There are many different sudoku variations. 4x4 sudoku is one of them. It has four rows, four columns and four boxes where the classic version has nine rows, nine columns and nine boxes. The 4x4 version is often called "sudoku for kids" because they are much simpler puzzles to solve.
Classic sudoku can be challenging for younger children. 4x4 sudoku is easier to solve and is great for those just starting out. 4x4 sudoku can also be for adults just starting to learn sudoku. Once they master 4x4 sudoku they can "graduate" to classic sudoku.
Once they understand 4x4 sudoku they can grasp classic sudoku easier.
See the 4x4 sudoku board with dry erase surface you can play for hours. Available now in the online store.
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If you purchased the 4x4 dry erase board and misplaced the user's guide you can find it here.
It took mathemeticians a long time to come up with the total number of valid 9x9 sudoku combinations. And there are a lot of them - 6,670,903,752,021,072,936,960 to be exact. Go to the Sudoku Research page for more information.
There are however far fewer valid 4x4 sudoku combinations. A program was written to manually go through all of the possible numbers and make a list of all valid ones. The program "brute force" reads all of the four billion numbers and checks each one to see if it makes a valid puzzle. Every number that is "valid" is put in a list. The program takes about 1/2 hour to run.
Imagine a sudoku grid with 16 cells and picture in your mind a grid with all 1's in it. Then imagine counting from 1111 1111 1111 1111 to 4444 4444 4444 4444. There are 4,294,967,296 (a little over four billion) numbers in that range. But how many of those numbers can be valid sudoku puzzles? For example it is obvious that 1111 1111 1111 1111 can't make a valid sudoku puzzle.
It turns out there are 288 of the four billion plus numbers that make valid sudoku puzzles. Below is a list of all 288 combinations.
If you purchased the 4x4 board with dry erase surface you can use this list of valid numbers to write on the board. Only write a few numbers from one of the 288 combinations in the list and see if you can solve it. If it's solvable it's ready to give to someone to try.
Puzzle # | Values | Puzzle # | Values |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 1234 3412 2143 4321 | 145 | 3124 2413 1342 4231 |
2 | 1234 3412 2341 4123 | 146 | 3124 2413 4231 1342 |
3 | 1234 3412 4123 2341 | 147 | 3124 2431 1243 4312 |
4 | 1234 3412 4321 2143 | 148 | 3124 2431 1342 4213 |
5 | 1234 3421 2143 4312 | 149 | 3124 2431 4213 1342 |
6 | 1234 3421 4312 2143 | 150 | 3124 2431 4312 1243 |
7 | 1234 4312 2143 3421 | 151 | 3124 4213 1342 2431 |
8 | 1234 4312 3421 2143 | 152 | 3124 4213 1432 2341 |
9 | 1234 4321 2143 3412 | 153 | 3124 4213 2341 1432 |
10 | 1234 4321 2413 3142 | 154 | 3124 4213 2431 1342 |
11 | 1234 4321 3142 2413 | 155 | 3124 4231 1342 2413 |
12 | 1234 4321 3412 2143 | 156 | 3124 4231 2413 1342 |
13 | 1243 3412 2134 4321 | 157 | 3142 2413 1234 4321 |
14 | 1243 3412 4321 2134 | 158 | 3142 2413 1324 4231 |
15 | 1243 3421 2134 4312 | 159 | 3142 2413 4231 1324 |
16 | 1243 3421 2314 4132 | 160 | 3142 2413 4321 1234 |
17 | 1243 3421 4132 2314 | 161 | 3142 2431 1324 4213 |
18 | 1243 3421 4312 2134 | 162 | 3142 2431 4213 1324 |
19 | 1243 4312 2134 3421 | 163 | 3142 4213 1324 2431 |
20 | 1243 4312 2431 3124 | 164 | 3142 4213 2431 1324 |
21 | 1243 4312 3124 2431 | 165 | 3142 4231 1324 2413 |
