sudoku

Pal

good puzzle. anybody got tips how to do them ?

Earthhorse

I started doing these last week in the Times. Only completed a few Easy ones so far but I think I've learned a thing or two.

On my first few attempts I tried to complete one of the boxes rather than a horizontal or vertical line. This is a bad way to approach them in my opinion, though you have to take into account the layout of the numbers in any given puzzle.

The first thing I do is look for lines with lots of numbers already filled in, especially where they intersect with each other. These are generally the easiest lines to complete.

After that I look for certain numbers. For instance if there are lots of 8s already filled in I begin to go through each box and each line to see if it's obvious where the 8 should go. This doesn't always work but you might spot something else on the way.

My final technique is to look for a number in two or more boxes on the same row or column and see if I can't fill that number in in the remaining box on that row or column (I'm talking about rows and columns of boxes here).

I'm sure all of what I'm saying is pretty obvious and there are probably way better techniques out there just waiting to be Googled.

Pherekydes

You'll get tips on www.sudoku.com

It's very addictive, and not as easy as it seems.

My own tip: don't jump to conclusions. Be patient.

Matthewthebig

i liked doing the odd one. but do they really belong in this forum. they are more a logic puzzle than a maths puzzle. as the numbers could be any asscoiation of 9 symbols

ecksor

Is logic not a branch of mathematics?

Pal

ecksor wrote:

Is logic not a branch of mathematics?

It certainly is !


pedantic sudoku solvers are us

I'm trying the evil puzzles on www.websudoku.com
got one out so far
very enjoyable cos they're muddafookahs

rcaz

I reccomend starting off on the "Shape Sudoku" in the Funday Times. 16 squares, 4 different shapes, and the answers can be found on the next page, under the pictures of Harry Potter.

Pal

BOXES of 9
Horizontals of 9
Verticals of 9

first strategy

Start with boxes. find common digits in boxes beside or above/below each other.

Missing digit must be in the third box in the unoccupied row.



next strategy

pick a number missing from a box and do a process of elimination

then do the same with rows.


after that it gets tricky.

you need to search for cells with only two possibles.

find two cells with two common digits.

do a process of elimination on remaining ones.


still not finished...

you're in trouble now

hussey

example tip - if you have 4 boxes left and the combo's left are 1234
and box one can have 123 two can have 23, three can have 23 four can have 234

Box one answer would be 1, and fours woul be 4
because 2+3 have to be in either two or three

gerire

Big fan of the puzzels, use a few different strategies,
Start off looking at each number in sequence ir 1 2 3.... and see if there is another 1 in one of the other 3 squares of 9 in that row/colum and see if that number logically fits into the remaining colum for it.

Then just proceed using a process of elimination. I dont like however doing them online yet im more of a pen and paper type guy.

robo

gerire wrote:

Big fan of the puzzels, use a few different strategies,
Start off looking at each number in sequence ir 1 2 3.... and see if there is another 1 in one of the other 3 squares of 9 in that row/colum and see if that number logically fits into the remaining colum for it.

Then just proceed using a process of elimination. I dont like however doing them online yet im more of a pen and paper type guy.

Yep that is the way I do it. Is a bit trickier with the super sudoku in the Indo today! But very addictive!

ApeXaviour

Been playing this every lunch in work for the last 2 weeks. Collegues are sick of me doing it. This morning my palm top arrived and I've already loaded a sudoku game onto it. Cant wait till lunch to try it out

Dinarius

Has anyone done the Hard puzzle in today's Irish Times (Saturday July 30).

I think I have made a mistake, but I can't see where.

Either that, or there is a mistake in the grid.

If you have it solved, please say so.

Many thanks.

D.

derek27

check out sudoku solver
also generate new sudoko grids here.

Jilm

Dinarius wrote:

Has anyone done the Hard puzzle in today's Irish Times (Saturday July 30).

I think I have made a mistake, but I can't see where.

Either that, or there is a mistake in the grid.

If you have it solved, please say so.

Many thanks.

D.

I got stumped on that hard puzzle too ... will be interested to see the solution in Mondays IT ...or an apology

P.S. program sudoku solvers be cheatin'

Crumbs

This one here?

I got it out so there's no mistake in it but it was a bit tricky.

sephirosis

does noone find sudoku a bit dull after a while? its definitely a good puzzle, and fairly difficult, but i found after doing them solid for a few weeks that it was just the same thing over and over again. i mean i was only ever using about 5 methods of analysis of the grid over and over to get each puzzle out successfully.
of course it could be (and hell it probably IS) just me, but i prefer a cryptic crossword as it has a far wider variation, and more lateral thought process.
having said that im going to be a little bit of a hypocrite and say i still do the super one on saturday, as its just a very difficult and ultimately rewarding puzzle. i do have some problems with it still though, i mean theres still a limited number of methods to apply to solve it, and most annoyingly, if you make a mistake somewhere and dont realise its almost impossible to find it later (though i admit its as much my fault as the puzzles :P).