Kakuro combinations are the digit sets that can fill a clue run. If a clue says 16 across in 2 cells, the only possible digits are 7 and 9. The order still depends on the crossing clues, but the digit set is fixed.
This guide gives you the complete Kakuro combinations chart, the most important unique combinations, and a practical method for using them without turning your puzzle into a page of arithmetic.
Every run uses digits 1 to 9, and a digit cannot appear twice inside the same run.
Very low and very high sums often have only one or two possible digit sets.
A combination gives a set; the intersecting clue decides which digit goes where.
Kakuro Combinations Chart
The table below is the quick reference. A 2-cell run can total anything from 3 to 17. A 9-cell run can only total 45, because it must use every digit from 1 to 9.
| Run length | Possible sums | Valid sums | Total digit sets | Unique sums |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 cells | 3-17 | 15 | 36 | 4 |
| 3 cells | 6-24 | 19 | 84 | 4 |
| 4 cells | 10-30 | 21 | 126 | 4 |
| 5 cells | 15-35 | 21 | 126 | 4 |
| 6 cells | 21-39 | 19 | 84 | 4 |
| 7 cells | 28-42 | 15 | 36 | 4 |
| 8 cells | 36-44 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| 9 cells | 45-45 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Unique Kakuro Combinations
A unique combination has exactly one possible digit set. These are the best starting points in Kakuro because they immediately tell you which digits must appear in the run.
| Cells | Clue sum | Only possible digits |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 3 | 1-2 |
| 2 | 4 | 1-3 |
| 2 | 16 | 7-9 |
| 2 | 17 | 8-9 |
| 3 | 6 | 1-2-3 |
| 3 | 7 | 1-2-4 |
| 3 | 23 | 6-8-9 |
| 3 | 24 | 7-8-9 |
| 4 | 10 | 1-2-3-4 |
| 4 | 11 | 1-2-3-5 |
| 4 | 29 | 5-7-8-9 |
| 4 | 30 | 6-7-8-9 |
| 5 | 15 | 1-2-3-4-5 |
| 5 | 16 | 1-2-3-4-6 |
| 5 | 34 | 4-6-7-8-9 |
| 5 | 35 | 5-6-7-8-9 |
| 6 | 21 | 1-2-3-4-5-6 |
| 6 | 22 | 1-2-3-4-5-7 |
| 6 | 38 | 3-5-6-7-8-9 |
| 6 | 39 | 4-5-6-7-8-9 |
| 7 | 28 | 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 |
| 7 | 29 | 1-2-3-4-5-6-8 |
| 7 | 41 | 2-4-5-6-7-8-9 |
| 7 | 42 | 3-4-5-6-7-8-9 |
| 8 | 36 | 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 |
| 8 | 37 | 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-9 |
| 8 | 38 | 1-2-3-4-5-6-8-9 |
| 8 | 39 | 1-2-3-4-5-7-8-9 |
| 8 | 40 | 1-2-3-4-6-7-8-9 |
| 8 | 41 | 1-2-3-5-6-7-8-9 |
| 8 | 42 | 1-2-4-5-6-7-8-9 |
| 8 | 43 | 1-3-4-5-6-7-8-9 |
| 8 | 44 | 2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9 |
| 9 | 45 | 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9 |
How To Use Kakuro Combinations
A combination table is most useful when you treat it as a filter. First find the possible digit sets for one clue, then remove any set that conflicts with the crossing clues.
Match length and sum
For a 3-cell clue of 7, the table says the only set is 1-2-4.
Mark the digit set
The run must contain those digits, but the order is not known yet.
Use crossing clues
If a crossing run cannot contain 4, that cell must be 1 or 2.
Repeat after every placement
Each confirmed digit shrinks the combinations available to nearby clues.
Best Combinations To Memorize First
You do not need to memorize the whole chart at once. Start with the extremes, because they appear often and give the cleanest deductions.
