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German Whispers Sudoku
Neighbors differ by 5 or more. Free, at five levels.
How to play german whispers sudoku
German whispers are green lines. Any two digits next to each other on a line must differ by at least 5, so a line swings between low digits (1 to 4) and high ones (6 to 9).
5 can never sit on a whisper, since nothing is 5 away from it. 4 and 6 are tight too: a 4 can only sit next to a 9, and a 6 only next to a 1. Our puzzles are set so the lines matter from the start.
At a glance
- Neighbors on a green line differ by at least 5.
- 5 can never sit on a whisper.
- Digits alternate between low (1 to 4) and high (6 to 9).
- A 4 only fits next to 9, and a 6 only next to 1.
German whispers chart
Every digit and the digits it can sit next to on a whisper line. Look at how fast the options shrink toward the middle: 5 has none, 4 and 6 have one.
| Digit | Can sit next to | Options |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 123456789 | 4 |
| 2 | 123456789 | 3 |
| 3 | 123456789 | 2 |
| 4 | 123456789 | 1 |
| 5 | 123456789none | 0 |
| 6 | 123456789 | 1 |
| 7 | 123456789 | 2 |
| 8 | 123456789 | 3 |
| 9 | 123456789 | 4 |
Low digits (1 to 4) only touch high ones (6 to 9) and the other way round, so a whisper line alternates low, high, low.
How to start a german whispers sudoku
Take 5 off every line
Nothing is 5 or more away from 5, so no whisper cell is ever 5.
Color the line low and high
Along a line, digits alternate between 1-4 and 6-9. Find one cell's side and the whole line flips into place. Colors are perfect for this.
Box out 4 and 6
A 4 needs a 9 on every side, and a 6 a 1. A 4 or 6 can't sit in the middle of a line where its two neighbors are in the same box. That's whisper logic in one move.
Count the lows and highs in a box
A box has only four low digits and four high ones, so a line can't put five low cells in one box. And the box's 5 is never on the line, which can pin it down.
Use the chart
The neighbor chart shows what each digit allows. Once a cell is narrowed to 3 or 7, its neighbors are nearly fixed.
Common mistakes
Letting two lows touch
1 and 4 differ by 3, not 5. On a whisper, low always sits next to high.
Forgetting the line can bend
Neighbors are cells next to each other along the line, including diagonal steps.
Mixing up Dutch and German
Dutch whispers (orange) need a difference of at least 4, so 5 can sit on them next to 1 or 9.
Five levels, no guessing
Every puzzle has one solution, proved when it is set, and our solver finishes it by logic alone. The level is the hardest step the solve needs. Here is what each level asks of a german whispers puzzle:
- EasyClearing 5 off the lines, then singles.Play Easy
- MediumTwo-cell whisper logic: what each neighbor allows, plus pointing pairs.Play Medium
- Hard4 and 6 boxed in, with pairs and triples.Play Hard
- ExpertX-Wings, Skyscrapers and wings on top of the lines.Play Expert
- FiendishChains and coloring, and testing every way a line can be filled.Play Fiendish
The daily variant rotates through 11 kinds, so a german whispers daily comes round about every 11 days. Past dailies
Hand-set german whispers puzzles
Our levels are a good start. For more, Explore has 621 german whispers puzzles made by people, from Logic Masters and Cracking the Cryptic. A few of the most popular:
Tenacious Whispersby sujoyku
Electric Explosionby Scojo
Sting in the Tailby timotab
Rose Puzzle 1by RailMan
TIC TAC TOE TIEby Will Power
Unidentified Flying Octagonby marty_sears
Erica 2by SennyK
GAS whispersby brtmnsSetters with the most german whispers puzzles:
- meggen033 60
- gwai77 24
- NotSoMagnifique 19
- RailMan 13
- Marty Sears 12
- fogpictures 12
- SennyK 11
- lgastako 11
- olima 9
- Will Power 8
Often combined with:
- German Whispers + Kropki 314
- German Whispers + Renban 241
- German Whispers + Killer 210
- German Whispers + Fog of War 141
- German Whispers + Arrow 123
- German Whispers + XV 122
- German Whispers + Thermo 111
- German Whispers + Region Sum Lines 111
- German Whispers + Dutch Whispers 57
- German Whispers + X-Sums 52
All 621 german whispers puzzles in Explore · Make your own german whispers sudoku
Questions
Why can't 5 go on a German whisper?
Its neighbor would need to be 0 or 10. Neither exists, so 5 is off every whisper line.
What do 4 and 6 need on a whisper?
A 4 can only sit next to a 9, and a 6 only next to a 1. If a 4 is in the middle of a line, both neighbors are 9, so they must be in different rows, columns and boxes.
What are Dutch whispers?
The same idea with a gap of at least 4, drawn in orange. Dutch whispers allow 5 next to 1 or 9.
Do whisper lines have a direction?
No. The rule works the same both ways, so you can read a line from either end.
Can digits repeat on a whisper line?
Yes, as long as the repeated cells don't share a row, column or box. A long line often visits the same digit more than once.
Where can I practice whisper logic?
The German whispers technique lesson has practice boards, and the whisper rules lesson explains the rule.
More ways to play
Classic Sudoku1 to 9 in every row, column and boxKiller SudokuCages that add upThermo SudokuDigits climb from the bulbArrow SudokuThe arrow sums to its circleKropki SudokuWhite dots, black dotsXV SudokuX is 10, V is 5Sandwich SudokuSum between the 1 and the 9Diagonal SudokuBoth diagonals hold 1 to 9Anti-Knight SudokuNo repeat a knight's move apartAnti-King SudokuTouching cells never repeat