You never write new numbers in. Every choice is just keep or remove, but each cell counts toward a row and a column at once, so every choice has two consequences.
Sumplete rules in 30 seconds
- 1Each row and column has a target sum.
- 2Cross out numbers so the remaining ones in each line add up to its target.
- 3A crossed-out number counts for nothing, in its row or its column.
- 4Every row and column must work at the same time.
See it on a board
Watch: how to play Sumplete
Still not sure? Some puzzles click faster when you see them solved. This 6-minute video from Hey, Good Game shows Sumplete in action.
Two quick wins
- Target 0: every number in that line is removed.
- Target equals the full sum: every number in that line stays.
Think about what to remove
Add up the whole line and subtract the target. The difference is exactly what you must remove. If a row totals 21 and its target is 13, you need to remove 8, and if there's an 8 in the row, removing it alone is a strong candidate.
How to start a Sumplete
- Write the full total next to each target. The gap between them is your removal budget for that line.
- Clear the zero lines and lock in the lines whose total already matches.
- Look for numbers bigger than a line's removal budget: removing them would overshoot, so they must stay.
- Look for numbers bigger than a line's target: they can't fit, so they must go.
Worked example
- 1A row holds 2, 3, 5 and 8, and its target is 13.
- 2The row totals 18, so exactly 5 must be removed: the 5 on its own, or 2 and 3 together.
- 3The column through the 5 needs every one of its numbers, so the 5 must stay. That means 2 and 3 are the ones to go.
Sumplete tips and strategies
Clear zero lines
A target of 0 removes a whole row or column immediately.
Use the difference
Full total minus target is the amount to remove. Look for the number or pair that matches it.
Let lines break ties
If a row has two possible answers, the crossing columns will decide between them.
Update as you go
Subtract confirmed keeps from the target to see what undecided cells still owe.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Solving a row in isolation and breaking its columns.
- Forgetting that removing a number also removes it from its column.
- Deciding between two equal options without checking the crossing lines.
Play Sumplete in 10+ Number Puzzles
- Tap a number to change its state between kept and removed.
- Notes mark a likely keep or remove without committing.
- Auto Notes can mark cell states from the current row and column targets.
- You have 3 lives. A wrong move costs one.
- Five difficulty levels, each a ladder of stages from Easy to Genius.
- Go online for free: ranked 1v1 duels, rooms where you race, co-op or play in teams, and tournaments.
- 27 more puzzle types in the same app, and online play never costs coins.
Sumplete FAQ
How do you play Sumplete?
Remove numbers from the grid until the numbers left in every row and column add up to the targets shown.
What does a 0 target mean in Sumplete?
Every number in that row or column must be crossed out.
Is Sumplete a maths game?
It uses simple addition, but it's mostly logic: finding the one set of keeps that satisfies every row and column together.
