---
title: "WXYZ-Wing: Sudoku Technique #26 | Sudoku Flow"
description: "WXYZ-Wing: A pivot and its three wings hold only four candidates between them, and the first three fit at most one cell each, so at least one cell holds the…"
url: https://sudokuflow.com/lessons/wxyzWing/
language: en
---

[Sudoku technique lessons](https://sudokuflow.com/lessons/) / WXYZ-Wing

Lesson 26

# WXYZ-Wing

## The rule

A pivot and its three wings hold only four candidates between them, and the first three fit at most one cell each, so at least one cell holds the shared fourth, and any cell that sees all its possible spots loses that candidate.

## Step by step

1. The pivot cell holds only candidates from 4, 7, 5 and 3, and it sees three bivalue wings: one with 4 and 3, one with 7 and 3, and one with 5 and 3. Together the four cells hold just those four candidates. This forms a WXYZ-Wing!
2. Each of 4, 7 and 5 fits at most one of the four cells, so at least one of the four cells must be 3. We can remove the candidate 3 from any other cell that sees every cell of the pattern holding the candidate 3.

[Read the full lesson, with more examples →](https://sudoku.rubigogames.com/techniques/wxyz-wing.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 WXYZ-Wing applies. Find the step yourself, or tap Hint and the app's own hint walks you through it.

WXYZ-Wing practice board:

```text
5  2  4* | .  .  7  | 6  .  .
8* 9  7  | 6* .  1* | .  2* 4*
6  3* 1  | .  4  .  | .  .  7*
---------+----------+---------
2* .  9  | 1  7* .  | .  .  .
4  .  3* | .  .  8  | 7  .  .
7* .  8* | .  6  .  | 2  .  .
---------+----------+---------
9* 4* 5  | 7* .  .  | 1* 6* 8
3* 8  6* | .  1  .  | 9* 7  2*
1  7* 2  | 9  8* 6  | 4  .  .
```
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.