22 | 1243 4312 3421 2134 | 166 | 3142 4231 1423 2314 |
23 | 1243 4321 2134 3412 | 167 | 3142 4231 2314 1423 |
24 | 1243 4321 3412 2134 | 168 | 3142 4231 2413 1324 |
25 | 1324 2413 3142 4231 | 169 | 3214 1423 2341 4132 |
26 | 1324 2413 3241 4132 | 170 | 3214 1423 4132 2341 |
27 | 1324 2413 4132 3241 | 171 | 3214 1432 2143 4321 |
28 | 1324 2413 4231 3142 | 172 | 3214 1432 2341 4123 |
29 | 1324 2431 3142 4213 | 173 | 3214 1432 4123 2341 |
30 | 1324 2431 4213 3142 | 174 | 3214 1432 4321 2143 |
31 | 1324 4213 2431 3142 | 175 | 3214 4123 1342 2431 |
32 | 1324 4213 3142 2431 | 176 | 3214 4123 1432 2341 |
33 | 1324 4231 2143 3412 | 177 | 3214 4123 2341 1432 |
34 | 1324 4231 2413 3142 | 178 | 3214 4123 2431 1342 |
35 | 1324 4231 3142 2413 | 179 | 3214 4132 1423 2341 |
36 | 1324 4231 3412 2143 | 180 | 3214 4132 2341 1423 |
37 | 1342 2413 3124 4231 | 181 | 3241 1423 2134 4312 |
38 | 1342 2413 4231 3124 | 182 | 3241 1423 2314 4132 |
39 | 1342 2431 3124 4213 | 183 | 3241 1423 4132 2314 |
40 | 1342 2431 3214 4123 | 184 | 3241 1423 4312 2134 |
41 | 1342 2431 4123 3214 | 185 | 3241 1432 2314 4123 |
42 | 1342 2431 4213 3124 | 186 | 3241 1432 4123 2314 |
43 | 1342 4213 2134 3421 | 187 | 3241 4123 1432 2314 |
44 | 1342 4213 2431 3124 | 188 | 3241 4123 2314 1432 |
45 | 1342 4213 3124 2431 | 189 | 3241 4132 1324 2413 |
46 | 1342 4213 3421 2134 | 190 | 3241 4132 1423 2314 |
47 | 1342 4231 2413 3124 | 191 | 3241 4132 2314 1423 |
48 | 1342 4231 3124 2413 | 192 | 3241 4132 2413 1324 |
Puzzle # | Values | Puzzle # | Values |
---|---|---|---|
49 | 1423 2314 3142 4231 | 193 | 3412 1234 2143 4321 |
50 | 1423 2314 3241 4132 | 194 | 3412 1234 2341 4123 |
51 | 1423 2314 4132 3241 | 195 | 3412 1234 4123 2341 |
52 | 1423 2314 4231 3142 | 196 | 3412 1234 4321 2143 |
53 | 1423 2341 3214 4132 | 197 | 3412 1243 2134 4321 |
54 | 1423 2341 4132 3214 | 198 | 3412 1243 4321 2134 |
55 | 1423 3214 2341 4132 | 199 | 3412 2134 1243 4321 |
56 | 1423 3214 4132 2341 | 200 | 3412 2134 4321 1243 |
57 | 1423 3241 2134 4312 | 201 | 3412 2143 1234 4321 |
58 | 1423 3241 2314 4132 | 202 | 3412 2143 1324 4231 |
59 | 1423 3241 4132 2314 | 203 | 3412 2143 4231 1324 |
60 | 1423 3241 4312 2134 | 204 | 3412 2143 4321 1234 |
61 | 1432 2314 3241 4123 | 205 | 3421 1234 2143 4312 |
62 | 1432 2314 4123 3241 | 206 | 3421 1234 4312 2143 |
63 | 1432 2341 3124 4213 | 207 | 3421 1243 2134 4312 |
64 | 1432 2341 3214 4123 | 208 | 3421 1243 2314 4132 |
65 | 1432 2341 4123 3214 | 209 | 3421 1243 4132 2314 |
66 | 1432 2341 4213 3124 | 210 | 3421 1243 4312 2134 |
67 | 1432 3214 2143 4321 | 211 | 3421 2134 1243 4312 |
68 | 1432 3214 2341 4123 | 212 | 3421 2134 1342 4213 |
69 | 1432 3214 4123 2341 | 213 | 3421 2134 4213 1342 |
70 | 1432 3214 4321 2143 | 214 | 3421 2134 4312 1243 |
71 | 1432 3241 2314 4123 | 215 | 3421 2143 1234 4312 |
72 | 1432 3241 4123 2314 | 216 | 3421 2143 4312 1234 |
73 | 2134 3412 1243 4321 | 217 | 4123 2314 1432 3241 |
74 | 2134 3412 4321 1243 | 218 | 4123 2314 3241 1432 |
75 | 2134 3421 1243 4312 | 219 | 4123 2341 1234 3412 |
76 | 2134 3421 1342 4213 | 220 | 4123 2341 1432 3214 |
77 | 2134 3421 4213 1342 | 221 | 4123 2341 3214 1432 |
78 | 2134 3421 4312 1243 | 222 | 4123 2341 3412 1234 |
79 | 2134 4312 1243 3421 | 223 | 4123 3214 1342 2431 |
80 | 2134 4312 1423 3241 | 224 | 4123 3214 1432 2341 |
81 | 2134 4312 3241 1423 | 225 | 4123 3214 2341 1432 |
82 | 2134 4312 3421 1243 | 226 | 4123 3214 2431 1342 |
83 | 2134 4321 1243 3412 | 227 | 4123 3241 1432 2314 |