Two-cell essentials
- 3 = 1-2
- 4 = 1-3
- 16 = 7-9
- 17 = 8-9
Three-cell extremes
- 6 = 1-2-3
- 7 = 1-2-4
- 23 = 6-8-9
- 24 = 7-8-9
Long-run anchors
- 4 cells: 10 and 30
- 5 cells: 15 and 35
- 8 cells: 36 and 44
- 9 cells: 45
Example: Turning A Combination Into A Placement
Imagine a 2-cell across clue of 16 crossing a 3-cell down clue of 10. The 16-across clue can only be 7-9. The 10-down clue can be 1-2-7, 1-3-6, 1-4-5 or 2-3-5.
Only one of those down combinations contains 7. So the crossing cell is 7, and the other cell in the 16-across run must be 9. That is the rhythm of Kakuro: one clue narrows a set, the crossing clue chooses the position.
Complete Kakuro Combination Tables
Use these full tables as a reference while solving. The combinations are written as digit sets, so 1-4-8 means the run contains 1, 4 and 8 in some order.
2-Cell Kakuro Combinations
Sums 3-17. 36 total digit sets.
| Sum | Valid combinations | Count |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1-2 | 1 |
| 4 | 1-3 | 1 |
| 5 | 1-42-3 | 2 |
| 6 | 1-52-4 | 2 |
| 7 | 1-62-53-4 | 3 |
| 8 | 1-72-63-5 | 3 |
| 9 | 1-82-73-64-5 | 4 |
| 10 | 1-92-83-74-6 | 4 |
| 11 | 2-93-84-75-6 | 4 |
| 12 | 3-94-85-7 | 3 |
| 13 | 4-95-86-7 | 3 |
| 14 | 5-96-8 | 2 |
| 15 | 6-97-8 | 2 |
| 16 | 7-9 | 1 |
| 17 | 8-9 | 1 |
3-Cell Kakuro Combinations
Sums 6-24. 84 total digit sets.
| Sum | Valid combinations | Count |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 1-2-3 | 1 |
| 7 | 1-2-4 | 1 |
| 8 | 1-2-51-3-4 | 2 |
| 9 | 1-2-61-3-52-3-4 | 3 |
| 10 | 1-2-71-3-61-4-52-3-5 | 4 |
| 11 | 1-2-81-3-71-4-62-3-62-4-5 | 5 |
| 12 | 1-2-91-3-81-4-71-5-62-3-72-4-63-4-5 | 7 |
| 13 | 1-3-91-4-81-5-72-3-82-4-72-5-63-4-6 | 7 |
| 14 | 1-4-91-5-81-6-72-3-92-4-82-5-73-4-73-5-6 | 8 |
| 15 | 1-5-91-6-82-4-92-5-82-6-73-4-83-5-74-5-6 | 8 |
| 16 | 1-6-91-7-82-5-92-6-83-4-93-5-83-6-74-5-7 | 8 |
| 17 | 1-7-92-6-92-7-83-5-93-6-84-5-84-6-7 | 7 |
| 18 | 1-8-92-7-93-6-93-7-84-5-94-6-85-6-7 | 7 |
| 19 | 2-8-93-7-94-6-94-7-85-6-8 | 5 |
| 20 | 3-8-94-7-95-6-95-7-8 | 4 |
| 21 | 4-8-95-7-96-7-8 | 3 |
| 22 | 5-8-96-7-9 | 2 |
| 23 | 6-8-9 | 1 |
| 24 | 7-8-9 | 1 |
4-Cell Kakuro Combinations
Sums 10-30. 126 total digit sets.
