Killer Sudoku Cage Calculator - Sums for 2-9 Cells

A Killer Sudoku cage is a group of cells that must add up to a target sum using distinct digits. For example, a 2-cell cage of 3 can only be 1+2, while a 3-cell cage of 24 can only be 7+8+9. Spot these "forced" cages first, then narrow the rest against the row, column, and box.

The tables below list, for every cage size from 2 to 9 cells, each reachable sum and the exact digit combinations that make it — generated from the same engine that runs the puzzles. Use them as a cage calculator while you solve.

This killer sudoku sum calculator lists every way a cage can be filled. In Killer Sudoku, each dashed cage shows a target sum, and the digits inside must be distinct digits from 1 to 9 — a digit can never repeat inside a cage. Enter the cage sum and the number of cells, and the calculator returns every valid combination instantly.

Small and extreme cages are the fastest wins: a 2-cell cage of 3 must be 1+2, a 2-cell cage of 17 must be 8+9, and a 3-cell cage of 23 can only be 6+8+9. When a cage has exactly one combination, every digit in it is forced, which makes these cages the natural starting points of any Killer Sudoku.

Combine the calculator with the 45 rule: every row, column, and 3×3 box contains the digits 1–9 exactly once, so it always sums to 45. If the cages inside a box sum to 44 with one cell poking out, that outside cell holds whatever balances the total — and the calculator narrows the rest.

How to find Killer Sudoku cage combinations

  1. Enter the cage sum printed in the corner of the cage.
  2. Set the cage size — the number of cells in the cage.
  3. Read the list of valid combinations; digits never repeat within a cage.
  4. Mark digits you already know as included or excluded to shrink the list.
  5. Pencil-mark the digits shared by every remaining combination.

Play this on a live board

Cages of 2 cells

Clue sumPossible combinations
31+2
41+3
51+4, 2+3
61+5, 2+4
71+6, 2+5, 3+4
81+7, 2+6, 3+5
91+8, 2+7, 3+6, 4+5
101+9, 2+8, 3+7, 4+6
112+9, 3+8, 4+7, 5+6
123+9, 4+8, 5+7
134+9, 5+8, 6+7
145+9, 6+8
156+9, 7+8
167+9
178+9

Cages of 3 cells

Clue sumPossible combinations
61+2+3
71+2+4
81+2+5, 1+3+4
91+2+6, 1+3+5, 2+3+4
101+2+7, 1+3+6, 1+4+5, 2+3+5
111+2+8, 1+3+7, 1+4+6, 2+3+6, 2+4+5
121+2+9, 1+3+8, 1+4+7, 1+5+6, 2+3+7, 2+4+6, 3+4+5
131+3+9, 1+4+8, 1+5+7, 2+3+8, 2+4+7, 2+5+6, 3+4+6
141+4+9, 1+5+8, 1+6+7, 2+3+9, 2+4+8, 2+5+7, 3+4+7, 3+5+6
151+5+9, 1+6+8, 2+4+9, 2+5+8, 2+6+7, 3+4+8, 3+5+7, 4+5+6
161+6+9, 1+7+8, 2+5+9, 2+6+8, 3+4+9, 3+5+8, 3+6+7, 4+5+7
171+7+9, 2+6+9, 2+7+8, 3+5+9, 3+6+8, 4+5+8, 4+6+7
181+8+9, 2+7+9, 3+6+9, 3+7+8, 4+5+9, 4+6+8, 5+6+7
192+8+9, 3+7+9, 4+6+9, 4+7+8, 5+6+8
203+8+9, 4+7+9, 5+6+9, 5+7+8
214+8+9, 5+7+9, 6+7+8
225+8+9, 6+7+9
236+8+9
247+8+9

