---
title: "Hidden Triple: Sudoku Technique #11 | Sudoku Flow"
description: "Hidden Triple: Three numbers whose candidates together appear in only three cells of a row, column, or box claim those cells for themselves."
url: https://sudokuflow.com/lessons/hiddenTriple/
language: en
---

[Sudoku technique lessons](https://sudokuflow.com/lessons/) / Hidden Triple

Lesson 11

# Hidden Triple

## The rule

Three numbers whose candidates together appear in only three cells of a row, column, or box claim those cells for themselves.

## Step by step

1. In this row, 2, 3, 8 appear as candidates only in these three cells.
2. These three cells must contain 2, 3, 8 among them, so we can remove any other candidates from those cells.

[Read the full lesson, with more examples →](https://sudoku.rubigogames.com/techniques/hidden-triple.html)

In our app, when this technique is the next step, the hint names it and shows you why, step by step. No ads, free to download.

[App Store iPhone, iPad, Mac](https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id6502922368?pt=125379530&ct=sudokuflow_cta&mt=8) [Google Play Android](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rubigogames.sudoku&referrer=utm_source%3Dsudokuflow%26utm_medium%3Dcta%26utm_campaign%3Dlesson)

## Try it on more boards

Each board is a real puzzle from our app, at a moment where Hidden Triple applies. Find the step yourself, or tap Hint and the app's own hint walks you through it.

Hidden Triple practice board:

```text
.  .  9* | 2* 5* 4  | .  7  1*
.  .  .  | 3  1  7* | .  8* 9*
.  7  1  | 8  6  9  | 5  .  4
---------+----------+---------
.  .  .  | .  4  .  | 7* 1  3
.  1* .  | .  7* .  | 9* 4* 2
.  .  7  | 1* 9* .  | 8* 6  5*
---------+----------+---------
.  .  6  | 4* 8* 5* | 1  .  7*
7* .  8  | 9  3  1* | .  5* 6*
1  .  .  | 7* 2  6* | .  9  8
```
Digits marked * were filled in by a player; the others were printed with the puzzle.

![Sudoku app icon](https://sudokuflow.com/assets/app-icon.png)

## Want more boards like this?

We also make a Sudoku app for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Android. There are no ads in it at all, it works offline, and when you ask for a hint it shows you the technique instead of just filling in a number.

[App Store iPhone, iPad, Mac](https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id6502922368?pt=125379530&ct=sudokuflow_web&mt=8) [Google Play Android](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rubigogames.sudoku&referrer=utm_source%3Dsudokuflow%26utm_medium%3Dweb%26utm_campaign%3Dsite)

Sudoku Flow is made by Rubigo Games, the developer of the Sudoku app recommended on this site.