The opening idea
Three unsolved regions confined to three columns reserve all three columns, even when one region uses only two of them. Remove other regions from those columns before choosing individual cats.
Meowdoku Level 60 answer
Try the deductions below first, or open the answer when you want to check your completed board.
Reveal all 9 cat positions
Cat coordinates
- R1C9Row 1, column 9
- R2C6Row 2, column 6
- R3C2Row 3, column 2
- R4C4Row 4, column 4
- R5C7Row 5, column 7
- R6C3Row 6, column 3
- R7C8Row 7, column 8
- R8C5Row 8, column 5
- R9C1Row 9, column 1
The 9 cats occupy distinct rows, columns and regions. Neighboring rows place cats at least two columns apart, so no cats touch at a corner.
Why the key move works
The player’s question: Why can three colors reserve three columns when pale yellow appears in only two of those columns?
Count cats, not how many columns each individual color covers. Light green, purple and pale yellow need three cats between them. All of their remaining choices lie within columns 6, 8 and 9.
The row-and-column rule makes those three cats use three different columns. There are only three columns available, so every one must be occupied. Pale yellow may use just columns 6 or 8; purple or light green will take column 9.
The hint therefore excludes the six dark-green cells R8C6/R8C8/R8C9 and R9C6/R9C8/R9C9. It does not decide the exact three cat locations. The final solution later places pale yellow at R7C8, purple at R2C6 and light green at R1C9.
Cyan reserves column 7
The cyan region has only R4C7, R5C7 and R6C7. Row 6 is already occupied, leaving R4C7 or R5C7; both use column 7. Therefore no other region can use column 7. Mark R1C7, R2C7, R3C7, R7C7, R8C7, R9C7 X. In particular, remove R1C7 from light green and R2C7 from purple.
See this in the complete process ↓Light green reserves row 1
After column 7 is reserved, the light-green region can use only R1C8 or R1C9. Its cat must therefore occupy row 1. Remove the mustard-yellow cells R1C1 through R1C6; this identifies a reserved row without choosing between R1C8 and R1C9.
See this in the complete process ↓Three colors reserve columns 6, 8 and 9
Light green can use columns 8 or 9. Purple can use columns 6, 8 or 9. Pale yellow can use columns 6 or 8; it does not need to appear in column 9. The union of their choices is exactly columns 6, 8 and 9. Each of the three regions needs one cat, and two cats cannot share a column, so those three cats fill all three columns. No dark-green cat can occupy any of them. In the player screenshot the six newly outlined Xs are R8C6, R8C8, R8C9, R9C6, R9C8 and R9C9. Our clean replay also removes R7C9, which the player had already crossed out. This hint proves exclusions; it does not pick the three cats.
See this in the complete process ↓The original app board, in pictures
The player’s screenshot and original video show the same region shapes with different color themes. Each caption identifies its source. The diagrams follow the player’s colors so the deduction is easier to compare.
Complete solving process
All steps are shown below. The route uses rule-based deductions and explains each forced square or exclusion. You can use the answer above to check your board without reading the whole sequence.
Start with the singleton at R6C3
The tiny pink region contains only R6C3, so its required cat belongs there. This is the cat already visible in the player screenshot. Our clean replay starts with no given cats and deduces this move. Cross out the rest of row 6, column 3, and its touching neighbors.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
Cyan reserves column 7
The cyan region has only R4C7, R5C7 and R6C7. Row 6 is already occupied, leaving R4C7 or R5C7; both use column 7. Therefore no other region can use column 7. Mark R1C7, R2C7, R3C7, R7C7, R8C7, R9C7 X. In particular, remove R1C7 from light green and R2C7 from purple.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
Light green reserves row 1
After column 7 is reserved, the light-green region can use only R1C8 or R1C9. Its cat must therefore occupy row 1. Remove the mustard-yellow cells R1C1 through R1C6; this identifies a reserved row without choosing between R1C8 and R1C9.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
Three colors reserve columns 6, 8 and 9
Light green can use columns 8 or 9. Purple can use columns 6, 8 or 9. Pale yellow can use columns 6 or 8; it does not need to appear in column 9. The union of their choices is exactly columns 6, 8 and 9. Each of the three regions needs one cat, and two cats cannot share a column, so those three cats fill all three columns. No dark-green cat can occupy any of them. In the player screenshot the six newly outlined Xs are R8C6, R8C8, R8C9, R9C6, R9C8 and R9C9. Our clean replay also removes R7C9, which the player had already crossed out. This hint proves exclusions; it does not pick the three cats.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
2 regions reserve columns 5, 7
The unsolved units cyan region, dark green region each require one cat. All of their remaining candidates lie in columns 5, 7: R4C7, R5C5, R5C7, R7C5, R8C5. Those 2 cats must occupy 2 different columns, so they fill the entire set. A single source unit need not appear in every reserved column; the union is what matters. Other units cannot use those columns. Mark R2C5, R3C5, R4C5, R9C5 X.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
4 regions reserve rows 2, 3, 4, 5
The unsolved units mustard yellow region, purple region, brown region, cyan region each require one cat. All of their remaining candidates lie in rows 2, 3, 4, 5: R2C1, R2C2, R2C4, R2C6, R2C8, R2C9, R3C1, R3C2, R3C4, R3C9, R4C2, R4C4, R4C7, R4C9, R5C7, R5C9. Those 4 cats must occupy 4 different rows, so they fill the entire set. A single source unit need not appear in every reserved row; the union is what matters. Other units cannot use those rows. Mark R3C6, R3C8, R4C1, R4C6, R4C8, R5C1, R5C5, R5C6, R5C8 X.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
