2026-01-01
Puzzle guide
Full breakdown using the Solver walkthrough format — row-by-row placements, region scans, and strategy notes.
Overview
Queens Level 1 is part of our exclusive Queens level track. Queens is LinkedIn's logic puzzle: place exactly one queen in every row, column, and colored region on a 5×5 board, with no two queens touching—even diagonally. This page includes the live board, a solved-board view, and a step-by-step Solution walkthrough. Difficulty: Easy. Estimated solve time: 3–5 min.
Answer
Final queen coordinates for this board:
R1C4, R2C2, R3C5, R4C3, R5C1
Several color regions span only a few cells — scan those regions first because they often force a queen into a single row or column.
Analysis
I solve Queens Level 1 row by row on a 5×5 grid. 5 regions, 5 queens total. My final map: R1C4, R2C2, R3C5, R4C3, R5C1. X marks do most of the work before I commit each crown.
Before placing anything I mark X on every cell blocked by givens — then I hunt the tightest region. Several color regions span only a few cells — scan those regions first because they often force a queen into a single row or column.
I place queen 1 at R1C4. Region 2 only touches row 1 once on this board, so its queen must land at column 4. That clears a chunk of the grid via auto X marks.
I place queen 2 at R2C2. Row 2, column 2 is the forced queen once region 1, row, column, and touch rules are applied together. That clears a chunk of the grid via auto X marks.
I place queen 3 at R3C5. Region 3 only touches row 3 once on this board, so its queen must land at column 5. That clears a chunk of the grid via auto X marks.
I place queen 4 at R4C3. Row 4, column 3 is the forced queen once region 5, row, column, and touch rules are applied together. That clears a chunk of the grid via auto X marks.
I place queen 5 at R5C1. After eliminations, row 5 has one legal square left — column 1. That clears a chunk of the grid via auto X marks.
Done — R1C4, R2C2, R3C5, R4C3, R5C1. Every row and region checked twice. Several color regions span only a few cells — scan those regions first because they often force a queen into a single row or column.
Rows
Placement insight
Region 2 only touches row 1 once on this board, so its queen must land at column 4.
Solving note
Placing here claims row 1, column 4, and region 2. Auto X marks will block 24 other cells from holding another queen in those units. Watch for region Pin patterns on similar boards.
Placement insight
Row 2, column 2 is the forced queen once region 1, row, column, and touch rules are applied together.
Solving note
Placing here claims row 2, column 2, and region 1. Auto X marks will block 24 other cells from holding another queen in those units. Watch for elimination patterns on similar boards.
Placement insight
Region 3 only touches row 3 once on this board, so its queen must land at column 5.
Solving note
Placing here claims row 3, column 5, and region 3. Auto X marks will block 24 other cells from holding another queen in those units. Watch for region Pin patterns on similar boards.
Placement insight
Row 4, column 3 is the forced queen once region 5, row, column, and touch rules are applied together.
Solving note
Placing here claims row 4, column 3, and region 5. Auto X marks will block 24 other cells from holding another queen in those units. Watch for elimination patterns on similar boards.
Placement insight
After eliminations, row 5 has one legal square left — column 1.
Solving note
Placing here claims row 5, column 1, and region 4. Auto X marks will block 24 other cells from holding another queen in those units. Watch for row Scan patterns on similar boards.
Verification
I trust R1C4, R2C2, R3C5, R4C3, R5C1 because every queen I placed matched the only legal square left in its row after X marks. Wrong squares would collide on row, column, region, or diagonal.
Takeaways
Row reveals in order 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 matched how eliminations opened up — R1C4, R2C2, R3C5, R4C3, R5C1.
Two queens diagonally adjacent invalidate the whole board — scan diagonals when a region looks free.
Retry Queens Level 1 using one less hint — target under five minutes on 5×5.