Cages of 4 cells

Clue sumPossible combinations
101+2+3+4
111+2+3+5
121+2+3+6, 1+2+4+5
131+2+3+7, 1+2+4+6, 1+3+4+5
141+2+3+8, 1+2+4+7, 1+2+5+6, 1+3+4+6, 2+3+4+5
151+2+3+9, 1+2+4+8, 1+2+5+7, 1+3+4+7, 1+3+5+6, 2+3+4+6
161+2+4+9, 1+2+5+8, 1+2+6+7, 1+3+4+8, 1+3+5+7, 1+4+5+6, 2+3+4+7, 2+3+5+6
171+2+5+9, 1+2+6+8, 1+3+4+9, 1+3+5+8, 1+3+6+7, 1+4+5+7, 2+3+4+8, 2+3+5+7, 2+4+5+6
181+2+6+9, 1+2+7+8, 1+3+5+9, 1+3+6+8, 1+4+5+8, 1+4+6+7, 2+3+4+9, 2+3+5+8, 2+3+6+7, 2+4+5+7, 3+4+5+6
191+2+7+9, 1+3+6+9, 1+3+7+8, 1+4+5+9, 1+4+6+8, 1+5+6+7, 2+3+5+9, 2+3+6+8, 2+4+5+8, 2+4+6+7, 3+4+5+7
201+2+8+9, 1+3+7+9, 1+4+6+9, 1+4+7+8, 1+5+6+8, 2+3+6+9, 2+3+7+8, 2+4+5+9, 2+4+6+8, 2+5+6+7, 3+4+5+8, 3+4+6+7
211+3+8+9, 1+4+7+9, 1+5+6+9, 1+5+7+8, 2+3+7+9, 2+4+6+9, 2+4+7+8, 2+5+6+8, 3+4+5+9, 3+4+6+8, 3+5+6+7
221+4+8+9, 1+5+7+9, 1+6+7+8, 2+3+8+9, 2+4+7+9, 2+5+6+9, 2+5+7+8, 3+4+6+9, 3+4+7+8, 3+5+6+8, 4+5+6+7
231+5+8+9, 1+6+7+9, 2+4+8+9, 2+5+7+9, 2+6+7+8, 3+4+7+9, 3+5+6+9, 3+5+7+8, 4+5+6+8
241+6+8+9, 2+5+8+9, 2+6+7+9, 3+4+8+9, 3+5+7+9, 3+6+7+8, 4+5+6+9, 4+5+7+8
251+7+8+9, 2+6+8+9, 3+5+8+9, 3+6+7+9, 4+5+7+9, 4+6+7+8
262+7+8+9, 3+6+8+9, 4+5+8+9, 4+6+7+9, 5+6+7+8
273+7+8+9, 4+6+8+9, 5+6+7+9
284+7+8+9, 5+6+8+9
295+7+8+9
306+7+8+9

