No repeats in a row or column · hit every cage

Attempts:

How to play Cagey

Cagey is a free daily maths logic puzzle. Everyone gets the same grid each day: 4×4 early in the week and 5×5 later on. Your job is to fill it so each row and each column contains every number exactly once, and every outlined cage hits its target.

How the puzzle works

Each cage shows a target and an operation. "7+" means the numbers in that cage add up to 7; "12×" means they multiply to 12; "2−" means the bigger number minus the smaller is 2; and "3÷" means the bigger number divided by the smaller is 3. Subtraction and division cages are always two cells, and a cage with just a number in it gives you that cell for free. Numbers can repeat inside a cage as long as they're not in the same row or column. Tap a cell, then a number; use Notes for pencil marks and Erase to clear. Row and column clashes are outlined as you go, and a full cage that misses its target has its label underlined. When the grid is full, press Check: wrong cells are marked with a ✕ so you can fix them. Every puzzle is checked by a solver to have exactly one solution.

Scoring and the helper

You have six attempts. Solving it on your first check earns 12 points, then 10, 8, 6, 4 and 2 for checks two to six. Each check marks the cells that are wrong. Stuck early on? The helper fills in one correct cell for you, but it halves the day's score and is only available during your first three checks.

Streaks and badges

Your play streak counts the days in a row you've played, and your solved streak counts the days in a row you've solved the puzzle. Play seven days running and you earn a 7-point bonus, or 14 points if you solved all seven. Miss a day and the streaks start again. A new puzzle arrives every day at midnight UTC.

Tips

Start with the one-number cages, then big or small targets: "2÷" or "20×" leave very few options.

In a 4×4 grid every row adds up to 10 (15 in a 5×5), which can pin down a tricky cell.

Use Notes to list the pairs that fit a cage, then let rows and columns knock them out.

What Cagey trains

Mental arithmetic. Finding the numbers that make each cage's target.

Logical deduction. Each row and column rule cuts down the options.

Combining constraints. Using maths and logic together to place each number.

Did you know?

This style of puzzle was invented in 2004 by Japanese maths teacher Tetsuya Miyamoto, who designed it to help his students practise.

It's often known as KenKen, from the Japanese word ken, meaning wisdom.

Your checks