2 regions reserve rows 1, 7
The unsolved units light green region, pale yellow region each require one cat. All of their remaining candidates lie in rows 1, 7: R1C8, R1C9, R7C6, R7C8. Those 2 cats must occupy 2 different rows, so they fill the entire set. A single source unit need not appear in every reserved row; the union is what matters. Other units cannot use those rows. Mark R7C1, R7C5 X.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
Place R8C5: the only cell in column 5
Column 5 must contain exactly one cat. After excluding cells that share a row, column or region with an existing cat, cells touching a cat, and the proven X marks from earlier steps, R8C5 is its only remaining candidate. Place the cat there.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
Place R7C8: the only cell in row 7
Row 7 must contain exactly one cat. After excluding cells that share a row, column or region with an existing cat, cells touching a cat, and the proven X marks from earlier steps, R7C8 is its only remaining candidate. Place the cat there.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
Place R1C9: the only cell in row 1
Row 1 must contain exactly one cat. After excluding cells that share a row, column or region with an existing cat, cells touching a cat, and the proven X marks from earlier steps, R1C9 is its only remaining candidate. Place the cat there.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
Place R5C7: the only cell in row 5
Row 5 must contain exactly one cat. After excluding cells that share a row, column or region with an existing cat, cells touching a cat, and the proven X marks from earlier steps, R5C7 is its only remaining candidate. Place the cat there.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
Place R2C6: the only cell in column 6
Column 6 must contain exactly one cat. After excluding cells that share a row, column or region with an existing cat, cells touching a cat, and the proven X marks from earlier steps, R2C6 is its only remaining candidate. Place the cat there.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
Exclude the shared neighbors of row 3
Row 3 must put its cat at one of R3C1, R3C2, R3C4. Each of those alternatives conflicts with R4C2 through a shared unit or touching cells. Those cells are impossible whichever alternative wins; mark them X and keep the alternatives open.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
Place R4C4: the only cell in row 4
Row 4 must contain exactly one cat. After excluding cells that share a row, column or region with an existing cat, cells touching a cat, and the proven X marks from earlier steps, R4C4 is its only remaining candidate. Place the cat there.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
Place R3C2: the only cell in row 3
Row 3 must contain exactly one cat. After excluding cells that share a row, column or region with an existing cat, cells touching a cat, and the proven X marks from earlier steps, R3C2 is its only remaining candidate. Place the cat there.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
Place R9C1: the only cell in row 9
Row 9 must contain exactly one cat. After excluding cells that share a row, column or region with an existing cat, cells touching a cat, and the proven X marks from earlier steps, R9C1 is its only remaining candidate. Place the cat there.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
What can go wrong on Level 60?
- A reserved set uses the union of the three regions’ columns. Each color does not have to cover every column individually.
- The hint is an X-mark deduction, not a command to put cats at the highlighted cells.
- The hint overlay darkens ordinary cells. R1C7 is part of the light-green region and R2C7 part of purple even though their crossed-out tiles look much darker.
- The matching original video has different color assignments. Compare the full region outlines and coordinates rather than matching color names across sources.
Audit the row, column, colored region and immediate diagonal neighbors after every cat. If your copied board gives no solution, check uncertain X marks before changing a region boundary.
The lesson to carry into the next board
Three unsolved regions confined to three columns reserve all three columns, even when one region uses only two of them. Remove other regions from those columns before choosing individual cats.
On your next puzzle, look for the same type of constraint before choosing a square. A useful question is: “Which row, column or region now has fewer candidates because of my last cat?” Keep the answer tied to a specific marked cell.
Read the illustrated Meowdoku strategy guide ↗Watch the source video
Video loads only when you press play. Open on YouTube ↗
This guide answers one firsthand Level 60 request by thekittygirl in r/puzzles. The screenshot labels Level 60 Hard and shows one cat at R6C3. Two later commenters ask about other hint concepts; their boards are not counted as Level 60 requests. All 81 source region cells match the original Rock Gaming Channel video after relabeling colors. The completed video matches the independently unique solution. The video opening has 0/9 cats, so R6C3 is deduced rather than treated as a given. The player’s already placed cat and Xs are recorded separately as startingState. Our diagrams retain the player’s color names and replay a clean board in an independent logical order.
Sources & further reading
Level 60 questions
What is the Meowdoku Level 60 answer?
For this 9×9 recorded board, the cats belong at R1C9, R2C6, R3C2, R4C4, R5C7, R6C3, R7C8, R8C5, R9C1. Compare the opening regions and given cats before applying the answer.
Why does the video use a different move order?
Several forced moves can be available at once. The written guide orders them to explain a clear deduction chain. Rejected trial crosses in the source video are not placements to copy.
What if my board is different?
Use the Meowdoku solver with your exact region map and known cats. A different map can have a different answer under the same number.