The opening idea
First reserve gold/purple for columns 1–2, prove R2 C6 impossible, then reserve gold/teal for the top two rows. Row 3’s two neighboring candidates force the brown cat at R4 C4.
Meowdoku Level 62 answer
Try the deductions below first, or open the answer when you want to check your completed board.
Reveal all 7 cat positions
Cat coordinates
- R1C7Row 1, column 7
- R2C1Row 2, column 1
- R3C6Row 3, column 6
- R4C4Row 4, column 4
- R5C2Row 5, column 2
- R6C5Row 6, column 5
- R7C3Row 7, column 3
The 7 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 do the game’s hints cross R2 C6 and R3 C1 as contradictions on this Level 62 board?
R2 C6 would block the top-right teal squares and row 3’s blue/yellow alternatives. Rows 1 and 3 would both require gold, violating one cat per color.
Once R2 C6 is crossed, rows 1 and 2 have only gold and teal. Those colors are reserved for the top two rows, so gold at R3 C1 is impossible.
Row 3 then has only C5/C6. Both choices conflict with R4 C5/C6, forcing the brown cat at R4 C4 and starting the remaining chain.
Why R2 C6 causes a contradiction
Imagine a pale-yellow cat at R2 C6. It would block R1 C7 and R3 C7 diagonally, R3 C5 diagonally, and R3 C6 by column. With the earlier column exclusions, rows 1 and 3 would both have to use the gold region. That requires two gold cats, which is forbidden. Cross R2 C6; this is a proof by contradiction, not a trial placement.
See this in the complete process ↓Why R3 C1 is also impossible
After crossing R2 C6, the only colors available in rows 1 and 2 are gold and right-edge teal. Both colors must be used in those two rows. Cross their squares in all lower rows, including R3 C1. Equivalently, a gold cat at R3 C1 would force both top rows into teal in column 7, violating both the column and color rules.
See this in the complete process ↓Use row 3 to narrow row 4
Row 3 now has only R3 C5 and R3 C6. Whichever one holds its cat, R4 C5 and R4 C6 would share its column or touch it diagonally. Mark both squares in row 4. You can make this exclusion before deciding which of row 3’s two squares is correct.
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.
Read the regions before choosing a cat
- gold: The large upper-left staircase narrows from six squares in row 1 to the leftmost square in rows 5–6. Gold and purple are the only colors in columns 1–2; later, reserving gold and teal for the top two rows explains why R3 C1 cannot be gold.
- teal right-edge: A seven-square strip filling the entire rightmost column, C7. After gold and teal are reserved for rows 1–2, its cat must be R1 C7 or R2 C7; the pale-yellow cat at R3 C6 eliminates R2 C7 diagonally.
- pale yellow: A straight strip in C6, starting in row 2 and continuing to the bottom. Its top square, R2 C6, is the contradiction hint: a cat there would force both rows 1 and 3 into gold. The legal yellow cat is later forced to R3 C6.
- slate blue: A straight strip in C5 from rows 3–7, immediately left of pale yellow. R3 C5 is ruled out by the brown cat at R4 C4, and the remaining row and column exclusions eventually leave the blue cat at R6 C5.
- brown: A four-square strip in C4 from rows 4–7. Once row 3 has only C5 or C6 available, both choices exclude R4 C5 and R4 C6, forcing the brown cat at the top of this strip, R4 C4.
- purple: A four-square hook in the lower-left corner: a stem in C2 at rows 5–6 and a two-square base in row 7. Every purple candidate conflicts with R6 C1, so that gold square can be crossed before placing any cat.
- green: A three-square strip in C3 at rows 5–7. Every possible green cat conflicts with R6 C2 and R6 C4; marking those squares removes tempting purple and brown choices without guessing.
Count the remaining candidates in the narrow regions before choosing a square in the larger colors. Follow every region boundary; a color’s cat completes its entire region.
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.
Rows, columns, regions and adjacency
Reserve gold and purple for columns 1 and 2
Columns 1 and 2 contain only gold and purple squares. Each column needs a cat, and each color allows exactly one. Those two colors must fill those two columns, so no gold cat can use columns 3–6. Cross the gold squares there; the other five regions each have their own remaining column.
Check: 0 of 7 cats placed after this step.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
Rows, columns, regions and adjacency
Cross R6 C1 without trying it
Purple must use one of R5 C2, R6 C2, R7 C1 or R7 C2. R6 C1 conflicts with every one: it shares a row or column, or touches diagonally. A cat at R6 C1 would leave purple nowhere to go, so mark it.
Check: 0 of 7 cats placed after this step.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
Rows, columns, regions and adjacency
Protect the green cat in column 3
The green region is R5 C3, R6 C3 or R7 C3. R6 C2 and R6 C4 touch or share the row with every one of those choices. Neither square can contain a cat; mark both. This also removes the tempting purple R6 C2.
