Many Sudoku beginners treat Sudoku like a one-step-at-a-time linear game – first you find the right number for this missing space, then the next, then the next, and so on until you’re done. But a more advanced understanding of Sudoku shows that some of the most successful Sudoku players know how to solve Sudoku puzzles by thinking ahead.

Sudoku is one of the world’s most popular puzzle games, but even though it’s a game played by millions of people all over the world, there is a big difference in skill level between the most successful Sudoku players and average Sudoku players who enjoy the game just as a casual hobby.