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Level 26 guide: United States (hard)

Highways, national parks and jazz. A 9×9 board. Colors are named in the steps below, and rows and columns are counted from the top left starting at 1. This guide spoils the solution, so try the level first.

Play level 26

The board

Step by step

14 deductions lead to the 9 stamps. Each placed stamp also rules out its row, column, touching cells and the rest of its region.

1. The green region has only one cell left: row 3, column 8. Place the stamp there.
2. The teal region can only hold its stamp in column 1, so every other cell in column 1 cannot hold a stamp (6 cells ruled out).
3. The peach region can only hold its stamp in row 7, so every other cell in row 7 cannot hold a stamp (5 cells ruled out).
4. Rows 1 and 2 must all put their stamps in the rose region and the amber region, so the other cells of the rose region and the amber region cannot hold a stamp (6 cells ruled out).
5. The amber region can only hold its stamp in column 2, so every other cell in column 2 cannot hold a stamp (5 cells ruled out).
6. The peach region has only one cell left: row 7, column 3. Place the stamp there.
7. The stone region has only one cell left: row 9, column 4. Place the stamp there.
8. Row 4 has only one cell left: column 1. Place the stamp there.
9. The pink region can only hold its stamp in row 6, so every other cell in row 6 cannot hold a stamp (1 cell ruled out).
10. The mint region has only one cell left: row 8, column 6. Place the stamp there.
11. The pink region has only one cell left: row 6, column 5. Place the stamp there.
12. The periwinkle region has only one cell left: row 5, column 7. Place the stamp there.
13. The rose region has only one cell left: row 1, column 9. Place the stamp there.
14. The amber region has only one cell left: row 2, column 2. Place the stamp there.

Final solution