Get to know the three parts of the board
Look at the rows, the columns, and the colored regions. Your goal is to place one pup in each row, one in each column, and one in each region. The color regions are part of the puzzle, so consider their shapes as well as the grid lines.
There is one more important rule: pups cannot touch, including diagonally. A placement can satisfy a row and still be wrong because it is next to another pup.
Mark the places a pup cannot go
Use X marks to keep track of impossible squares. After placing a pup, the remaining squares in its row, column, and region cannot hold another pup. The squares touching it are also ruled out.
Marking these spaces makes the next decision easier to see. Instead of trying to hold every restriction in your head, let the board become a record of what you already know.
Look for a single remaining possibility
After marking exclusions, look again at each region, row, and column. If only one possible square remains, you have found a placement. Add the pup, update your X marks, and repeat the process.
A small region can be a useful place to start because it has fewer candidate squares. Sometimes you will need to compare several constraints together. Take your time; the appeal is in seeing how one deduction unlocks another.
Make it a small puzzle ritual
PawDoku offers helpful hints for the moments when you need a nudge. Use them to understand what you missed, then return to the grid and continue reasoning. As you progress, look for the Daily Challenge in the app.
The game is available for iOS and Android, and you can begin without creating an account. Store listings show current availability and purchase details. Try a quick board when you want a little screen time that gives you something to think about.
Explore PawDoku: Cozy Dog Logic Puzzles, or browse all Coheron Lab apps.