KAKURO BOOKS FOR ADULTS & TEENS
Kakuro Cross-Sum Puzzles
Kakuro puzzles are the addictive number-and-logic challenge that is one part crossword and one part Sudoku.
Whether you’re new to Kakuro or looking to improve your skills, this page covers everything you need: how Kakuro works, tips for solving, the history of the puzzle, and links to our Easy, Medium, and Hard Kakuro puzzle books.
If you love Sudoku, number puzzles, or mindful brain games, Kakuro offers the perfect blend of logic, arithmetic, and screen-free focus. Dive in and start your Kakuro journey.
What is Kakuro?
If you have ever picked up a newspaper or a puzzle anthology, you know the grip that Sudoku has had on the world for the last two decades. It is elegant, logic-driven, and relies entirely on the placement of numbers 1 through 9. But for those who have mastered the standard grids and are looking for a fresh mental workout, a different puzzle is quietly stepping into the spotlight: Kakuro.
The Objective of Kakuro
The game is played on a grid filled with blank squares and divided "clue" cells. The number(s) in each clue cell represent the sum that a specific row or column of consecutive white squares must add up to.
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A number in the top-right of a cluecell, is the sum for the row of blank cells to its right.
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A number in the bottom-left of a clue cell is the sum for the blank cels in the column below it.
The Rules of Kakuro
To solve the puzzle and fill the blank cells with numbers that total the clues, you must follow two golden rules:
1. Use digits 1 through 9 only.
2. Never duplicate a digit within any single sum combination.
For example, if you have a 2-cell row that must total 4, you cannot use 2 + 2 because digits cannot repeat. The only valid solution is a combination of 3 and 1.
"Kakuro ruined Sudoku for me - Thank you, Kakuro!"
NEW POCKET Kakuro Puzzle Books
Pocket Kakuro Cross Sums Book Volume 1 - MEDIUM
An attractive Zen Mindful Kakuro Book that combines mini-medium-grids for when you've only got a moment with 10x10 medium grids for when you've more time.
Pocket & Travel Sized 5 x 7.8"
Small enough to fit in your bag, big enough to write in easily.
Spacious Layout with Puzzle Times
Plenty of white space for workings and notes and includes puzzle time tracking.
Two Grid Sizes
With one 5x5 grid and one 10x10 Grid on each page, you can pick the puzzle that suits the time available.
Pocket Kakuro Cross Sum Puzzle Book Volume 2 - MEDIUM
For puzzlers with lots of time, this version of Pocket Kakuro feature two 12 x 12 grids on each page to keep you entertained.
Perfect Gift for Kakuro Lovers
The Zen aesthetic cover makes for a beautiful gift for others and a calming message to self.
Holiday Puzzle Book
140 puzzles with two 12x12 Kakuro grids on each page makes this the Kakuro must-have on holiday.
Date & Puzzle Times
A personal challenge to beat your best puzzle time. Note the time for each grid you solve.
Pocket Kakuro Cross Sum Puzzle Book Volume 3 - EASY
For beginners we have a dedicated book with large but easy 12 x 12 grids. At the front of each book is a link to Solving Tips and a printable Unique Combinations Sheet to get you started.
Perfect Gift for Kakuro Lovers
The Zen aesthetic cover makes for a beautiful gift for others and a calming message to self.
Holiday Puzzle Book
140 puzzles with two 12x12 Kakuro grids on each page makes this the Kakuro must-have on holiday.
Date & Puzzle Times
A personal challenge to beat your best puzzle time. Note the time for each grid you solve.
Travel-Size KAKURO Puzzle Books for Adults & Teens
A Very Difficult Christmas Puzzle Book - Paperback 6x9"
Not for the light-hearted, this super challenging puzzle book for Christmas has 20 mega sudoku, 15 Black Belt Kakuro (Cross Sum) Puzzles and 17 Christmas Clueless Word Searches.
Kakuro, Sudoku & Clueless Word Search
15 Kakuro grids, 20 challenging sudoku puzzles and 17 Clueless Word Searches
Compact Book
52 Challenging puzzles in a slim 6x9 paperback for Xmas.
Low Cost Mathletic Gift
A perfect Christmas gift for puzzle lovers, nerds, teachers or colleagues.
Hard Kakuro Puzzles for Adults & Teens - Paperback 6x9"
Take your Kakuro Puzzling to the next level of difficulty with this Hard edition. It has a combination of large grids and ultra-hard grids to truly test your logic and puzzling abilities.
