Guides / hard

Level 29 guide: Netherlands (hard)

Flat, flowery and fast on two wheels. 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 29 About Netherlands

The board

Step by step

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

Final solution