Cages of 5 cells

Clue sumPossible combinations
151+2+3+4+5
161+2+3+4+6
171+2+3+4+7, 1+2+3+5+6
181+2+3+4+8, 1+2+3+5+7, 1+2+4+5+6
191+2+3+4+9, 1+2+3+5+8, 1+2+3+6+7, 1+2+4+5+7, 1+3+4+5+6
201+2+3+5+9, 1+2+3+6+8, 1+2+4+5+8, 1+2+4+6+7, 1+3+4+5+7, 2+3+4+5+6
211+2+3+6+9, 1+2+3+7+8, 1+2+4+5+9, 1+2+4+6+8, 1+2+5+6+7, 1+3+4+5+8, 1+3+4+6+7, 2+3+4+5+7
221+2+3+7+9, 1+2+4+6+9, 1+2+4+7+8, 1+2+5+6+8, 1+3+4+5+9, 1+3+4+6+8, 1+3+5+6+7, 2+3+4+5+8, 2+3+4+6+7
231+2+3+8+9, 1+2+4+7+9, 1+2+5+6+9, 1+2+5+7+8, 1+3+4+6+9, 1+3+4+7+8, 1+3+5+6+8, 1+4+5+6+7, 2+3+4+5+9, 2+3+4+6+8, 2+3+5+6+7
241+2+4+8+9, 1+2+5+7+9, 1+2+6+7+8, 1+3+4+7+9, 1+3+5+6+9, 1+3+5+7+8, 1+4+5+6+8, 2+3+4+6+9, 2+3+4+7+8, 2+3+5+6+8, 2+4+5+6+7
251+2+5+8+9, 1+2+6+7+9, 1+3+4+8+9, 1+3+5+7+9, 1+3+6+7+8, 1+4+5+6+9, 1+4+5+7+8, 2+3+4+7+9, 2+3+5+6+9, 2+3+5+7+8, 2+4+5+6+8, 3+4+5+6+7
261+2+6+8+9, 1+3+5+8+9, 1+3+6+7+9, 1+4+5+7+9, 1+4+6+7+8, 2+3+4+8+9, 2+3+5+7+9, 2+3+6+7+8, 2+4+5+6+9, 2+4+5+7+8, 3+4+5+6+8
271+2+7+8+9, 1+3+6+8+9, 1+4+5+8+9, 1+4+6+7+9, 1+5+6+7+8, 2+3+5+8+9, 2+3+6+7+9, 2+4+5+7+9, 2+4+6+7+8, 3+4+5+6+9, 3+4+5+7+8
281+3+7+8+9, 1+4+6+8+9, 1+5+6+7+9, 2+3+6+8+9, 2+4+5+8+9, 2+4+6+7+9, 2+5+6+7+8, 3+4+5+7+9, 3+4+6+7+8
291+4+7+8+9, 1+5+6+8+9, 2+3+7+8+9, 2+4+6+8+9, 2+5+6+7+9, 3+4+5+8+9, 3+4+6+7+9, 3+5+6+7+8
301+5+7+8+9, 2+4+7+8+9, 2+5+6+8+9, 3+4+6+8+9, 3+5+6+7+9, 4+5+6+7+8
311+6+7+8+9, 2+5+7+8+9, 3+4+7+8+9, 3+5+6+8+9, 4+5+6+7+9
322+6+7+8+9, 3+5+7+8+9, 4+5+6+8+9
333+6+7+8+9, 4+5+7+8+9
344+6+7+8+9
355+6+7+8+9

Cages of 6 cells

Clue sumPossible combinations
211+2+3+4+5+6
221+2+3+4+5+7
231+2+3+4+5+8, 1+2+3+4+6+7
241+2+3+4+5+9, 1+2+3+4+6+8, 1+2+3+5+6+7
251+2+3+4+6+9, 1+2+3+4+7+8, 1+2+3+5+6+8, 1+2+4+5+6+7
261+2+3+4+7+9, 1+2+3+5+6+9, 1+2+3+5+7+8, 1+2+4+5+6+8, 1+3+4+5+6+7
271+2+3+4+8+9, 1+2+3+5+7+9, 1+2+3+6+7+8, 1+2+4+5+6+9, 1+2+4+5+7+8, 1+3+4+5+6+8, 2+3+4+5+6+7
281+2+3+5+8+9, 1+2+3+6+7+9, 1+2+4+5+7+9, 1+2+4+6+7+8, 1+3+4+5+6+9, 1+3+4+5+7+8, 2+3+4+5+6+8
291+2+3+6+8+9, 1+2+4+5+8+9, 1+2+4+6+7+9, 1+2+5+6+7+8, 1+3+4+5+7+9, 1+3+4+6+7+8, 2+3+4+5+6+9, 2+3+4+5+7+8
301+2+3+7+8+9, 1+2+4+6+8+9, 1+2+5+6+7+9, 1+3+4+5+8+9, 1+3+4+6+7+9, 1+3+5+6+7+8, 2+3+4+5+7+9, 2+3+4+6+7+8
311+2+4+7+8+9, 1+2+5+6+8+9, 1+3+4+6+8+9, 1+3+5+6+7+9, 1+4+5+6+7+8, 2+3+4+5+8+9, 2+3+4+6+7+9, 2+3+5+6+7+8
321+2+5+7+8+9, 1+3+4+7+8+9, 1+3+5+6+8+9, 1+4+5+6+7+9, 2+3+4+6+8+9, 2+3+5+6+7+9, 2+4+5+6+7+8
331+2+6+7+8+9, 1+3+5+7+8+9, 1+4+5+6+8+9, 2+3+4+7+8+9, 2+3+5+6+8+9, 2+4+5+6+7+9, 3+4+5+6+7+8
341+3+6+7+8+9, 1+4+5+7+8+9, 2+3+5+7+8+9, 2+4+5+6+8+9, 3+4+5+6+7+9
351+4+6+7+8+9, 2+3+6+7+8+9, 2+4+5+7+8+9, 3+4+5+6+8+9
361+5+6+7+8+9, 2+4+6+7+8+9, 3+4+5+7+8+9
372+5+6+7+8+9, 3+4+6+7+8+9
383+5+6+7+8+9
394+5+6+7+8+9