Solutions Provided
Solutions for all these hard Kakuro grids are provided at the back of the book.
Challenge Beyond Compare
70 Puzzles. All at a Hard Level - no warm ups.
Great Value
With hard puzzles you absolutely get value for money. More hours of entertainment.
Medium Kakuro Puzzles for Adults & Teens - Paperback 6x9"
A brain teasing Word Puzzle on over 50 math and statistics topics. A great gift for adults, teachers and math students. Clues and solutions provided. A mix of challenging words and fun.
Easy Warm Up then Medium Difficulty
Less commonplace words made finding them that little bit harder.
15 x 15 Grids
70 puzzles with 15 x 15 grid with just the right level of challenge.
Handy Format
Easy reading 6x9 format paperback - perfect as a stocking filler for adults & teens.
Compact EASY Kakuro Puzzle Books for Kids, Beginners and Seniors
Easy Kakuro Puzzles for Adults & Teens - 6x9"
A great introduction to Kakuro puzzles with 70 puzzles in this handy 6 x 9" paperback book. Suitable for Adults, Teens, Clever Kids and Seniors.
Easy Puzzles for Confidence Building
34 classic 15 x 15 easy grids as a warm up to 36 medium-level difficulty as progression.
Compact Book
70 Kakuro puzzles in a slim 6x9 paperback for Xmas.
Low Cost Mathletic Gift
Just $9.99. A perfect stocking filler for all the family
Large Print - Easy Kakuro Puzzles for Beginners - 6x9"
Easy on the eye as well as being easy level - this is the perfect introduction to Kakuro for beginners, children or senior players.
Large Print for Easy Reading
Kakuro clues are in a half diagonal square so making sure it's large enough is critical.
Compact Book
80 quick 5x5 grids for beginners plus 11 larger grids as skills develop.
Supports Mental Agility
These small 5 x 5 grids are a great pastime for seniors to maintain mental agility.
Activity Book for Girls - Kakuro, Sudoku & Word Search - 6x9"
A Boredom Busting Activity Book for Girls with beginner Kakuro and Sudoku puzzles along with word search, maze and anagram puzzles. Suitable for smart girls 9+.
Variety Puzzle Book for Girls
A little bit of everything so girls are sure to find something that entertains and challenges.
Compact Travel- Sized Book
A Medium 6x9" sized book to fit in bags with a cute girl power cover.
Fun and Educational
The puzzles have a mix of relaxation and challenge to build mental agility.
Free Kakuro Download Files
Kakuro Strategies for Success
Unique Combinations Sheet
Easy Kakuro 5x5 to Try
Is Kakuro the New Sudoku?
Why Kakuro is Capturing the Sudoku Audience
1. A Higher Level of Logic
Sudoku is purely a game of pattern recognition and elimination. You don’t need to do math to solve a Sudoku puzzle—you could technically swap the numbers for letters or symbols and the logic would remain exactly the same.
Kakuro adds a brilliant layer of numerical strategy. Because you are working with specific math totals, certain clues have a highly limited number of mathematical solutions. This creates exciting "ah-ha!" moments where the numbers lock perfectly into place based on their mathematical constraints.
2. The Joy of Unique Combinations
The real beauty of Kakuro lies in its mathematical architecture. As you progress, you begin to memorize the specific digital combinations that can form certain totals.
Once you learn to spot these unique constraints, the puzzle transforms from a game of trial-and-error into a beautiful, flow-state of deduction.
3. Better Cognitive Variety
While Sudoku exercises your spatial reasoning and visual scanning, Kakuro actively engages your working memory and mental arithmetic. It keeps your brain agile by forcing you to look at how different intersecting clues restrict one another. It is the perfect screen-free activity to unwind after a busy afternoon, offering a deep sense of focus and quiet accomplishment.
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Keen to try Kakuro? Download our easy 5x5 samples below as well as our free Kakuro Tip Sheet.
Kakuro Gifts, Free Printables & Tip Sheets
Frequently Asked Questions
What Sets SomeThink Publications Apart
Behind the Scenes
At SomeThink Publications, every puzzle is carefully crafted to be clear, rewarding, and beautifully designed.
We combine the precision of logic with the joy of discovery, creating puzzle books that are both satisfying and stylish.