ProjectConnections.com Fun and GamesPM Sudoku Puzzles

INTRODUCTION: Project Management Sudoku Puzzles
The Puzzles start on the following page
What This Is
Sudoku-style logic puzzles using the Project Management Institute's nine project management knowledge areas. Just a little diversion for any idle time you might have, like your lunch hour. (You do take lunch, right?) Puzzles are offered in three different difficulty levels, so you can pick the one most appropriate for your mood.
Why It’s Useful
Because project management can be a stressful profession, and sometimes you just have to take a break. Or three.
How to Use It
Despite all the numbers floating in the grids you see everyone muttering over, Sudoku is a logic puzzle, not a math puzzle. The versions we offer here make use of the nine knowledge areas featured in the Project Management Institute's manual, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge.*
  • Integration Management: Proper coordination of all project elements
  • Scope Management: Identifying, planning, and completing all the required project work (and only the required work)
  • Time Management: Successfully completing the project in a timely manner
  • Cost Management: Successfully completing the project within approved budget constraints
  • Quality Management: Meeting the needs and requirements the project was created to address
  • Human Resource Management: Efficient use of the project team
  • Communications Management: Timely, efficient, and appropriate communication supporting the project
  • Risk Management: Identifying, analyzing, and responding appropriately to project risks
  • Procurement Management: Successful acquisition of good and services from outside organizations
The rules of Suduko are simple: each of the 9 digits—or, in this case, knowledge areas—can appear only once per row, once per column, and once per nine-square region. Using deduction and strategic guesses, arrange the 9 knowledge areas to complete the puzzle grid. For more on Sudoku strategies, you may want to seek out the collective wisdom of Wikipedia:
Note: ProjectConnections will not be held responsible for any unintended consequences of Sudoku addiction. Please proceed with caution and appropriate safety measures.

*For more about these knowledge areas and the PMBOK® Guide, visit the Project Management Institute website: "PMBOK" is a registered trademark of the Project Management Institute, Inc. in the United States and other nations.

Project Management Sudoku Puzzle #1

Level: Easy

Directions: Fill in the 9x9 grid so that each of the project management knowledge areas appears once (and only once) per column, row, and region. For more on how to complete Sudoku puzzles, see

PM Knowledge Areas: Integration, Scope, Time, Cost, Quality, HR, Risk, Communications, Procurement.

Int. / Scope / Time / Cost
Qual. / Scope
HR
Qual. / HR / Cost
Comm. / Scope
Scope / Risk / Time
Time / Cost / Qual.
HR / Int. / Risk
Comm. / Proc. / Scope / Cost

Solution for this puzzle is on page 5.

Project Management Sudoku Puzzle #2

Level: Medium

Directions: Fill in the 9x9 grid so that each of the project management knowledge areas appears once (and only once) per column, row, and region. For more on how to complete Sudoku puzzles, see

PM Knowledge Areas: Integration, Scope, Time, Cost, Quality, HR, Risk, Communications, Procurement.

Proc. / Risk
Risk / Comm.
HR / Qual. / Cost / Proc.
Proc. / HR / Cost / Time
Risk / Comm. / HR
Comm. / Time
Qual. / Proc. / Scope
Qual. / Int. / Time
Scope / Time / HR

Solution for this puzzle is on Page 6.

Project Management Sudoku Puzzle #3

Level: Hard

Directions: Fill in the 9x9 grid so that each of the project management knowledge areas appears once (and only once) per column, row, and region. For more on how to complete Sudoku puzzles, see

PM Knowledge Areas: Integration, Scope, Time, Cost, Quality, HR, Risk, Communications, Procurement.

Int. / Scope / Time / Cost / Qual.
HR / Comm.
Qual. / Risk / Time
Scope / Risk
Comm. / Qual.
Proc. / Int.
Scope / Time / Comm. / Int.
Risk / Int. / Cost
Qual. / Cost

Solution for this puzzle is on Page 7.

Solution: Puzzle #1

Proc. / Int. / Scope / Qual / Time / Cost / Risk / HR / Comm
Time / Risk / Cost / Comm / HR / Int. / Qual / Scope / Proc.
HR / Comm / Qual / Scope / Risk / Proc. / Time / Int. / Cost
Qual / Proc. / Comm / HR / Scope / Time / Cost / Risk / Int.
Risk / HR / Time / Int. / Cost / Comm / Proc. / Qual / Scope
Scope / Cost / Int. / Risk / Proc. / Qual / Comm / Time / HR
Int. / Time / HR / Cost / Comm / Risk / Scope / Proc. / Qual
Cost / Scope / Proc. / Time / Qual / HR / Int. / Comm / Risk
Comm / Qual / Risk / Proc. / Int. / Scope / HR / Cost / Time

Solution: Puzzle #2

Cost / Proc. / Scope / HR / Int. / Comm. / Risk / Time / Qual.
Qual. / Time / Int. / Cost / Risk / Proc. / HR / Comm. / Scope
Risk / Comm. / HR / Qual. / Scope / Time / Int. / Cost / Proc.
Proc. / Int. / Qual. / Risk / HR / Cost / Time / Scope / Comm.
Scope / Risk / Time / Comm. / Qual. / Int. / Cost / Proc. / HR
Comm. / HR / Cost / Proc. / Time / Scope / Qual. / Risk / Int.
Time / Qual. / Comm. / Int. / Proc. / Risk / Scope / HR / Cost
HR / Cost / Risk / Scope / Comm. / Qual. / Proc. / Int. / Time
Int. / Scope / Proc. / Time / Cost / HR / Comm. / Qual. / Risk

Solution: Puzzle #3

Int. / Risk / Proc. / Comm. / Scope / Time / Cost / HR / Qual.
Qual. / HR / Time / Int. / Cost / Proc. / Comm. / Risk / Scope
Comm. / Cost / Scope / Qual. / HR / Risk / Proc. / Time / Int.
Scope / Proc. / Int. / Cost / Time / HR / Qual. / Comm. / Risk
HR / Time / Comm. / Risk / Int. / Qual. / Scope / Cost / Proc.
Cost / Qual. / Risk / Proc. / Comm. / Scope / HR / Int. / Time
Proc. / Scope / Cost / Time / Risk / Comm. / Int. / Qual. / HR
Risk / Comm. / HR / Scope / Qual. / Int. / Time / Proc. / Cost
Time / Int. / Qual. / HR / Proc. / Cost / Risk / Scope / Comm.

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