Cages of 7 cells

Clue sumPossible combinations
281+2+3+4+5+6+7
291+2+3+4+5+6+8
301+2+3+4+5+6+9, 1+2+3+4+5+7+8
311+2+3+4+5+7+9, 1+2+3+4+6+7+8
321+2+3+4+5+8+9, 1+2+3+4+6+7+9, 1+2+3+5+6+7+8
331+2+3+4+6+8+9, 1+2+3+5+6+7+9, 1+2+4+5+6+7+8
341+2+3+4+7+8+9, 1+2+3+5+6+8+9, 1+2+4+5+6+7+9, 1+3+4+5+6+7+8
351+2+3+5+7+8+9, 1+2+4+5+6+8+9, 1+3+4+5+6+7+9, 2+3+4+5+6+7+8
361+2+3+6+7+8+9, 1+2+4+5+7+8+9, 1+3+4+5+6+8+9, 2+3+4+5+6+7+9
371+2+4+6+7+8+9, 1+3+4+5+7+8+9, 2+3+4+5+6+8+9
381+2+5+6+7+8+9, 1+3+4+6+7+8+9, 2+3+4+5+7+8+9
391+3+5+6+7+8+9, 2+3+4+6+7+8+9
401+4+5+6+7+8+9, 2+3+5+6+7+8+9
412+4+5+6+7+8+9
423+4+5+6+7+8+9

Cages of 8 cells

Clue sumPossible combinations
361+2+3+4+5+6+7+8
371+2+3+4+5+6+7+9
381+2+3+4+5+6+8+9
391+2+3+4+5+7+8+9
401+2+3+4+6+7+8+9
411+2+3+5+6+7+8+9
421+2+4+5+6+7+8+9
431+3+4+5+6+7+8+9
442+3+4+5+6+7+8+9

Cages of 9 cells

Clue sumPossible combinations
451+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9

Frequently asked questions

What are the combinations for 23 in Killer Sudoku?
In a 3-cell cage, 23 has exactly one combination: 6+8+9. In a 4-cell cage, 23 can be made in several ways, such as 1+5+8+9, 2+4+8+9, 2+5+7+9, 3+4+7+9, 3+5+6+9, 1+6+7+9, and 2+6+7+8 — digits stay between 1 and 9 and never repeat.
Can digits repeat inside a Killer Sudoku cage?
No. Every cage must contain distinct digits from 1 to 9, in addition to the normal Sudoku rule that digits cannot repeat in a row, column, or 3×3 box.
What is the 45 rule in Killer Sudoku?
Each row, column, and 3×3 box contains the digits 1–9 exactly once, so each sums to 45. Comparing cage totals against 45 lets you deduce the value of a single cell that sticks into or out of a region.
Which Killer Sudoku cages have only one combination?
The extremes: 2 cells summing to 3 (1+2), 4 (1+3), 16 (7+9), or 17 (8+9); 3 cells summing to 6 (1+2+3), 7 (1+2+4), 23 (6+8+9), or 24 (7+8+9); and similar minimum/maximum sums for larger cages. These forced cages are the best places to start.
Is this killer cage calculator free?
Yes. The calculator is free to use with no account required, and it covers every cage size from 2 to 9 cells.

Killer · Learn · How to Solve Killer Sudoku Cages