satisfy both sums at once. That overlap is what makes the puzzle solvable: a cell that could be 1, 2 or 4 across but only 2 or 3 down must be 2.
- 4
Solve by logic, never by guessing
Every grid here has exactly one solution and can be solved by deduction. Start where the sums are most restrictive — two-cell runs and extreme totals — pencil in the possible digits, and let the crossing runs eliminate the rest. The last correct digit completes the grid.
Tips to solve faster
- Learn the unique sums: 3, 4, 16 and 17 in two cells; 6, 7, 23 and 24 in three cells. Each has only one possible set of digits.
- Start with the most constrained runs — the shortest ones and those with the smallest or largest totals — and pencil in what they allow.
- Use the crossing run: if a cell can only be 1 or 2 across and 2 or 3 down, it must be 2.
- Once a run is nearly full, subtract what is placed from the clue to see exactly what the remaining cells must add to.
- Keep notes small: only note digits that are genuinely possible, and let auto-notes refresh them after a big deduction.
- When stuck, look for a run whose clue leaves two possible digit sets that differ by one digit — a cell crossing it may rule that digit out.
- Use Check sparingly. Solving by logic is the point, and a hint-free win is the only run that sets a best time.
FAQ
Kakuro, answered
Straight answers about the free Kakuro puzzle game you can play online in your browser.
What is Kakuro?
Kakuro is a logic puzzle often described as a crossword made of numbers. The grid has white cells you fill with digits 1–9 and shaded cells that hold clues. Each clue gives the sum of the run of white cells that follows it, across or down, and no digit may repeat inside a run. The puzzle is solved when every run adds up to its clue.
Is kakurogame.app free to play?
Yes. The whole game is free, with no download, no account, no energy limits, and no paywall. Puzzles are generated in your browser, so you can play as many as you like.
How do you play Kakuro?
Select a white cell and enter a digit from 1 to 9. Each run of white cells must add up to the clue in the shaded cell at its start: the number at the top-right is for the run going across, the number at the bottom-left is for the run going down. A digit can appear only once within a run, but can repeat in different runs. Use the crossing runs to work out which digit belongs in each cell.
What do the numbers in the shaded cells mean?
Each shaded cell can hold up to two clues, separated by a diagonal line. The number above the diagonal (top-right) is the total for the white cells running to its right. The number below the diagonal (bottom-left) is the total for the white cells running beneath it.
Can a digit repeat in Kakuro?
Not inside a single run: within any one across or down run every digit must be different. The same digit can appear in different runs, and often does. Repeats are highlighted in red as soon as you enter them.
How is Kakuro different from Sudoku?
Both use digits and forbid repeats, but Sudoku is a fixed 9×9 grid where rows, columns and boxes each hold 1–9 once. Kakuro grids vary in shape, use only sums and the no-repeat rule, and have no boxes. Digits are deduced from arithmetic — which sets of digits can make a total — rather than from placement alone.
Does every puzzle have exactly one solution?
Yes. Each puzzle is generated when you start it and then checked by a solver that counts solutions; only grids with exactly one solution are used. That means every puzzle can be solved by logic alone, and if two digits seem to fit a cell, a crossing run will rule one out.
What are the Easy, Medium and Hard sizes?
Easy is a 5×5 playing area with runs up to four cells. Medium is 7×7 with runs up to five cells. Hard is 8×8 with runs up to six cells. Larger grids and longer runs keep more possibilities open for longer, so they take more deduction and more patience.
How do pencil notes, Check and Hint work?
Turn Notes on and tap digits to toggle small candidate marks in a cell; auto-notes fills every empty cell with the digits its runs still allow. Check compares your entries with the solution and marks wrong digits. Hint reveals the selected cell (or the first empty or wrong cell if yours is already right). Using a hint means the run will not set a best time.
Which sums have only one possible combination?
Totals at the very bottom and top of the range for a given run length. In two cells: 3 (1+2), 4 (1+3), 16 (7+9) and 17 (8+9). In three cells: 6 (1+2+3), 7 (1+2+4), 23 (6+8+9) and 24 (7+8+9). Memorising these gives you free starting cells in almost every puzzle; the tips page lists more.
Can I play Kakuro on my phone?
Yes. The board, number pad and action buttons are laid out to fit one phone screen. Tap a white cell, then tap a digit on the pad. Notes, undo, check and hint are one tap away, and the page works in any modern mobile browser.
What keyboard shortcuts are available?
Arrow keys move between white cells and 1–9 enter a digit. Backspace or Delete clears a cell. N toggles notes, U or Ctrl+Z undoes, H gives a hint, C checks for mistakes, Shift+N starts a new puzzle, and M mutes or unmutes sound.
Does my progress save?
Yes, on your device. Wins, hint-free wins, win streak and best hint-free time are saved for each size, and an unfinished puzzle is saved as you play so a refresh puts you back where you were. Everything lives in your browser’s local storage; clearing site data or switching browsers starts fresh.
Is this the same as Kakuro Conquest?
No. kakurogame.app is an independent Kakuro game and is not affiliated with Kakuro Conquest or any other Kakuro site. Kakuro itself is a classic puzzle with well-known rules, and many sites publish it; this one focuses on instant play, generated puzzles that always have a single solution, and a clean interface on phones and desktops.