| Sum | Valid combinations | Count |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 1-2-3-4 | 1 |
| 11 | 1-2-3-5 | 1 |
| 12 | 1-2-3-61-2-4-5 | 2 |
| 13 | 1-2-3-71-2-4-61-3-4-5 | 3 |
| 14 | 1-2-3-81-2-4-71-2-5-61-3-4-62-3-4-5 | 5 |
| 15 | 1-2-3-91-2-4-81-2-5-71-3-4-71-3-5-62-3-4-6 | 6 |
| 16 | 1-2-4-91-2-5-81-2-6-71-3-4-81-3-5-71-4-5-62-3-4-72-3-5-6 | 8 |
| 17 | 1-2-5-91-2-6-81-3-4-91-3-5-81-3-6-71-4-5-72-3-4-82-3-5-72-4-5-6 | 9 |
| 18 | 1-2-6-91-2-7-81-3-5-91-3-6-81-4-5-81-4-6-72-3-4-92-3-5-82-3-6-72-4-5-73-4-5-6 | 11 |
| 19 | 1-2-7-91-3-6-91-3-7-81-4-5-91-4-6-81-5-6-72-3-5-92-3-6-82-4-5-82-4-6-73-4-5-7 | 11 |
| 20 | 1-2-8-91-3-7-91-4-6-91-4-7-81-5-6-82-3-6-92-3-7-82-4-5-92-4-6-82-5-6-73-4-5-83-4-6-7 | 12 |
| 21 | 1-3-8-91-4-7-91-5-6-91-5-7-82-3-7-92-4-6-92-4-7-82-5-6-83-4-5-93-4-6-83-5-6-7 | 11 |
| 22 | 1-4-8-91-5-7-91-6-7-82-3-8-92-4-7-92-5-6-92-5-7-83-4-6-93-4-7-83-5-6-84-5-6-7 | 11 |
| 23 | 1-5-8-91-6-7-92-4-8-92-5-7-92-6-7-83-4-7-93-5-6-93-5-7-84-5-6-8 | 9 |
| 24 | 1-6-8-92-5-8-92-6-7-93-4-8-93-5-7-93-6-7-84-5-6-94-5-7-8 | 8 |
| 25 | 1-7-8-92-6-8-93-5-8-93-6-7-94-5-7-94-6-7-8 | 6 |
| 26 | 2-7-8-93-6-8-94-5-8-94-6-7-95-6-7-8 | 5 |
| 27 | 3-7-8-94-6-8-95-6-7-9 | 3 |
| 28 | 4-7-8-95-6-8-9 | 2 |
| 29 | 5-7-8-9 | 1 |
| 30 | 6-7-8-9 | 1 |
5-Cell Kakuro Combinations
Sums 15-35. 126 total digit sets.
| Sum | Valid combinations | Count |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | 1-2-3-4-5 | 1 |
| 16 | 1-2-3-4-6 | 1 |
| 17 | 1-2-3-4-71-2-3-5-6 | 2 |
| 18 | 1-2-3-4-81-2-3-5-71-2-4-5-6 | 3 |
| 19 | 1-2-3-4-91-2-3-5-81-2-3-6-71-2-4-5-71-3-4-5-6 | 5 |
| 20 | 1-2-3-5-91-2-3-6-81-2-4-5-81-2-4-6-71-3-4-5-72-3-4-5-6 | 6 |
| 21 | 1-2-3-6-91-2-3-7-81-2-4-5-91-2-4-6-81-2-5-6-71-3-4-5-81-3-4-6-72-3-4-5-7 | 8 |
| 22 | 1-2-3-7-91-2-4-6-91-2-4-7-81-2-5-6-81-3-4-5-91-3-4-6-81-3-5-6-72-3-4-5-82-3-4-6-7 | 9 |
| 23 | 1-2-3-8-91-2-4-7-91-2-5-6-91-2-5-7-81-3-4-6-91-3-4-7-81-3-5-6-81-4-5-6-72-3-4-5-92-3-4-6-82-3-5-6-7 | 11 |
| 24 | 1-2-4-8-91-2-5-7-91-2-6-7-81-3-4-7-91-3-5-6-91-3-5-7-81-4-5-6-82-3-4-6-92-3-4-7-82-3-5-6-82-4-5-6-7 | 11 |
