LinkedIn Queens answer for Thursday, September 3: #856
LinkedIn Queens #856 is the puzzle for Thursday, September 3, 2026: an 9x9 board with 9 color regions, and one queen to place in every row, column and region.
Updated 9:52 AM PT, Nov 7
Puzzle date Thursday, September 3
The board
Purple3 squares
Orange34 squares
Blue3 squares
Green9 squares
Yellow3 squares
Red14 squares
Pink9 squares
Teal3 squares
Gray3 squares
Start with the Purple region. It sits entirely in column 1, so no other queen can go in column 1.
0 of 9 queens shown
Queens solution, step by step
Each LinkedIn Queens step places one queen and closes its row, its column, its region and the squares touching it.
Step 1: The Purple region sits entirely in column 1, so no other queen can go in column 1. The Blue region sits entirely in column 2, so no other queen can go in column 2. The Yellow region sits entirely in column 3, so no other queen can go in column 3. The Pink region sits entirely in column 4, so no other queen can go in column 4. The Red region sits entirely in column 5, so no other queen can go in column 5. The Teal region sits entirely in column 7, so no other queen can go in column 7. The Gray region sits entirely in column 6, so no other queen can go in column 6. The Red, Pink, Teal and Gray regions sit entirely in rows 6, 7, 8 and 9, so no other queen can go in those rows. A queen in row 2, column 2 would leave the Purple region with no open square, so that square is out. A queen in row 3, column 1 would leave the Blue region with no open square, so that square is out. A queen in row 3, column 3 would leave the Blue region with no open square, so that square is out. A queen in row 4, column 2 would leave the Yellow region with no open square, so that square is out. The Blue region has only one open square left, so its queen goes in row 3, column 2 (R3C2).
Step 2: The Purple region has only one open square left, so its queen goes in row 1, column 1 (R1C1).
Step 3: The Yellow region has only one open square left, so its queen goes in row 5, column 3 (R5C3).
Step 4: The Orange region has only one open square left, so its queen goes in row 4, column 8 (R4C8).
Step 5: The Green region has only one open square left, so its queen goes in row 2, column 9 (R2C9).
Step 6: A queen in row 7, column 5 would leave the Pink region with no open square, so that square is out. A queen in row 7, column 6 would leave the Teal region with no open square, so that square is out. A queen in row 8, column 5 would leave the Pink region with no open square, so that square is out. A queen in row 8, column 6 would leave row 9 with no open square, so that square is out. The Gray region has only one open square left, so its queen goes in row 9, column 6 (R9C6).
Step 7: The Red region has only one open square left, so its queen goes in row 6, column 5 (R6C5).
Step 8: The Pink region has only one open square left, so its queen goes in row 8, column 4 (R8C4).
Step 9: The Teal region has only one open square left, so its queen goes in row 7, column 7 (R7C7).
Put the queens on R1C1, R2C9, R3C2, R4C8, R5C3, R6C5, R7C7, R8C4, R9C6. That is one queen in every row, every column and every one of the 9 color regions, and no two queens touch.
Which region do you start with in Queens #856?
Start with the Purple region. It sits entirely in column 1, so no other queen can go in column 1.
What are the coordinates of the queens in Queens #856?
R1C1, R2C9, R3C2, R4C8, R5C3, R6C5, R7C7, R8C4, R9C6. In words: row 1 is column 1, row 2 is column 9, row 3 is column 2, row 4 is column 8, row 5 is column 3, row 6 is column 5, row 7 is column 7, row 8 is column 4, row 9 is column 6.