Catdoku
Blending Sudoku-style deduction with spatial non-adjacency constraints, Catdoku turns vibrant colored grids into challenging logic puzzles. Finding exact cat placements across large, multi-colored boards requires rigorous elimination work: every feline must occupy a unique row, column, and color zone while staying completely isolated from neighboring cats.
Decoding grid constraints and non-adjacency rules
Solving high-level Catdoku boards comes down to cross-referencing three strict placement laws before clicking any square.
The three placement laws
To lock in a valid cat position, your selected square must satisfy three simultaneous conditions:
- Color Uniqueness: Exactly one cat per color block on the grid.
- Row and Column Isolation: No two cats can share the same horizontal or vertical line.
- 8-Way Non-Adjacency: Cats cannot touch each other horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
Managing strike limits and fish earnings
Placing a cat on an invalid square triggers a strike. Marking three incorrect choices resets the entire stage, forcing a total board restart. However, clearing a level with a flawless 0-mistake record awards 3 fish stars. Saving up fish lets you purchase game-changing hint tools and row-clearing power-ups for complex late-game puzzles.
Unlocking alternative game modes and escalating difficulty
Progressing through main campaign stages unlocks higher-tier challenge modes that push your deductive reasoning further.
- Daily challenges: Unique daily layout grids offering bonus fish rewards for speed clears.
- Double cats mode: A mind-bending variant requiring two cats per color zone under altered adjacency rules.
- Large grid pacing: Expansive grids with subtle color shades that demand methodical elimination work over quick guessing.
Expert tips for flawless clears
- Start with single-square color blocks: Colors occupying only one grid tile immediately force a cat placement, automatically eliminating its full row, column, and surrounding 8 squares.
- Use non-adjacency to block adjacent cells: Whenever a cat is confirmed, instantly mark all eight surrounding diagonal and cardinal tiles as invalid.
- Save fish power-ups for 3-color intersections: Use hints when large color regions overlap across central rows to avoid taking risky strike guesses.
How to play
Click on the cell to place an X mark. Double-click to place the cat on a cell.
