The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[georgers]

Would be most grateful for help to point me at what I must be missing in the following Very Hard puzzle generated by the progamme:

8** **5 ***
*** 31* 89*
**4 *** **7

618 73* ***
*3* *** *1*
*4* *91 *38

4** *** 5**
*7* *68 *4*
*** 1** **2

As can be seen, I have not really managed to get started: according to me, after all the reduction I can find, I can only spot 2 X-Wings which don't really help [both in 8's: (C2r7/9 and C8r7/9) AND (C4r3/5 and C5r3/5).
Perhaps I haven't got hold of X-wing principles properly --- much more likely I am making a silly mistake somewhere!
Hope someone can help!

George

(georgers1@gmail.com)

[scrose]

Look for a pair in box 1 and make some eliminations.
You can now fill a cell in box 2.

[georgers]

4 days ---- and it took you 4 minutes including getting the possibles!

Life is very unfair!

But thank you very much --- and even more for the clear and concise explanation of pairs and triples which I had not found. Suitably book-marked!


George

(georgers1@gmail.com)