Hidden Pair
hiddenPair
LevelNot seen in a hint yet
How it works
If two digits in one house can only go in the same two cells, those two cells belong to those two digits. However many other candidates remain in them, there is no room left.
What gets cleared is therefore not other cells but the remaining candidates inside those two cells — the exact opposite direction to a Naked Pair. The pair is hidden under the other candidates, so it only appears once you count where each digit can go.
Worked example
2
4
7
6
9
2
9
7
1
3
6
2
5
2
1
6
9
4
4
5
9
3
2
7
8
3
4
2
6
9
1
2
7
7
1
3
2
2
7
1
9
● evidence✕ eliminated★ confirmed
In row 3, the two digits 6, 9 can only go in R3C1, R3C2 (marked ●).
Those two cells therefore belong to 6, 9, so the 5 other candidates left in them are removed.
Examples I encountered
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