How to play LihuaDoku: cat puzzle rules and beginner tips
LihuaDoku guide · 4 min read
Learn the three rules of LihuaDoku, how to place cats, and how to use colored regions to solve your first board without guessing.
LihuaDoku is a logic puzzle about placing cats on a colored board. It looks a little like Sudoku, but there are no numbers to enter. Each colored territory needs one cat, and the cats must obey row, column and touching rules at the same time.
You can play in a browser without downloading an app. Start with the small opening board and learn what each placement rules out before attempting the larger boards. On a phone, portrait orientation gives this vertical game more room.
The three rules
A square is not safe merely because it is empty. Check its territory, its row, its column and the eight surrounding positions before placing a cat.
- Place exactly one cat in each colored territory.
- Place exactly one cat in each row and column.
- Cats cannot touch each other, including diagonally.
How to place a cat
Double-tap a cell to place a cat. The game then crosses out cells ruled out by that placement. These crosses help you read the remaining possibilities; they are not a separate objective.
If you are using a mouse, use a double-click. On the website, a two-finger gesture over the game scrolls the surrounding page; keep ordinary game taps to one finger.
Start with a territory that has only one possible cell
The opening level includes very small territories. If a territory has just one cell, that cell is forced: the territory still needs its one cat. Place forced cats first, then recheck the other colors.
On a larger board, count the cells that remain legal in each territory. A territory that began with several cells can become forced after another placement eliminates a row or column.
Check the whole board after each placement
A locally valid move can leave another territory with nowhere to put its cat. Before committing to a guess, scan for an empty territory with no legal cells, or a row whose remaining cells have all been ruled out.
Do not confuse a color boundary with a gap between cats. Two cats on different colors can still touch diagonally and break the rule.
Use Undo, Reveal and Hint deliberately
The game provides Undo, Reveal and Hint with counted charges. Undo can reverse a placement; Reveal places a correct cat. These are limited tools, so look for a forced move before spending a charge.
The most useful beginner habit is to say why a square must contain a cat. If the answer is only that it looks promising, inspect another territory first.
What to try when you get stuck
- Check territories with the fewest legal cells.
- Check rows and columns that still need a cat.
- Check diagonal neighbors of every placed cat.
- Revisit the last uncertain placement before making a second guess.
The goal is a consistent whole board, not the fastest first placement. Start a game below and practice finding the forced territories before using a hint.