---
title: "XYZ-Wing: Sudoku Technique #20 | Sudoku Flow"
description: "XYZ-Wing: At least one of a pivot and its two wings must hold their shared number, so any cell that sees all three loses that candidate."
url: https://sudokuflow.com/lessons/xyzWing/
language: en
---

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

Lesson 20

# XYZ-Wing

## The rule

At least one of a pivot and its two wings must hold their shared number, so any cell that sees all three loses that candidate.

## Step by step

1. The pivot cell has exactly three candidates 2, 8 and 5, and it sees two bivalue wings: one with 2 and 5, the other with 8 and 5. This forms an XYZ-Wing!
2. Since at least one of the three cells must be 5, we can remove the candidate 5 from any other cell that sees all three.

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

XYZ-Wing practice board:

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