Vol. I · No. 1
❦ Established 2026 ❧

The Daily Numbers

A puzzle for the patient and the curious — printed every morning, played on any afternoon.
A Number Fill-In Daily
— Select Difficulty —
Puzzle of the Day

Number Fill-In

No. 0001 ·
Tap a square, then type a digit. Tap again to switch between across and down. Use the arrow keys to move.
— Instructions to the Solver —

How to Play

I. The Numbers

On the side panel you will find a list of numbers grouped by digit count. Every number on the list belongs somewhere in the grid, and each is used exactly once.

II. The Grid

Each row of consecutive white squares is a slot. So is each column. Fit a number into every slot — the length of the slot tells you how many digits its number has.

III. The Crossings

Where a horizontal slot crosses a vertical one, the shared square must hold a digit that fits both numbers. A few digits are already filled in to start you off.

— A Brief Editorial —

About Number Fill-In

Number Fill-In, sometimes called a number crossword or numbers fit puzzle, has been a quiet staple of newspaper puzzle pages for decades. Unlike Sudoku — which gives you the rules and asks you to derive every digit — a fill-in hands you the answers (a list of numbers) and asks you to figure out the structure: where each one goes.

The result is a puzzle that rewards a different kind of thinking. Sudoku rewards constraint tracking; fill-in rewards process of elimination and pattern matching. Most solvers start with the slot lengths that have only one or two candidate numbers, work their crossings outward from there, and arrive at a fully filled grid almost without trying.

Every puzzle on The Daily Numbers is generated fresh in your browser. The grid is 180° rotationally symmetric — the way a good newspaper grid should be — and every number in the list is guaranteed unique, so you can always trust that there is exactly one place each one fits.

Strategy Notes for the Solver

  • Start with the longest numbers. The 6- and 7-digit slots are usually unique, giving you anchors to work outward from.
  • Scan for singletons. A slot length that appears only once or twice on the list has only one or two possible placements.
  • Mind the crossings. Once a digit is placed at a crossing, every number that uses that position in that digit's slot is a candidate; everything else is eliminated.
  • Use Very Easy mode while learning. It highlights wrong digits in red the moment you type them, so you can correct mistakes before they propagate.
  • Take a break. Number Fill-Ins reward patience — your progress is saved automatically, so come back to it later.
— Readers' Letters —

Frequently Asked

What is a Number Fill-In puzzle? +

A Number Fill-In is a crossword-style logic puzzle where you fit a given list of numbers into a grid of white and black squares. Each connected run of white squares is a slot that holds one number from the list, and where two slots cross, the shared digit must match.

How is Number Fill-In different from Sudoku? +

Sudoku is a single 9×9 grid where every row, column and 3×3 box must contain each digit 1–9 exactly once. Number Fill-In is more like a crossword: you have a list of multi-digit numbers and a grid of slots to place them, with the constraint that crossings must share a digit.

Do I need an account to play? +

No. The Daily Numbers requires no signup or login. Your puzzle progress is saved in your browser's localStorage, so refreshing or closing the tab will not lose your work.

Is The Daily Numbers free? +

Yes. The game is free to play. The site is supported by affiliate links to recommended Amazon products. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

How are the puzzles generated? +

Every puzzle is generated fresh in your browser. A rotationally-symmetric grid is built procedurally, then a set of unique numbers is generated so every slot can be filled and every crossing matches.

What difficulty levels are available? +

Four levels: Very Easy (8×8 grid with live error feedback), Easy (10×10), Medium (13×13) and Hard (15×15). Picking a new level generates a brand-new puzzle of that size.

Will my progress be saved if I close the tab? +

Yes. Your current puzzle, the digits you have entered, and your difficulty choice are all saved in your browser's localStorage. Coming back to the site picks up exactly where you left off.

Can I print the puzzle? +

Yes. Use your browser's Print option (Ctrl+P or Cmd+P). The page has a print stylesheet that hides sponsors and controls so you get a clean black-and-white puzzle on paper.