KenKen
Sudoku-plus-arithmetic — fill a grid so each row and column contains 1-N; cage clues give a target and an operation.
🌤indoor
What is KenKen?
KenKen is a logic-and-arithmetic puzzle invented by Japanese maths teacher Tetsuya Miyamoto in 2004. Solvers fill an N×N grid so each row and each column contains 1 through N with no repeats. The grid is divided into 'cages' (small groups of cells) each with a target number and arithmetic operation — cells within a cage must combine to the target using that operation. Published globally including by the New York Times.
Quick facts
Category
Puzzle Games
Type
Individual
Players
1–1
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇯🇵 Japan
Estimated origin
2004, Tetsuya Miyamoto (Japan)
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
Sources & provenance
Last verified 2026-08-24.verified