84 | 2134 4321 3412 1243 | 228 | 4123 3241 2314 1432 |
85 | 2143 3412 1234 4321 | 229 | 4132 2314 1243 3421 |
86 | 2143 3412 1324 4231 | 230 | 4132 2314 1423 3241 |
87 | 2143 3412 4231 1324 | 231 | 4132 2314 3241 1423 |
88 | 2143 3412 4321 1234 | 232 | 4132 2314 3421 1243 |
89 | 2143 3421 1234 4312 | 233 | 4132 2341 1423 3214 |
90 | 2143 3421 4312 1234 | 234 | 4132 2341 3214 1423 |
91 | 2143 4312 1234 3421 | 235 | 4132 3214 1423 2341 |
92 | 2143 4312 3421 1234 | 236 | 4132 3214 2341 1423 |
93 | 2143 4321 1234 3412 | 237 | 4132 3241 1324 2413 |
94 | 2143 4321 1432 3214 | 238 | 4132 3241 1423 2314 |
95 | 2143 4321 3214 1432 | 239 | 4132 3241 2314 1423 |
96 | 2143 4321 3412 1234 | 240 | 4132 3241 2413 1324 |
Puzzle # | Values | Puzzle # | Values |
---|---|---|---|
97 | 2314 1423 3142 4231 | 241 | 4213 1324 2431 3142 |
98 | 2314 1423 3241 4132 | 242 | 4213 1324 3142 2431 |
99 | 2314 1423 4132 3241 | 243 | 4213 1342 2134 3421 |
100 | 2314 1423 4231 3142 | 244 | 4213 1342 2431 3124 |
101 | 2314 1432 3241 4123 | 245 | 4213 1342 3124 2431 |
102 | 2314 1432 4123 3241 | 246 | 4213 1342 3421 2134 |
103 | 2314 4123 1432 3241 | 247 | 4213 3124 1342 2431 |
104 | 2314 4123 3241 1432 | 248 | 4213 3124 1432 2341 |
105 | 2314 4132 1243 3421 | 249 | 4213 3124 2341 1432 |
106 | 2314 4132 1423 3241 | 250 | 4213 3124 2431 1342 |
107 | 2314 4132 3241 1423 | 251 | 4213 3142 1324 2431 |
108 | 2314 4132 3421 1243 | 252 | 4213 3142 2431 1324 |
109 | 2341 1423 3214 4132 | 253 | 4231 1324 2143 3412 |
110 | 2341 1423 4132 3214 | 254 | 4231 1324 2413 3142 |
111 | 2341 1432 3124 4213 | 255 | 4231 1324 3142 2413 |
112 | 2341 1432 3214 4123 | 256 | 4231 1324 3412 2143 |
113 | 2341 1432 4123 3214 | 257 | 4231 1342 2413 3124 |
114 | 2341 1432 4213 3124 | 258 | 4231 1342 3124 2413 |
115 | 2341 4123 1234 3412 | 259 | 4231 3124 1342 2413 |
116 | 2341 4123 1432 3214 | 260 | 4231 3124 2413 1342 |
117 | 2341 4123 3214 1432 | 261 | 4231 3142 1324 2413 |
118 | 2341 4123 3412 1234 | 262 | 4231 3142 1423 2314 |
119 | 2341 4132 1423 3214 | 263 | 4231 3142 2314 1423 |
120 | 2341 4132 3214 1423 | 264 | 4231 3142 2413 1324 |
121 | 2413 1324 3142 4231 | 265 | 4312 1234 2143 3421 |
122 | 2413 1324 3241 4132 | 266 | 4312 1234 3421 2143 |
123 | 2413 1324 4132 3241 | 267 | 4312 1243 2134 3421 |
124 | 2413 1324 4231 3142 | 268 | 4312 1243 2431 3124 |
125 | 2413 1342 3124 4231 | 269 | 4312 1243 3124 2431 |
126 | 2413 1342 4231 3124 | 270 | 4312 1243 3421 2134 |
127 | 2413 3124 1342 4231 | 271 | 4312 2134 1243 3421 |
128 | 2413 3124 4231 1342 | 272 | 4312 2134 1423 3241 |
129 | 2413 3142 1234 4321 | 273 | 4312 2134 3241 1423 |
130 | 2413 3142 1324 4231 | 274 | 4312 2134 3421 1243 |
131 | 2413 3142 4231 1324 | 275 | 4312 2143 1234 3421 |
132 | 2413 3142 4321 1234 | 276 | 4312 2143 3421 1234 |
133 | 2431 1324 3142 4213 | 277 | 4321 1234 2143 3412 |
134 | 2431 1324 4213 3142 | 278 | 4321 1234 2413 3142 |
135 | 2431 1342 3124 4213 | 279 | 4321 1234 3142 2413 |
136 | 2431 1342 3214 4123 | 280 | 4321 1234 3412 2143 |
137 | 2431 1342 4123 3214 | 281 | 4321 1243 2134 3412 |
138 | 2431 1342 4213 3124 | 282 | 4321 1243 3412 2134 |
139 | 2431 3124 1243 4312 | 283 | 4321 2134 1243 3412 |
140 | 2431 3124 1342 4213 | 284 | 4321 2134 3412 1243 |
141 | 2431 3124 4213 1342 | 285 | 4321 2143 1234 3412 |
142 | 2431 3124 4312 1243 | 286 | 4321 2143 1432 3214 |
143 | 2431 3142 1324 4213 | 287 | 4321 2143 3214 1432 |
144 | 2431 3142 4213 1324 | 288 | 4321 2143 3412 1234 |
Sudoku - the puzzle that addicts