Number Cages
Logic meets arithmetic. Every row and column holds each number once, like Sudoku, and every outlined cage has to make its target. Start with addition on a 4×4, and work up to all four operations.
Daily puzzle
Today's cages
A medium 5×5 with addition and multiplication, the same for everyone today.
New puzzle
You haven't solved one at this level yet.
How to play
- Fill the grid with the numbers 1 to 4, 1 to 5 or 1 to 6, so each number appears once in every row and every column.
- Each cage shows a target and an operation. 7+ means the numbers in the cage add up to 7. 12× means they multiply to 12. A cage with just a number is a free square.
- 2− and 3÷ cages have two squares: the bigger number minus (or divided by) the smaller one makes the target.
- A number can repeat inside a cage, as long as the two aren't in the same row or column.
- Stuck? A hint explains which number must go where, and why. Your puzzle saves as you go.
A good way to start
Look for cages with only one possible combination. On a 4×4, a two-square 3+ cage can only be 1 and 2, and a 7+ can only be 3 and 4. A 12× cage on a 4×4 must be 3 and 4. Once you know which numbers a cage uses, the rows and columns tell you which way round they go.
Why it's good practice
Every move is mental math: listing the ways to make 12 with numbers up to 6, checking which pairs differ by 2, ruling out a product that would need a 7. It builds number sense, factors and logical reasoning at the same time.
Your puzzles
Puzzles solved and your fastest times (with no hints) are saved in this browser only. No account, and nothing is sent anywhere.