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Kode #73: hints & solution

Here's the clue board for Kode #73. Start with the spoiler-free hints. If you're still stuck, the full step-by-step solution is below, hidden until you open it.

The clue board

Each row is a guess that's already been graded. ▲ means a right digit in the right spot; ● means a right digit in the wrong spot.

  • 16235▲1●1
  • 26138▲0●1
  • 39234▲1●1
  • 41497▲1●1
  • 51078▲0●0

Spoiler-free hints

  • 2 of the four digits are even.
  • The four digits add up to 24.
  • 3 of the digits are 5 or higher.

Try the hints first. The solution below walks through every deduction.

Step-by-step solution

Every Kode can be cracked by pure deduction, with no guessing. This board falls in 8 logical steps. Open the solution to follow them one at a time.

Show the solution · reveals the code

When a row "rules out" a position, it shows that digit there but its ▲ marks are already used up (or it has none), so the digit can't sit there.

  1. Row 5 (1 0 7 8) has no marks at all, so 1, 0, 7, and 8 are not in the code.
  2. Row 4 (1 4 9 7) has 2 marks still unexplained, and only 2 digits are left undecided: 4 and 9. So both are in the code.
  3. Row 3 (9 2 3 4) has 2 marks, already accounted for by 9 and 4. That rules out 2 and 3.
  4. Row 1 (6 2 3 5) has 2 marks still unexplained, and only 2 digits are left undecided: 6 and 5. So both are in the code.
  5. Row 1 (6 2 3 5) has one digit in the right spot. Since row 2 rules out the 6 in position 1, it has to be the 5 in position 4.
  6. Row 3 (9 2 3 4) has one digit in the right spot. Since position 4 is already 5, it has to be the 9 in position 1.
  7. Row 4 (1 4 9 7) has one digit in the right spot. Since the 9 is already in position 1, it has to be the 4 in position 2.
  8. That leaves the 6 for position 3.

That cracks it: the code is 9465.

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