In a Stars & Stripes Sudoku puzzle each row, column and 3x4 box contains the digits 1-9 as well as three stars.

Our top solving tip for these puzzles is to ignore the stars, at least initially. Try to discover where as many digits go as you can and then think about the stars. While the presence of a digit in a column, for example, eliminates that same digit elsewhere in the column and the row and box the digit is in, one or two stars won’t eliminate anything. However, once you have all the digits filled in for a row, column or box, then the remaining empty spaces have to be stars.

The next thing to look for is a place where no digits can go since they’ve all been used up in that cell’s row, column and box. The only thing left to go there is a star.

The last trick is fairly straightforward: once you have three stars in a row, column or box whatever empty spaces are left have to be digits.