What techniques do you need to solve Queens puzzles?
Six. Two are enough for easy boards, two more handle medium boards, and the last two solve the hardest ones. Queens Court's puzzles are checked by a solver that uses only these six techniques, so every board on this site can be finished with them and nothing else, without guessing.
BeginnerThe last spotA row, column or colour with one open tile gets its queen there.BeginnerCrossing out around a queenEach queen rules out its row, column, colour and the tiles touching it.IntermediateA colour trapped in one lineA colour whose open tiles share one row or column claims that line.IntermediateA line trapped in one colourA row or column whose open tiles are one colour claims that colour.ExpertPairs and triplesTwo colours in two lines (or three in three) use up those lines.ExpertThe no-room testA tile is impossible if a queen there leaves another unit with no space.
In what order should I use them?
Always in the order above. The first two are quick to check and solve most positions. Only move down the list when nothing higher up applies, then go back to the top as soon as you make progress.
Prefer a guided path?
The strategy guides teach the same techniques in three steps: beginner, intermediate and expert.