Cross Math

Sums that balance across and down.

A lattice of small equations that cross each other. Fill the empty squares with digits so every sum, across and down, comes out to its total. It appears on every daily page.

How to play

Standard order: do × and ÷ first, then + and −.
Division always comes out whole. Nothing ever lands on a half.
On some boards each digit is used once; on others digits may repeat. The board tells you which. The totals are given.
Running totals never drop below 1.

Tips and tricks

Start with × and ÷. Multiplication and division allow far fewer digits than addition, so those equations usually crack first.
Mind the order. 2 + 3 × 4 is 14, not 20. Work the multiplication before you add.
Division narrows things. Because division is always whole, the number being divided must be a multiple of the one dividing it.
Track what's left. When each digit is used once, cross off digits as you place them. The last few squares often solve themselves.
Check both directions. Most squares sit in two equations. A digit that works across but breaks the column is wrong.
Big totals need big digits. A large total rules out small digits, and a small total rules out large ones.

Where to find it

It appears on every daily page, and the Library has Easy, Medium and Hard tracks of it. Stuck? A hint costs ink drops, and Inkbloom Plus makes hints unlimited.