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⬡ How to Play BeeWise

A hexagonal logic puzzle with one simple rule

1 The One Rule

No Duplicates on Any Axis

That's it!

Each hexagon sits on three axes. No number can appear twice on the same axis.

⚠️ Common Misconception

You do NOT need every number 1-N on each axis. ✓ You just can't have duplicates.

2 The Three Axes

Every hexagon belongs to exactly three axes. Here they are:

3 1 5
Horizontal →
Same row (left to right)
2 4 1
Diagonal ↘
Down and to the right
5 3 2
Diagonal ↙
Down and to the left

3 See It in Action

The grid size determines what numbers you'll use: a 5×5 grid uses 1-5, a 7×7 grid uses 1-7, and so on. Each number can appear at most once on any axis.

Let's work through an example on a 5×5 grid. Look at the cell marked with "?" — what number can go there?

Example Finding the Only Possible Number

5 3 2 ? 1
Only option left 4

Starting with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5...

Horizontal blocks 2 and 1
Diagonal ↘ blocks 3
Diagonal ↙ blocks 5

4 What's Allowed (and What's Not)

Let's clear up the most common confusions:

✓ This is VALID
1 3 5

Non-consecutive numbers are perfectly fine! You don't need 1, 2, 3 in order.

✗ This is INVALID
3 1 3

Duplicate numbers on the same axis are not allowed. (Two 3s here!)

⚠️ About Short Diagonals

In a 5×5 grid, some diagonals have only 2 or 3 cells. These diagonals do not need to contain all numbers 1-5. A diagonal with just cells containing 2 and 5 is perfectly valid!

Example Short Diagonals Don't Need All Numbers

2 5
This ↙ diagonal only has 2 cells!

✓ Having just 2 and 5 is perfectly valid — no need for 1, 3, or 4.

🎉

You're ready to play!

You now know everything you need to start solving puzzles. Jump in and have fun!

Start Playing

Want to learn solving strategies and explore helper features? Keep reading below ↓

5 Solving Strategies

Naked Singles

When a cell can only contain one possible value (all others are blocked by the three axes), fill it in! This is the most common technique.

See Example
3 5 2 1 4

The blue cell can only be 4 — the 1 blocks horizontally, 3 blocks on ↘, and 2, 5 block on ↙!

Hidden Singles

When a number can only go in one cell within an axis—even if that cell has other candidates—that cell must contain that number.

See Example
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 5 5 5

On the yellow row, only the blue cell can have 5 — the other 5s block it everywhere else via columns and diagonals!

💡 Pro Tip: Use Auto Pencil

Turn on Auto Pencil to see all possible numbers for each cell. Look for cells with only one candidate—those are your next moves!

Advanced Techniques

The 💡 Hint button can find these advanced patterns:

Naked & Hidden Pairs

Naked Pairs: Two cells in an axis with the same two candidates. Other cells on that axis can't contain those values.

Hidden Pairs: Two values that only appear in two cells on an axis. Those cells can't contain any other values.

See Naked Pair Example
1 3 4 2 1 3 4 5 1 4 1 4 3 2 3 2 5 5

The green cells only have {1,4} — so 1 and 4 are removed from other cells, revealing 3!

Common Peer Elimination

Common Peer: If two cells on the same axis both have only candidates {X, Y}, then one must be X and the other must be Y. Any cell that can "see" both of them (shares an axis with both) cannot contain X or Y.

See Example
2 3 2 3 2 3 5 1 1 4 5 4 1

The green cells have {2,3}. The red cell sees both (via row and ↙ diagonal), so 2 and 3 are eliminated, leaving 5!

Triples & X-Wing

Naked Triples: Three cells sharing exactly three candidates. Those values can be eliminated elsewhere on the axis.

Hidden Triples: Three values confined to three cells. Other candidates in those cells can be eliminated.

X-Wing: When a candidate appears in exactly two cells on two different parallel axes, and those cells form a rectangle, the candidate can be eliminated from other cells on the perpendicular axes.

See Naked Triple Example
1 2 4 5 1 3 4 5 1 2 2 4 1 4 3 1 4 3 2 5 5 3

The blue cells have subsets of {1,2,4}. Watch as 1, 2, 4 get eliminated from the yellow cells!

6 Helper Features

✏️

Auto Pencil

Automatically fills in all possible candidates for every empty cell. Updates in real-time as you solve.

How to use: Click the Auto Pencil button to toggle on/off. When enabled, pencil marks update automatically as you place numbers.
See Example

Watch what happens when you place a 3:

1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3

The 3s on the same axes disappear, but corners keep theirs (different axes)!

💡

Hints

Get help finding the next logical move. Works in two stages for learning.

How to use:
  1. First click: Highlights the cell(s) involved in the technique
  2. Second click: Shows the explanation and applies any candidate eliminations
See Example

Watch the two-stage hint process:

2 3 3 1 Click

Hint finds the only possibility: "Naked Single: 3 is the only candidate!"

🚫

Show Exclusions

Highlights cells where the currently selected number cannot go based on existing placements.

How to use: Enable "Show Exclusions" in settings, then double-click a number to see where it's blocked. Orange cells show exclusion zones.
See Example
3 Selected Can't place 3 here

The 3 blocks all cells on the same row, column (↘), and diagonal (↙).

🎯

Number Highlighting

Double-click any cell to highlight all instances of that number across the grid.

How to use: Double-click a filled cell. All cells with the same number will glow yellow. Double-click again to turn off.
See Example
1 3 5 2 4 4 1 3 5 2 2 4 1 3 5 5 2 4 1 3 3 5 2 4 1

Double-click any 4 and all 4s across the grid light up yellow!

7 Controls Quick Reference

Action Mouse/Touch Keyboard
Select cell Click Arrow keys
Enter number Click number button 1-9
Pencil mark Click small number button Shift + number
Clear cell Click ✕ Backspace
Undo Click ↩ Ctrl+Z
Pause/Resume Click ⏸️ Space
Get hint Click 💡 H
Highlight number Double-click cell

💡 Two-Stage Hints

Click Hint once to highlight the cell(s), then click again to see the explanation and apply eliminations.

8 Visual Guide

3
Clue cell — Given number, can't change
?
Selected — Your current cell
!
Hinted — Hint location
5
Error — Conflict detected
4
Highlighted — Matching number
Exclusion — Number can't go here

9 Difficulty Levels

Level Techniques Required
Easy Naked singles only
Medium Hidden singles
Hard Naked pairs, common peer elimination
Expert X-Wing and advanced techniques

Start with Easy puzzles to learn the mechanics, then work your way up!

🐝 Start Playing