New here? Start with the how-to-play guide or just play a free puzzle. The questions below cover the rest.
Common questions
Is Kakuro free to play here?+
Yes, every puzzle is free with no account, no download and no app. Puzzles are generated in your browser at four difficulty levels, and there is a fresh daily puzzle too.
What is Kakuro?+
Kakuro, also called cross sums, is a number logic puzzle on a crossword-style grid. You fill the white cells with digits 1 to 9 so each run of cells adds up to the clue at its start, never repeating a digit within a run.
How do I read the clues?+
Clues sit in black cells split by a diagonal. The top-right number is the sum for the run to the right; the bottom-left number is the sum for the run going down.
Can a digit repeat?+
Only across different runs. Within any single run the digits must be distinct. So a four-cell run uses four different digits from 1 to 9.
Is Kakuro the same as cross sums?+
Yes. Cross sums is the original English name and Kakuro is the Japanese name; they are the same puzzle with identical rules.
How is Kakuro different from Sudoku?+
Both forbid repeats, but Sudoku is about placing 1 to 9 in regions, while Kakuro is about making runs add up to target sums using distinct digits. Kakuro involves more arithmetic and varied run lengths.
Do Kakuro puzzles have a single solution?+
A well-formed Kakuro has exactly one solution reachable by logic, with no guessing. Our generator checks for a unique solution, and the game accepts any grid that satisfies every clue as correct.
What do the difficulty levels mean?+
Easy uses small grids and short runs with many locked combinations. Medium and hard add larger grids and longer runs. Expert uses large, dense grids that demand full candidate notation and advanced techniques.
Can I get a hint if I am stuck?+
Yes. The Hint button reveals one correct cell, and the Solve button completes the whole grid. Notes let you pencil in candidate digits exactly as you would on paper.
Does it work on mobile?+
Yes. The grid, number pad, notes and hints are all built for touch, so Kakuro plays well on phones and tablets as well as desktop.