Sudokus for January 2026

[Editor's Note: For several months I have been telling readers that they have to print the puzzles - and I realized today they can... Just add "/amp" to the end of the url.]

Another year, and another 12 monthly articles will unfold for your enjoyment.

You may wonder how many puzzles I solve to find a good puzzle for an article. To satisfy my curiosity I crunched the numbers. Over the last 10 years there have been 276 puzzles published in TI Life. During that time, I have completed 6,420 puzzles, which equates to 23.26 puzzles completed to find a challenging puzzle for an article. I try to find puzzles that keep the learning process alive.

If you are new to Sudoku, there is just one simple rule … fill in the numbers 1-9 such that no number is repeated in any row, column or box, a box being any of the nine 9x9 grids. They are numbered box 1 through box 9 from left to right, top to bottom. Additionally, for a Sudoku puzzle to be valid, it can only have 1 answer.

Best of 2026 to all and may it be your most successful Sudoku year ever!

Puzzle Preparation

Prior to utilizing techniques 1-8, complete the 5 Steps of Puzzle Preparation:

FILL IN DATA FROM OBSERVATIONS
FILL IN OBVIOUS ANSWERS
FILL IN NOT-SO-OBVIOUS ANSWERS
MARK UNSOLVED CELLS WITH OPTIONS THAT CANNOT EXIST IN THOSE CELLS
FILL IN THE OPTIONS FOR THE UNSOLVED CELLS

Clueless?

We start with a Sudoku puzzle in progress, where it appears that there are no more obvious or not-so-obvious clues. Can you find the hidden clue?

(The answer follows the conclusion of Puzzle #280, the feature puzzle for this month)

Simply a Logic Puzzle

Difficult rating … 2/10
(Rating based on puzzles not requiring advanced techniques)

Impossible to solve?

Impossible? No. Difficult? Extremely. Advanced Techniques (Steps 6 and/or 7) are required. Difficult rating 7.5/10.

If you need a refresher on Step 6 … please click the April 2023 issue. And,
Step 7 … please click the January 2023 issue
Nishio … please click the April 2025 issue

Feature Puzzle

Difficult rating … 7/10
(Rating based on puzzles requiring advanced techniques)

May the gentle winds of Sudoku be at your back,

By Dan LeKander

Clue for Puzzle #277 … did you find the clue? If not, read on.
We will focus on column 7. Options 3 and 6 can only exist in cells C7R2 & C7R5. A 5 cannot exist as an option in C7R7, C7R8 and C7R9. Therefore, the only cell in column 7 that can be a 5 is C7R6. C7R6=5.

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Editor’s Notes:

Dan would like to hear more from his readers regarding questions, comments, and suggestions. To confidentially reach Dan, please e-mail him at this address … info@thousandislandslife.com

And want some fun  . . .  Go back a couple of years and try one! Let us know how you do.

Recently someone wrote to ask how to fill them out online. Unfortunately, you need to print them yourself - easy to do: Just add "/amp"  to the URL.

Dan's Book is Available

And, if you have not already done so, we suggest you purchase Dan’s book: “3 Advanced Sudoku Techniques, That Will Change Your Game Forever!” Purchase of a book includes a 50-page blank grid pad, 33 black and two green tokens. 

The book is again available on eBay - https://www.ebay.com/p/245853961 $12 US with free domestic shipping.

Be sure to read the TI Life's review of Dan's book by Jesse Kahn published in June 2015.

Past Issues

Here are links to all past Sudoku Puzzle Challenge beginning: February 2016, March 2016, April 2016, May 2016, June 2016, July 2016, August 2016, September 2016, October 2016, November 2016, December 2016, January 2017, February 2017, March 2017, April 2017, May 2017, June 2017, July 2017, August 2017, September 2017, October 2017, November 2017, December 2017, January 2018, February 2018, March 2018, April 2018, May 2018, June 2018, July 2018, August 2018, September 2018, October 2018, November 2018, December 2018, January 2019, February 2019, March 2019, April 2019, May 2019, June 2019, July 2019, August 2019, September 2019, October 2019, November 2019, December 2019, January 2020, February 2020, April 2020, May 2020,  June 2020 and July 2020, August 2020,  September 2020, October 2020, November 2020 and December 2020, January 2021, February 2021, March 2021, April 2021, May 2021, June 2021, July 2021 , August 2021, September 2021 ,  October 2021, November 2021, December 2021, January 2022, February 2022, March 2022, April 2022 , May 2022, June 2022, July 2022 , August 2022, September 2022, October 2022, November 2022, December 2022, January 2023, February 2023, March 2023, April 2023, May 2023, June 2023, July 2023, August 2023, September 2023, October 2023, November 2023, December 2023 and January 2024, February 2024, March 2024, April 2024, May 2024, June 2024, July 2024,  August, 2024,  September 2024, October 2024, November 2024, December 2024 January, 2025, February 2025, March 2025, April 2025, May 2025, June 2025, July 2025, August 2025, September 2025, October 2025, November 2025 and December 2025.