LinkedIn Tango Solver — Sun & Moon Puzzle Solutions

What Is LinkedIn Tango?

Tango is LinkedIn’s daily sun-and-moon logic puzzle, a themed take on the classic binary puzzle (also known as Takuzu or Binairo). Three rule families govern the 6×6 grid: balance— every row and column holds exactly three suns and three moons; no triples— three identical symbols never sit consecutively in a row or column; and signs— an = between two cells forces the same symbol, an × forces different symbols. Every daily board has one unique solution reachable without guessing.

How the Solver Works

The solver runs the same deductions a human would, just exhaustively: it applies counting (a line with three of one symbol fills its remaining cells with the other), the no-triple patterns (a pair forces opposite symbols on both ends; a gap between two identical symbols must break them up), and sign propagation (once one end of an = or × is known, so is the other). It loops those rules until nothing changes; if cells remain undecided it tries a value and propagates again, counting solutions up to two so it can tell you whether your board is unique. A 6×6 grid resolves in milliseconds.

Techniques to Solve Tango Yourself

• Counting. The moment a row or column shows three suns, every empty cell in it is a moon (and vice versa). Late-stage boards fall almost entirely to counting.
• Pairs. Two identical symbols side by side can’t become a triple — the cells on both ends take the opposite symbol.
• The sandwich. Two identical symbols with one gap between them (sun, blank, sun) force the opposite symbol into the gap.
• Sign chains. Runs of = and × signs link cells together: one known symbol cascades down the whole chain. Three cells joined by = = would need a triple, so that chain can pin symbols even before any cell is known.
• Two-ahead counting. A row with two suns and three empty cells can’t put both remaining suns adjacent to an existing pair — sketch the placements and rule out the ones that force triples.

Worked Example

Press the Example button above. Only three symbols are given, yet eight signs pin the whole board. The = between R4C2 and R4C3 creates a linked pair in row 4: whichever symbol one cell takes, its neighbor matches, so the cells flanking the pair must take the opposite symbol to dodge a triple. The × between R4C1 and R5C1 ties rows 4 and 5 together, and the × below R5C6 chains down to the given moon at R6C6. Solve it and watch how far the solver gets from so little — that cascade of pair, sandwich, and counting moves is exactly the routine to internalize for the daily puzzle.

Frequently Asked Questions