Technique

XYZ-Wing

Like an XY-Wing, but the pivot cell has three candidates {X,Y,Z} instead of two, and the pivot itself is also part of the elimination.

💡 What It Is

A three-cell pattern: a tri-value pivot {X,Y,Z} plus two bivalue pincers {X,Z} and {Y,Z} that each share a house with the pivot.

🔍 How To Spot It

Find a cell with exactly three candidates (the pivot). Find two bivalue cells sharing a house with it, each holding Z plus one of the pivot's other two digits.

✅ Why It Works

Whatever the pivot turns out to be - X, Y, or Z - one of the three cells (pivot or a pincer) ends up as Z. So Z can be eliminated from any cell that sees all three: the pivot and both pincers.

📝 Worked Example

269

R5C5 has {2,6,9} (pivot), R5C8 has {2,9} (shares row 5), and R4C5 has {6,9} (shares column 5). A 9 ends up at one of these three cells no matter what - eliminate 9 from any cell that sees all three.

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