Murdoku grid orientation
Directions, Rows, Columns, and Coordinates
Coordinates are a note-taking system, not an extra puzzle rule. Fix one convention—columns left to right and rows top to bottom—then translate every directional clue consistently.
- Convention
- C1 is left; R1 is top
- North / south
- Compare row positions
- East / west
- Compare column positions
Choose one coordinate convention
This guide writes C for column and R for row, so C3R2 means column 3, row 2. Columns increase from left to right; rows increase from top to bottom.
If you prefer R2C3, that is fine—write the legend once and never switch halfway through a case.
Directional words are comparisons
North means a smaller row number and south a larger row number. West means a smaller column number and east a larger column number. Unless a clue says directly or specifies an exact offset, the other axis can vary.
- South of does not automatically mean same column.
- East of does not automatically mean the next cell.
- Beside is a local edge-sharing relation, not a broad direction.
Exact offsets need arithmetic
Two rows south of C4R3 lands on row 5, while keeping column 4 only if the clue says the position is directly aligned. Read whether the clue defines a row difference, a column difference, or both.
Write the permitted coordinate range before looking for objects or regions; this separates geometry from visual distraction.
Coordinate checklist
- Write C1 at the left edge and R1 at the top.
- Translate direction into a row or column comparison.
- Check whether alignment or an exact offset is stated.
- Apply region boundaries separately.
- Keep the same notation for all notes and screenshots.
Common mistakes
- Counting rows from the bottom on one clue and from the top on another.
- Assuming north or south requires the same column.
- Swapping C3R2 and R3C2.
- Ignoring a region boundary because two cells touch.
Directions and coordinates FAQ
Does Murdoku officially label every grid with coordinates?
Not necessarily. Coordinates here are a consistent scratch-note method for describing cells and walkthrough steps.
Is north always the top of the screen?
Use the displayed board orientation: north is up, south down, west left, and east right unless a case explicitly states otherwise.
Does beside mean the same as adjacent?
Treat beside as edge-sharing under the relevant Murdoku region rule. If another term appears, read its current interface definition rather than assuming they are identical.
Keep learning
Source
Original coordinate diagram by murdoku.fans; it is not an official case map.
