Two-String Kite
advancedA row and column linked through a shared box for single-digit eliminations
The Two-String Kite is another turbot fish pattern. A candidate appears exactly twice in one row and exactly twice in one column, and those lines share a box. The two endpoints outside that box form the "strings" of the kite.
Understanding the Concept
Find a row where a candidate appears exactly twice, and a column where the same candidate appears exactly twice.
One cell from the row and one cell from the column must share the same box — this is the "body" of the kite.
The other two cells (one from the row, one from the column) are the "string endpoints."
Logic: In the row, one of the two cells must hold the digit. In the column, one of the two cells must hold the digit.
The body cells are linked through the box — if one is true, the other is false (they share a box and both can't be the same digit).
This creates a chain: row-endpoint -> row-body -> (box link) -> col-body -> col-endpoint.
At least one string endpoint holds the digit. Any cell seeing both endpoints cannot hold it.
Examples
Two-String Kite on Digit 6 (Row 2, Column 1)
Digit 6 appears twice in row 2 (at C1 and C7) and twice in column 1 (at R2 and R7). Cell R2C1 is the shared body (in box 0). String endpoints: R2C7 (row string) and R7C1 (column string). Cell R7C7 sees both endpoints (same row as R7C1, same column as R2C7). Eliminate 6 from R7C7.
Pro Tips
- •Find a row and column where the candidate appears exactly twice each
- •Check if they share a box — one cell from the row and one from the column must be in the same box
- •The "strings" are the cells NOT in the shared box
- •Eliminations target cells that see both string endpoints
- •The Two-String Kite and Skyscraper are both "turbot fish" — they differ only in geometry
