Guides / hard

Level 11 guide: South Africa (hard)

Two oceans and one flat-topped mountain. A 9×9 board. Colors are named in the steps below, and rows and columns are counted from the top left starting at 1. This guide spoils the solution, so try the level first.

Play level 11 About South Africa

The board

Step by step

17 deductions lead to the 9 stamps. Each placed stamp also rules out its row, column, touching cells and the rest of its region.

  1. The amber region can only hold its stamp in row 2, so every other cell in row 2 cannot hold a stamp (7 cells ruled out).
  2. The rose region can only hold its stamp in row 1, so every other cell in row 1 cannot hold a stamp (7 cells ruled out).
  3. The periwinkle region can only hold its stamp in column 8, so every other cell in column 8 cannot hold a stamp (5 cells ruled out).
  4. The peach region can only hold its stamp in column 9, so every other cell in column 9 cannot hold a stamp (4 cells ruled out).
  5. The mint region can only hold its stamp in column 1, so every other cell in column 1 cannot hold a stamp (6 cells ruled out).
  6. The rose region has only one cell left: row 1, column 2. Place the stamp there.
  7. Column 7 can only hold its stamp in the green region, so the other cells of the green region cannot hold a stamp (7 cells ruled out).
  8. The mint region and the stone region must all put their stamps in rows 8 and 9, so every other cell in rows 8 and 9 cannot hold a stamp (3 cells ruled out).
  9. The pink region and the peach region must all put their stamps in rows 6 and 7, so every other cell in rows 6 and 7 cannot hold a stamp (6 cells ruled out).
  10. The periwinkle region has only one cell left: row 5, column 8. Place the stamp there.
  11. The green region has only one cell left: row 3, column 7. Place the stamp there.
  12. The teal region has only one cell left: row 4, column 3. Place the stamp there.
  13. The pink region has only one cell left: row 6, column 4. Place the stamp there.
  14. The amber region has only one cell left: row 2, column 5. Place the stamp there.
  15. The peach region has only one cell left: row 7, column 9. Place the stamp there.
  16. The stone region has only one cell left: row 9, column 6. Place the stamp there.
  17. The mint region has only one cell left: row 8, column 1. Place the stamp there.

Final solution

Show the finished board