What is Color Sudoku?
Color Sudoku (sometimes called Colour Sudoku, Rainbow Sudoku or Picture Sudoku) is sudoku played with six bright colours instead of the digits 1–6. The rules are exactly the same — every row, column and box must contain each colour once — but you don’t need to read numbers to play. That makes it the most kid-friendly sudoku on the whole site.
The board is 6×6, split into six rectangular boxes of 2×3 cells. Some squares start with a colour already filled in (the "givens"), and your job is to fill in the rest using only logic. The six colours are red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple — easy to tell apart, even for very young players.
If your child has already played our 4×4 sudoku or 6×6 sudoku, the rules will feel familiar. The colour version just removes the reading step, so even pre-readers can join in.
The 3 super-simple rules
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Every row uses every colour
A row is a line going across the grid. Each of the six rows must contain all six colours, with no repeats.
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Every column uses every colour
A column is a line going down the grid. Each of the six columns must also contain all six colours, with no repeats.
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Every 2×3 box uses every colour
The board is split into six rectangular boxes — three across, two down. Each box must contain all six colours once.
How to play step by step
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Tap an empty square
The square highlights and shows which row, column and box it belongs to.
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Pick a colour from the pad
Six colour buttons live next to the board. Tap the one you want and that colour drops into the square.
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Check the row, column and box
Before you tap, scan the row, column and box for that square. Is the colour already there? If yes, try another.
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Use Notes when it gets tricky
Tap ✏️ Notes to add tiny coloured dots — one for each colour that *might* fit. Tap Auto Notes to fill them in everywhere automatically.
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Need help? Tap Hint
The Hint button reveals the correct colour for the selected square. Hints count in your stats but they’re always there.
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Tap Check before celebrating
If anything is wrong, Check tells you how many colours need fixing — without spoiling which ones.
Easy strategies for kids
- 🌈 Look for rows or columns with the most given colours — they’re easiest to finish
- 🟦 If a column already has blue, no other square in that column can be blue
- ✏️ Use Notes to mark "maybe red, maybe blue" before committing
- 🔁 After every placement, scan the row, column and box for new chain moves
- ✅ Tap Check whenever you feel stuck — it spots wrong colours fast
Older kids who already love numbers can switch back to a digit grid any time — try our 6×6 sudoku for the same 6×6 size with numbers instead of colours, or classic 9×9 sudoku for the full 9×9 game.
Why Color Sudoku is great for young kids
- 🧒 No reading needed — perfect for ages 4–6
- 🎨 Bright, friendly colours that pop on phones and tablets
- 🧩 Same brain workout as classic sudoku — pattern spotting and logic
- ⏱️ Most Easy puzzles finish in under 5 minutes
- 🪶 Calm, quiet activity — no timers ticking down, no pressure
- 👨👩👧 Great for playing together — parents read out colours, kids tap them
Color Sudoku vs. number sudoku
- 🎨 Color Sudoku uses six colours; number sudoku uses digits 1–6 or 1–9
- 👶 Color version works for younger kids who can’t yet read numbers
- 🧠 Same logic on both — pattern spotting, no arithmetic
- ⏱ A colour grid is the same speed as a 6×6 number grid (3–10 minutes)
- 📱 Colours are easier to scan on a small screen — great for phones
Ready for more?
Once Easy Color Sudoku feels comfortable, try Medium Color Sudoku. From there you can graduate to Hard Color Sudoku, and finally take on Expert Color Sudoku — our toughest colour puzzle, with only nine starter colours on the board.
Want a totally different brain workout? Try our Killer Sudoku (sudoku with cage sums), Jigsaw Sudoku (sudoku with wiggly boxes), or Circle Sudoku (sudoku played on a round, target-shaped board).
Frequently asked questions
What age is Color Sudoku good for?
Most kids enjoy Color Sudoku from about age 4. Because there’s no reading or arithmetic, it works for pre-readers too — they just match colours to the row, column and box rules.
Is Color Sudoku the same as Colour Sudoku, Rainbow Sudoku or Picture Sudoku?
Yes — Color Sudoku, Colour Sudoku, Rainbow Sudoku and Picture Sudoku are all names for sudoku played with colours or pictures instead of digits. The rules are the same; only the symbols change.
How is Color Sudoku different from a 6×6 number sudoku?
The board, rules and difficulty are the same. The only difference is what fills the squares: six colours instead of the digits 1–6. Switching between them is like switching jersey colours — the game underneath is identical.
My child is colour-blind. Can they still play?
Most kids find our six colours (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple) easy to tell apart, but if any pair looks too similar, the 6×6 number version of the same grid is just a tap away on our 6×6 page.
Can I play without making an account?
Yes! Every game on this site is free, with no signup, no email, and no ads in the way of the puzzle.
Does the puzzle save my progress?
Yes — your colours, notes and timer save automatically in your browser. Close the tab and come back later, and it will all still be there.
Try other sudoku games
Different look, same friendly logic. Pick a sibling puzzle to play next.