Notes on this puzzle
Kakuro #5304 is a 10×10 field with 56 white cells split into 38 runs: 20 across and 18 down.
9 of the 38 runs can be filled with only one set of digits:
- 4 in 2 → 1 + 3
- 16 in 2 → 7 + 9
- 17 in 2 → 8 + 9
- 6 in 3 → 1 + 2 + 3
- 7 in 3 → 1 + 2 + 4
- 16 in 5 → 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 6
The longest run is 5 cells long and 20 runs have only two cells, which is where the arithmetic is tightest. Clue totals go from 4 up to 34, with an average of 15.2.
Where to beginA good first target is the cell at row 1, column 10 of the field: the two runs crossing there settle it. Longer runs hide fewer certainties; build from the short runs inwards.