Hidden Pair
Two digits in a house that can only go in the same two cells, clearing all other candidates from those cells.
Also known as: Concealed Pair, Hidden Twin
Quick Summary
When two digits appear as candidates in only two cells within a house, those two cells must contain those two digits. All other candidates in those two cells can be eliminated.
Understanding the Hidden Pair Technique
A Hidden Pair is the subset counterpart to a Hidden Single. While a Naked Pair eliminates digits from the *rest of the house*, a Hidden Pair eliminates other candidates from *inside the pair's own cells*. They are termed 'hidden' because the two cells may contain extra candidate digits that camouflage the pair until you scan the house digit by digit.
Visual Examples
Green cells highlight the Hidden Pair pattern, amber cells denote where candidates are affected, and struck-through pencil marks show the eliminations. Use the buttons or arrow keys to browse examples.
How to Spot & Solve a Hidden Pair (Step-by-Step Guide)
The complete visual scanning and logical deduction process to execute this technique:
- 1Scan a row, column, or 3×3 box digit by digit rather than cell by cell.
- 2Identify two digits that only appear as candidates in the exact same two cells of that unit.
- 3Because the unit needs both numbers, one must land in the first cell and the other in the second cell.
- 4Neither of those two cells can ever hold any other value.
- 5Clear all other candidate pencil marks from those two cells, leaving behind a clean pair.
Common Traps & Mistakes to Avoid
- Leaving extraneous candidates in the two cells after identifying the pair.
- Missing the pair because one of the cells has four or five candidates written in it.
- Forgetting that both digits must appear in *both* cells and *nowhere else* in that house.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a Hidden Pair different from a Naked Pair?
In a Naked Pair, the cells contain *only* those two digits ({2, 7} and {2, 7}). In a Hidden Pair, the cells contain other numbers too ({2, 5, 7} and {2, 7, 9}), but 2 and 7 appear nowhere else in the house.
What do I eliminate when I find a Hidden Pair?
You eliminate all *other* candidates from those two specific cells. You do not eliminate from other cells in the house.
Related Solving Techniques
Expand your repertoire by learning prerequisites and advanced counterparts:
Ready to Practice Hidden Pair?
Try a puzzle in the Medium tier (Peak Score 31–40), or browse all 25 techniques.