Catdoku level 2252 answer and walkthrough

The level 2252 board

Place one cat in every row, every column and every colored patch. No two cats may touch, not even diagonally.

Level 2252 answer

1. Row 1: column 2, in the yellow patch
2. Row 2: column 7, in the sky patch
3. Row 3: column 9, in the rose patch
4. Row 4: column 4, in the mint patch
5. Row 5: column 1, in the lilac patch
6. Row 6: column 3, in the peach patch
7. Row 7: column 6, in the aqua patch
8. Row 8: column 10, in the coral patch
9. Row 9: column 5, in the lime patch
10. Row 10: column 8, in the periwinkle patch

How to solve level 2252, step by step

After every placed cat, cross out the rest of its row, its column, its patch and the four corner squares around it. The steps below assume you do (the in-game auto-paws assist does it for you).

1. Every free square of the lilac patch sits in row 5, so the lilac cat must come from there and the rest of row 5 can be crossed out. A cat at row 4, column 1 would leave row 5 with no home for its cat, so cross that square out. A cat at row 4, column 2 would leave row 5 with no home for its cat, so cross that square out. A cat at row 6, column 1 would leave row 5 with no home for its cat, so cross that square out. A cat at row 6, column 2 would leave row 5 with no home for its cat, so cross that square out. A cat at row 6, column 10 would leave the coral patch with no home for its cat, so cross that square out. A cat at row 7, column 3 would leave the peach patch with no home for its cat, so cross that square out. A cat at row 9, column 4 would leave the lime patch with no home for its cat, so cross that square out. A cat at row 10, column 6 would leave the lime patch with no home for its cat, so cross that square out. A cat at row 9, column 8 would leave the periwinkle patch with no home for its cat, so cross that square out. The sky, rose, coral and periwinkle patches all squeeze into columns 7, 8, 9 and 10, so those columns are reserved for them; every other square there can be crossed out. The aqua, coral, lime and periwinkle patches all squeeze into rows 7, 8, 9 and 10, so those rows are reserved for them; every other square there can be crossed out. Cat 1 of 10: the peach patch is down to a single free square at row 6, column 3, so its cat settles there.
2. Cat 2 of 10: the lilac patch is down to a single free square at row 5, column 1, so its cat settles there.
3. A cat at row 3, column 5 would leave the mint patch with no home for its cat, so cross that square out. A cat at row 3, column 10 would leave the rose patch with no home for its cat, so cross that square out. A cat at row 4, column 5 would leave the mint patch with no home for its cat, so cross that square out. A cat at row 4, column 7 would leave the mint patch with no home for its cat, so cross that square out. A cat at row 4, column 8 would leave the rose patch with no home for its cat, so cross that square out. The rose and mint patches all squeeze into rows 3 and 4, so those rows are reserved for them; every other square there can be crossed out. The rose and coral patches all squeeze into columns 9 and 10, so those columns are reserved for them; every other square there can be crossed out. Every free square of the sky patch sits in row 2, so the sky cat must come from there and the rest of row 2 can be crossed out. Every free square of the periwinkle patch sits in row 10, so the periwinkle cat must come from there and the rest of row 10 can be crossed out. Every free square of the lime patch sits in row 9, so the lime cat must come from there and the rest of row 9 can be crossed out. Cat 3 of 10: column 2 has exactly one square left, at row 1, so the cat goes there.
4. A cat at row 8, column 4 would leave column 5 with no home for its cat, so cross that square out. Cat 4 of 10: column 4 has exactly one square left, at row 4, so the cat goes there.
5. Cat 5 of 10: the rose patch is down to a single free square at row 3, column 9, so its cat settles there.
6. Cat 6 of 10: the sky patch is down to a single free square at row 2, column 7, so its cat settles there.
7. Cat 7 of 10: the periwinkle patch is down to a single free square at row 10, column 8, so its cat settles there.
8. A cat at row 8, column 5 would leave row 9 with no home for its cat, so cross that square out. Cat 8 of 10: column 5 has exactly one square left, at row 9, so the cat goes there.
9. Cat 9 of 10: the aqua patch is down to a single free square at row 7, column 6, so its cat settles there.
10. Cat 10 of 10: the coral patch is down to a single free square at row 8, column 10, so its cat settles there.