Daily Queens puzzle hints

Catnap hints for July 18, 2026

Catnap daily hints and answers for July 18, 2026. Shared daily puzzle archive from outwit.

Today's board
8×8 grid8 color regions3 free openings12 deduction stepstechniques: confinement, attack-all

3 ranked finishes sampled. Best 45.8s, top-list average 57.8s.

Hints
  1. the A color region has only one open cell left — that's a forced cat.
  2. the B color region has only one open cell left — that's a forced cat.
  3. the H color region has only one open cell left — that's a forced cat.
Show the answer
  1. Row 1: column 6 (A region)
  2. Row 2: column 1 (B region)
  3. Row 3: column 3 (C region)
  4. Row 4: column 5 (D region)
  5. Row 5: column 2 (E region)
  6. Row 6: column 7 (F region)
  7. Row 7: column 4 (G region)
  8. Row 8: column 8 (H region)

Solved board

c c c f f @ f f
@ c c f f f f f
c c @ d d f f f
c e c d @ f f f
e @ e d d f f f
e g e g d f @ f
g g g @ g g f f
g g g g f f f @

Lowercase letters mark the color regions; @ marks each sleeping cat.

Catnap is a Queens / Star Battle logic puzzle: one cat per row, column, and color region, none touching. Every daily board has a single solution reachable by pure deduction.