The full logical solve of the hard Tapa for September 15 to September 21, 2026, 12 × 12. 72 steps, 5 techniques, no guessing. Step through it, or jump to any step below.
Try every way to shade 3 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cell is shaded.
Try every way to shade 1 1 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cells stay white.
Try every way to shade 3 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cells are settled, shaded or white.
Try every way to shade 2 3 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cells are shaded.
Try every way to shade 3 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cell is shaded.
Try every way to shade 8 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cells are shaded.
Try every way to shade 1 5 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cells are shaded.
Try every way to shade 4 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cells are shaded.
Three cells of this 2×2 square are shaded. The fourth stays white, or the square would be solid wall.
Try every way to shade 1 5 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cells are shaded.
Some ways to fit 1 here would trap a piece of wall or fill a 2×2 square. In every way left, the highlighted cell stays white.
Some ways to fit 1 1 here would trap a piece of wall or fill a 2×2 square. In every way left, the highlighted cell stays white.
White cells cut this cell off from the wall. Shaded, it could never join up, so it stays white.
White cells cut this cell off from the wall. Shaded, it could never join up, so it stays white.
Some ways to fit 1 5 here would trap a piece of wall or fill a 2×2 square. In every way left, the highlighted cell is shaded.
Three cells of this 2×2 square are shaded. The fourth stays white, or the square would be solid wall.
Try every way to shade 3 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cells are settled, shaded or white.
Some ways to fit 1 1 here would trap a piece of wall or fill a 2×2 square. In every way left, the highlighted cells are settled, shaded or white.
Some ways to fit 1 5 here would trap a piece of wall or fill a 2×2 square. In every way left, the highlighted cells are shaded.
Some ways to fit 1 5 here would trap a piece of wall or fill a 2×2 square. In every way left, the highlighted cell is shaded.
Some ways to fit 6 here would trap a piece of wall or fill a 2×2 square. In every way left, the highlighted cells are settled, shaded or white.
Try every way to shade 1 5 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cells are settled, shaded or white.
Try every way to shade 1 5 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cells are settled, shaded or white.
Try every way to shade 1 5 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cell is shaded.
Try every way to shade 1 5 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cells are settled, shaded or white.
Try every way to shade 6 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cell is shaded.
Three cells of this 2×2 square are shaded. The fourth stays white, or the square would be solid wall.
Try every way to shade 2 3 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cell is shaded.
Three cells of this 2×2 square are shaded. The fourth stays white, or the square would be solid wall.
Three cells of this 2×2 square are shaded. The fourth stays white, or the square would be solid wall.
Try every way to shade 4 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cell is shaded.
This piece of wall has only one open side. The wall is one piece, so it must grow there.
Try every way to shade 1 2 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cell stays white.
This piece of wall has only one open side. The wall is one piece, so it must grow there.
Three cells of this 2×2 square are shaded. The fourth stays white, or the square would be solid wall.
Try every way to shade 2 4 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cells are shaded.
Try every way to shade 2 4 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cells are settled, shaded or white.
Three cells of this 2×2 square are shaded. The fourth stays white, or the square would be solid wall.
This piece of wall has only one open side. The wall is one piece, so it must grow there.
This piece of wall has only one open side. The wall is one piece, so it must grow there.
This piece of wall has only one open side. The wall is one piece, so it must grow there.
Suppose the highlighted cell is shaded. Then the 2 2 at row 2, column 6 can’t be satisfied. So it is white.
Try every way to shade 2 3 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cell is shaded.
Try every way to shade 2 3 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cells are settled, shaded or white.
Try every way to shade 2 2 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cells are settled, shaded or white.
This piece of wall has only one open side. The wall is one piece, so it must grow there.
Suppose the highlighted cell is white. Then the 1 2 at row 5, column 11 can’t be satisfied. So it is shaded.
Suppose the highlighted cell is white. Then the 1 1 at row 3, column 9 can’t be satisfied. So it is shaded.
Try every way to shade 2 2 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cells are settled, shaded or white.
Try every way to shade 2 3 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cell stays white.
Without this cell the pieces of wall can’t join up. So it is shaded.
Try every way to shade 1 1 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cells stay white.
Without this cell the pieces of wall can’t join up. So it is shaded.
Some ways to fit 1 here would trap a piece of wall or fill a 2×2 square. In every way left, the highlighted cell stays white.
Suppose the highlighted cell is shaded. Then the 1 2 at row 5, column 11 can’t be satisfied. So it is white.
Suppose the highlighted cell is shaded. Then the 1 2 at row 5, column 11 can’t be satisfied. So it is white.
Suppose the highlighted cell is shaded. Then the 1 2 at row 5, column 11 can’t be satisfied. So it is white.
Suppose the highlighted cell is white. Then the 1 2 at row 5, column 11 can’t be satisfied. So it is shaded.
Try every way to shade 1 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cell stays white.
Try every way to shade 1 1 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cell stays white.
Suppose the highlighted cell is white. Then the 1 2 at row 5, column 11 can’t be satisfied. So it is shaded.
Try every way to shade 2 4 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cell stays white.
Try every way to shade 2 4 around this clue that fits what is already marked. In all of them, the highlighted cell is shaded.
This piece of wall has only one open side. The wall is one piece, so it must grow there.
Three cells of this 2×2 square are shaded. The fourth stays white, or the square would be solid wall.
Some ways to fit 1 2 here would trap a piece of wall or fill a 2×2 square. In every way left, the highlighted cells are settled, shaded or white.
White cells cut this cell off from the wall. Shaded, it could never join up, so it stays white.
White cells cut this cell off from the wall. Shaded, it could never join up, so it stays white.
White cells cut this cell off from the wall. Shaded, it could never join up, so it stays white.
White cells cut this cell off from the wall. Shaded, it could never join up, so it stays white.
White cells cut this cell off from the wall. Shaded, it could never join up, so it stays white.
White cells cut this cell off from the wall. Shaded, it could never join up, so it stays white.