Teaching LinkedIn Mini Sudoku #348: students cross-check row, column, and region before every pencil mark. Board has 8 givens on 6×6 cells. Walk through 28 forced fills using naked and hidden singles.
Board spotlight: Most fills come from scanning rows and columns for cells where only one digit fits — classic naked-single territory. Region geometry (6 regions, 6 cells each) shapes which unit yields the next hidden single.
Lesson segment 1: ask which unit is complete enough to force R2C1=6, R1C1=2, R3C1=3, R5C6=6. Highlight Naked single, Naked single, Naked single, Naked single — students should narrate eliminations aloud.
Lesson segment 2: ask which unit is complete enough to force R5C2=2, R5C4=5, R5C3=3, R6C1=5. Highlight Naked single, Naked single, Naked single, Naked single — students should narrate eliminations aloud.
Lesson segment 3: ask which unit is complete enough to force R6C6=1, R4C6=3, R1C6=4, R1C3=1. Highlight Naked single, Naked single, Naked single, Naked single — students should narrate eliminations aloud.
Lesson segment 4: ask which unit is complete enough to force R1C5=6, R1C4=3, R2C3=4, R2C4=1. Highlight Naked single, Naked single, Naked single, Naked single — students should narrate eliminations aloud.
Lesson segment 5: ask which unit is complete enough to force R2C5=5, R6C3=6, R3C3=2, R3C5=1. Highlight Naked single, Naked single, Naked single, Naked single — students should narrate eliminations aloud.
Lesson segment 6: ask which unit is complete enough to force R3C2=6, R3C4=4, R4C2=1, R4C3=5. Highlight Naked single, Naked single, Naked single, Naked single — students should narrate eliminations aloud.
Lesson segment 7: ask which unit is complete enough to force R4C5=2, R4C4=6, R6C2=4, R6C4=2. Highlight Naked single, Naked single, Naked single, Naked single — students should narrate eliminations aloud.
Mid-solve checkpoint: 14 cells remain after the first half of the chain. Row-scan heavy boards often accelerate once two or three regions close — watch for hidden singles in tight blocks.
Late game: final batches collapse quickly when rows and columns near completion. Every row, column, and region contains digits 1–6 with no repeats. Completed path: R2C1=6, R1C1=2, R3C1=3, R5C6=6, R5C2=2, R5C4=5, R5C3=3, R6C1=5, R6C6=1, R4C6=3, R1C6=4, R1C3=1, R1C5=6, R1C4=3, R2C3=4, R2C4=1, R2C5=5, R6C3=6, R3C3=2, R3C5=1, R3C2=6, R3C4=4, R4C2=1, R4C3=5, R4C5=2, R4C4=6, R6C2=4, R6C4=2.
Recap for students: 8 givens, 28 deductions, one unique grid. Practice naked singles first, then hidden singles per unit.