Free calcudoku puzzles, solver and printables

4x4 KenKen Puzzles

Small 4x4 calcudoku puzzles for beginners and kids: play online or print up to 9 per page.

This free 4x4 KenKen page runs in your web browser and makes new 4x4 puzzles with no sign-up and nothing to install. A 4x4 KenKen-style puzzle, also called a calcudoku, asks you to fill a 4x4 grid with the digits 1 to 4 so that each digit appears once in every row and column, while the numbers in each cage match its target.

The page opens with an Easy puzzle, and a Print tab makes sheets of 4x4 puzzles with answers. Every puzzle is made on your device, nothing is uploaded, and the built-in solver confirms that each puzzle has exactly one solution before it is shown.

How to play 4x4 KenKen

  1. Open the page. An Easy 4x4 puzzle appears, ready to play.
  2. Tap or click a cell, then tap a digit on the number pad. You can also type the digit.
  3. Read the target in the top-left corner of each cage. A single-cell cage shows just a number, so that digit goes straight into the cell.
  4. Select a cell to see the cage helper line, such as “Cage 3+ (2 cells) can be made from: 1 2”.
  5. Turn on Pencil mode with the Pencil button, or press P or Space, to write small notes instead of a digit.
  6. Press Hint when you are stuck. It names the technique for the next step, shades the cells involved, and explains it in one sentence. It can also make the step for you.
  7. Press Check to count wrong cells, or use Undo, Redo or Ctrl+Z to step back.
  8. To start a new puzzle, choose a Difficulty (Easy, Medium, Hard or Expert) and Operations, then press New puzzle.

Arrow keys move between cells, the digits 1 to 4 enter a number, and Backspace erases. The timer runs while you play, and Pause stops it. Your progress is saved in the browser on this device, so a reload continues the same puzzle. Copy link gives a link with a ?p= code that opens exactly the same puzzle somewhere else.

How do you solve a 4x4 KenKen?

Each row and column of a 4x4 grid holds 1, 2, 3 and 4 once, and each row adds up to 10 and multiplies to 24. Start with single-cell cages, since they give you a digit for free. Then use the cage combinations that are fixed in a 4x4 grid: a two-cell 3+ is always 1 and 2, 7+ is 3 and 4, 3− is 4 and 1, 4÷ is 4 and 1, and 2÷ is 1-2 or 2-4.

Here is an example from the site’s rules puzzle. The top row has a two-cell 1− cage holding 3 and 2, beside a 4÷ cage (4 above 1) and a 3+ cage (1 above 2). The solution’s first row is 3 2 4 1.

Are 4x4 puzzles good for kids?

A 4x4 grid has only 16 cells, which makes it a manageable first puzzle. On average, an Easy 4x4 puzzle here has about 9 cages, and 4 of them are single cells. Easy puzzles need only single cells, cage combinations and “only one digit fits” or “only one place for a digit” reasoning, so a child can often work through them with a few notes in Pencil mode. Whether a particular child enjoys it depends on that child.

Can I print several 4x4 puzzles on one page?

Yes. The Print tab prints sheets of the same 4x4 size with answer pages. You can print 1, 2, 4, 6 or 9 puzzles per page, which is useful for a classroom handout or a set of practice sheets.

KenKen puzzle 4x4 with answer: how do I check it?

Every puzzle has exactly one solution, so an answer you reach by logic is the only correct one. Check counts wrong cells, and Hint explains the next step without filling the whole grid. If you want the full answer, Solve it fills the grid, and Reveal cell fills a single cell. Printed sheets include answer pages.

Can I use addition only?

Yes. Choose Addition only under Operations, then press New puzzle. These puzzles use + cages and single cells only, so each cage target is the sum of its digits. The row and column rule stays the same. The other options are All four (+ − × ÷), Addition and subtraction, and Multiplication and division.

Frequently asked questions

Is this 4x4 KenKen-style puzzle free?

Yes. It is free to play, needs no sign-up and nothing to install, and puzzles are made on your device without being uploaded.

Is this the official KenKen?

No. KenKen is a registered trademark of Nextoy, LLC, and this site is not affiliated with it. The puzzle type is also called calcudoku, mathdoku or kendoku, and this site’s puzzles are KenKen-style.

Will my progress be saved?

Yes, in the browser on this device, so a reload continues the same puzzle. To open the same puzzle on another device, use Copy link.

Why is a cage total shown in red?

Turn on “Show repeated digits and wrong cage totals” to highlight repeated digits and cage totals that do not match. Turn it off if you want to work without those warnings.

Can I print 4x4 puzzles with answers?

Yes. Open the Print tab, choose 1, 2, 4, 6 or 9 puzzles per page and US Letter or A4, and leave Add answer pages ticked. Print / Save as PDF opens the browser print dialog.

Can I play a bigger grid on this page?

No. This page offers only the 4x4 size. Larger grids are on the related pages listed below.