| 25 | 1-2-5-8-91-2-6-7-91-3-4-8-91-3-5-7-91-3-6-7-81-4-5-6-91-4-5-7-82-3-4-7-92-3-5-6-92-3-5-7-82-4-5-6-83-4-5-6-7 | 12 |
| 26 | 1-2-6-8-91-3-5-8-91-3-6-7-91-4-5-7-91-4-6-7-82-3-4-8-92-3-5-7-92-3-6-7-82-4-5-6-92-4-5-7-83-4-5-6-8 | 11 |
| 27 | 1-2-7-8-91-3-6-8-91-4-5-8-91-4-6-7-91-5-6-7-82-3-5-8-92-3-6-7-92-4-5-7-92-4-6-7-83-4-5-6-93-4-5-7-8 | 11 |
| 28 | 1-3-7-8-91-4-6-8-91-5-6-7-92-3-6-8-92-4-5-8-92-4-6-7-92-5-6-7-83-4-5-7-93-4-6-7-8 | 9 |
| 29 | 1-4-7-8-91-5-6-8-92-3-7-8-92-4-6-8-92-5-6-7-93-4-5-8-93-4-6-7-93-5-6-7-8 | 8 |
| 30 | 1-5-7-8-92-4-7-8-92-5-6-8-93-4-6-8-93-5-6-7-94-5-6-7-8 | 6 |
| 31 | 1-6-7-8-92-5-7-8-93-4-7-8-93-5-6-8-94-5-6-7-9 | 5 |
| 32 | 2-6-7-8-93-5-7-8-94-5-6-8-9 | 3 |
| 33 | 3-6-7-8-94-5-7-8-9 | 2 |
| 34 | 4-6-7-8-9 | 1 |
| 35 | 5-6-7-8-9 | 1 |
6-Cell Kakuro Combinations
Sums 21-39. 84 total digit sets.
| Sum | Valid combinations | Count |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | 1-2-3-4-5-6 | 1 |
| 22 | 1-2-3-4-5-7 | 1 |
| 23 | 1-2-3-4-5-81-2-3-4-6-7 | 2 |
| 24 | 1-2-3-4-5-91-2-3-4-6-81-2-3-5-6-7 | 3 |
| 25 | 1-2-3-4-6-91-2-3-4-7-81-2-3-5-6-81-2-4-5-6-7 | 4 |
| 26 | 1-2-3-4-7-91-2-3-5-6-91-2-3-5-7-81-2-4-5-6-81-3-4-5-6-7 | 5 |
| 27 | 1-2-3-4-8-91-2-3-5-7-91-2-3-6-7-81-2-4-5-6-91-2-4-5-7-81-3-4-5-6-82-3-4-5-6-7 | 7 |
| 28 | 1-2-3-5-8-91-2-3-6-7-91-2-4-5-7-91-2-4-6-7-81-3-4-5-6-91-3-4-5-7-82-3-4-5-6-8 | 7 |
| 29 | 1-2-3-6-8-91-2-4-5-8-91-2-4-6-7-91-2-5-6-7-81-3-4-5-7-91-3-4-6-7-82-3-4-5-6-92-3-4-5-7-8 | 8 |
| 30 | 1-2-3-7-8-91-2-4-6-8-91-2-5-6-7-91-3-4-5-8-91-3-4-6-7-91-3-5-6-7-82-3-4-5-7-92-3-4-6-7-8 | 8 |
| 31 | 1-2-4-7-8-91-2-5-6-8-91-3-4-6-8-91-3-5-6-7-91-4-5-6-7-82-3-4-5-8-92-3-4-6-7-92-3-5-6-7-8 | 8 |
| 32 | 1-2-5-7-8-91-3-4-7-8-91-3-5-6-8-91-4-5-6-7-92-3-4-6-8-92-3-5-6-7-92-4-5-6-7-8 | 7 |
| 33 | 1-2-6-7-8-91-3-5-7-8-91-4-5-6-8-92-3-4-7-8-92-3-5-6-8-92-4-5-6-7-93-4-5-6-7-8 | 7 |
| 34 | 1-3-6-7-8-91-4-5-7-8-92-3-5-7-8-92-4-5-6-8-93-4-5-6-7-9 | 5 |
| 35 | 1-4-6-7-8-92-3-6-7-8-92-4-5-7-8-93-4-5-6-8-9 | 4 |
| 36 | 1-5-6-7-8-92-4-6-7-8-93-4-5-7-8-9 | 3 |
| 37 | 2-5-6-7-8-93-4-6-7-8-9 | 2 |
| 38 | 3-5-6-7-8-9 | 1 |
| 39 | 4-5-6-7-8-9 | 1 |
7-Cell Kakuro Combinations
Sums 28-42. 36 total digit sets.
