Original data · Updated 2026-10-09

Queens Puzzle Statistics

What makes a Queens puzzle hard? We analyzed all 4,000 verified boards in Queenwise, from 5×5 to 12×12, with the same logic engine that powers our hints. Here is what the data says.

Key findings

Not one of the 4,000 boards opens with a forced crown. 93% begin with a line lock — a region confined to a single row or column — because no board contains a one-cell region.
Boards get longer as they grow: an average 7.5 deductions on 5×5 versus 17 on 12×12. The longest solution needs 21 deductions.
Bigger is not always harder. 7×7 has the highest share of hard boards (33%), and 35 of the 50 hardest boards are 10×10.
The hardest board in the set is 10×10 #77, with a difficulty score of 49 over 21 deductions.
Region groups — two regions reserving the same two rows — are needed on 17% of 5×5 boards but 95% of 12×12 boards.
The smallest region averages about 2.2 cells at every size, while the largest region grows from 9 cells (5×5) to 21.5 cells (12×12).

Difficulty and length by board size

Size	Boards	Easy	Medium	Hard	Avg. deductions	Longest
5×5	500	52%	39%	9%	7.5	10
6×6	500	24%	51%	24%	9.2	12
7×7	500	33%	35%	33%	10.2	14
8×8	500	15%	70%	15%	12	17
9×9	500	14%	60%	26%	13.3	17
10×10	500	4%	64%	32%	15.9	21
11×11	500	1%	76%	23%	16.6	20
12×12	500	1%	73%	26%	17	20

How often each solving technique is needed

Share of boards at each size whose solution requires the technique at least once.

Technique	5×5	6×6	7×7	8×8	9×9	10×10	11×11	12×12
The one-spot region	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%
Last cell standing in a row	50%	54%	48%	60%	54%	75%	50%	70%
When a region claims a whole row	97%	94%	93%	99%	100%	92%	99%	100%
When a row claims a region	34%	33%	37%	49%	46%	78%	64%	66%
Two regions, two rows	17%	43%	45%	56%	58%	45%	72%	95%

How Queens puzzles open

The first deduction available on an empty board, across all 4,000 boards:

93% start with a region confined to one row or column
4% start with two regions sharing two rows or columns
3% start with a row or column confined to one region
0% start with a forced crown

Practical takeaway: on a fresh board, look for a region lying flat in one row or standing in one column before hunting for forced crowns. See when a region claims a whole row.

Region sizes

Size	Smallest region (avg. cells)	Largest region (avg. cells)
5×5	2.2	9
6×6	2.2	10.8
7×7	2.4	12.9
8×8	2.2	14.9
9×9	2.2	17.4
10×10	2.2	18.4
11×11	2.1	20.8
12×12	2	21.5

Methodology

Every board was solved by Queenwise's logic engine, which applies human solving techniques in a fixed order and records each deduction. Each deduction is weighted — forced crowns 1, line locks 3, region groups 6 — and the sum is the board's difficulty score, which sets its easy, medium or hard rating. Every board is verified to have exactly one solution. Ratings are algorithmic and have not yet been calibrated against player solve times. The opening statistics come from the first deduction the engine finds on an empty board. Data generated 2026-10-09.

Cite this data

Queenwise (2026). Queens Puzzle Statistics: data from 4,000 rated boards. https://queenwise.com/queens-statistics

Queens statistics FAQ

How hard is the average Queens puzzle?

It depends on size. Across 4,000 boards, an average Queens puzzle needs 7.5 logical deductions on 5×5 and 17 on 12×12. Most 8×8 boards — the size of the LinkedIn daily — are rated medium.

What is the first move in a Queens puzzle?

In our data the first deduction is almost never a forced crown. 93% of boards start with a line lock: find a region whose cells all lie in one row or column, then rule out every other cell in that line.

Can I use these statistics?

Yes. You are welcome to quote these figures with a link to this page as the source.