Naked Triple
Three cells in a house whose candidates are drawn from the same three digits.
Also known as: Disjoint Triple, Naked Triplet
Quick Summary
When three cells in a house share candidate options drawn exclusively from a set of three digits {A, B, C}, those three digits must occupy those three cells, clearing them from the rest of the house.
Understanding the Naked Triple Technique
A Naked Triple expands the logic of a Naked Pair to three cells and three digits. A crucial detail that trips up many solvers is that not all three cells need to contain all three digits. The cells can contain any subset of the three digits (such as {A, B}, {B, C}, and {A, C}), as long as their collective candidate pool contains no other numbers besides A, B, and C.
Visual Examples
Green cells highlight the Naked Triple 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 Naked Triple (Step-by-Step Guide)
The complete visual scanning and logical deduction process to execute this technique:
- 1Scan a row, column, or box for three cells whose candidates are restricted to three shared digits (e.g. 2, 5, and 8).
- 2Check that no fourth candidate number appears in any of those three cells (cells can hold pairs like {2, 5} or all three {2, 5, 8}).
- 3Because three numbers must fit into exactly three cells, those digits are completely locked into that group.
- 4No other cell in that row, column, or box can ever hold any of those three digits.
- 5Erase all three candidate numbers from every other cell in that shared unit.
Common Traps & Mistakes to Avoid
- Believing that every cell must hold all three digits. A triple of {1, 2}, {2, 3}, {1, 3} is a 100% valid Naked Triple.
- Accidentally including a fourth digit (e.g. {1, 2}, {2, 3}, {1, 3, 4} is NOT a triple).
- Forgetting to eliminate all three digits from the rest of the house.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the common patterns for Naked Triples?
The classic shapes are: full {ABC, ABC, ABC}, two-candidate wings {AB, BC, AC}, and mixed sets like {AB, BC, ABC} or {AB, AC, ABC}.
Is a Naked Triple harder to spot than a Hidden Triple?
Generally no. Naked Triples are easier because you look at the pencil marks inside the cells. Hidden Triples require looking at the digits across the entire house.
Can a Naked Triple span across two boxes?
Yes, as long as all three cells lie in the same row or column. If they all sit within the same box, you can eliminate candidates from the box too.
Related Solving Techniques
Expand your repertoire by learning prerequisites and advanced counterparts:
Ready to Practice Naked Triple?
Try a puzzle in the Tricky tier (Peak Score 41–50), or browse all 25 techniques.