| Sum | Valid combinations | Count |
|---|---|---|
| 28 | 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 | 1 |
| 29 | 1-2-3-4-5-6-8 | 1 |
| 30 | 1-2-3-4-5-6-91-2-3-4-5-7-8 | 2 |
| 31 | 1-2-3-4-5-7-91-2-3-4-6-7-8 | 2 |
| 32 | 1-2-3-4-5-8-91-2-3-4-6-7-91-2-3-5-6-7-8 | 3 |
| 33 | 1-2-3-4-6-8-91-2-3-5-6-7-91-2-4-5-6-7-8 | 3 |
| 34 | 1-2-3-4-7-8-91-2-3-5-6-8-91-2-4-5-6-7-91-3-4-5-6-7-8 | 4 |
| 35 | 1-2-3-5-7-8-91-2-4-5-6-8-91-3-4-5-6-7-92-3-4-5-6-7-8 | 4 |
| 36 | 1-2-3-6-7-8-91-2-4-5-7-8-91-3-4-5-6-8-92-3-4-5-6-7-9 | 4 |
| 37 | 1-2-4-6-7-8-91-3-4-5-7-8-92-3-4-5-6-8-9 | 3 |
| 38 | 1-2-5-6-7-8-91-3-4-6-7-8-92-3-4-5-7-8-9 | 3 |
| 39 | 1-3-5-6-7-8-92-3-4-6-7-8-9 | 2 |
| 40 | 1-4-5-6-7-8-92-3-5-6-7-8-9 | 2 |
| 41 | 2-4-5-6-7-8-9 | 1 |
| 42 | 3-4-5-6-7-8-9 | 1 |
8-Cell Kakuro Combinations
Sums 36-44. 9 total digit sets.
| Sum | Valid combinations | Count |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 | 1 |
| 37 | 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-9 | 1 |
| 38 | 1-2-3-4-5-6-8-9 | 1 |
| 39 | 1-2-3-4-5-7-8-9 | 1 |
| 40 | 1-2-3-4-6-7-8-9 | 1 |
| 41 | 1-2-3-5-6-7-8-9 | 1 |
| 42 | 1-2-4-5-6-7-8-9 | 1 |
| 43 | 1-3-4-5-6-7-8-9 | 1 |
| 44 | 2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9 | 1 |
9-Cell Kakuro Combinations
Sums 45-45. 1 total digit sets.
| Sum | Valid combinations | Count |
|---|---|---|
| 45 | 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9 | 1 |
Kakuro Combinations FAQ
What are Kakuro combinations?
Kakuro combinations are sets of different digits from 1 to 9 that add up to a clue total for a run of a given length.
Can digits repeat in a Kakuro combination?
No. A digit cannot repeat inside one Kakuro run. A 2-cell clue of 4 is 1-3, not 2-2.
What are magic numbers in Kakuro?
Solvers often use magic numbers to mean unique combinations: clue totals where only one digit set is possible for that run length.
Do I need to memorize every Kakuro combination?
No. Memorize the extreme sums first, then use the full chart for the middle sums until the patterns become familiar.