Check: 0 of 7 cats placed after this step.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
Proof by contradiction
Why R2 C6 causes a contradiction
Imagine a pale-yellow cat at R2 C6. It would block R1 C7 and R3 C7 diagonally, R3 C5 diagonally, and R3 C6 by column. With the earlier column exclusions, rows 1 and 3 would both have to use the gold region. That requires two gold cats, which is forbidden. Cross R2 C6; this is a proof by contradiction, not a trial placement.
Check: 0 of 7 cats placed after this step.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
Rows, columns, regions and adjacency
Why R3 C1 is also impossible
After crossing R2 C6, the only colors available in rows 1 and 2 are gold and right-edge teal. Both colors must be used in those two rows. Cross their squares in all lower rows, including R3 C1. Equivalently, a gold cat at R3 C1 would force both top rows into teal in column 7, violating both the column and color rules.
Check: 0 of 7 cats placed after this step.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
Rows, columns, regions and adjacency
Use row 3 to narrow row 4
Row 3 now has only R3 C5 and R3 C6. Whichever one holds its cat, R4 C5 and R4 C6 would share its column or touch it diagonally. Mark both squares in row 4. You can make this exclusion before deciding which of row 3’s two squares is correct.
Check: 0 of 7 cats placed after this step.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
Forced placement
Place the brown cat at R4 C4
Row 4 has only R4 C4 left, so place its cat there. Clear the rest of row 4, column 4 and the brown region, together with the two diagonally neighboring squares.
Check: 1 of 7 cats placed after this step.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
Forced placement
Place pale yellow at R3 C6
R3 C5 touches the cat at R4 C4 diagonally. Cross it. R3 C6 is the sole remaining square in row 3, so place the pale-yellow cat there.
Check: 2 of 7 cats placed after this step.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
Forced placement
Place right-edge teal at R1 C7
The teal cat was restricted to the top two rows. R2 C7 now touches R3 C6 diagonally. Only R1 C7 survives; place that cat.
Check: 3 of 7 cats placed after this step.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
Forced placement
Place purple at R5 C2
In row 5, C3 and C5 touch the brown cat at R4 C4, C4 shares its column and C6 shares the pale-yellow cat’s column. The earlier exclusions also remove C1 and C7. R5 C2 is the only square left.
Check: 4 of 7 cats placed after this step.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
Forced placement
Place gold at R2 C1
Gold belongs in row 1 or 2 and column 1 or 2. Row 1 already contains the teal cat, and column 2 contains the purple cat. The gold cat is therefore R2 C1.
Check: 5 of 7 cats placed after this step.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
Forced placement
Place green at R7 C3
R5 C3 is blocked by the brown cat’s diagonal and by row 5. R6 C3 touches the purple cat at R5 C2. The green region’s only remaining square is R7 C3; place it.
Check: 6 of 7 cats placed after this step.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
Forced placement
Finish with slate blue at R6 C5
Rows 1–5 and row 7 now each have a cat. Slate blue in column 5 is the only unresolved color and column. Its remaining square is R6 C5. Place it to finish all seven cats.
Check: 7 of 7 cats placed after this step.
Outlined cells show this step’s change. Cats and X marks carry forward.
What can go wrong on Level 62?
- R2 C6 looks individually legal, but it would force both row 1 and row 3 to use gold. Check the consequences in other rows.
- R3 C1 cannot hold gold once gold and teal are reserved for the top two rows.
- The tutorial’s orange crosses record failed attempts at R6 C2 and R3 C5. They are not additional cats or required steps.
- The video uses pink for the player screenshot’s gold region and light blue for its right-edge teal region. The cell shapes and solution are identical; use coordinates when comparing themes.
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
A contradiction means a hypothetical cat would make another required row, column or color impossible. Name the specific blocked requirement before crossing the square.
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 ↗
The actual player screenshot and original opening/completed video frames were compared cell by cell. Region geometry matches exactly despite different palettes. The complete final cat coordinates match the video, and independent exact enumeration found one legal solution. The written route is independent of the video’s trial moves; every marked cell retains the unique legal solution.
Sources & further reading
Level 62 questions
What does “contradiction” mean at R2 C6?
A hypothetical cat there blocks the alternatives in rows 1 and 3, forcing both rows into gold. Each color gets only one cat, so the assumption cannot be true.
Why can I cross R3 C1?
Once R2 C6 is excluded, gold and right-edge teal are the only colors in the top two rows. Both colors are reserved there. A gold cat in row 3 would force the top rows into the same teal column 7.
Do I need to spend hearts to test the hint?
No. Follow the hypothetical consequences on the diagram without placing a cat in the game. Cross the square only after identifying the duplicated color or blocked row.
Why does the video have different colors?
Its palette differs, but every region shape matches the player’s 7×7 board. The verified cat coordinates match its completed frame.