The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[lthjason123]

Here is an unsolved puzzle.

4xxxxx xxx
5xx 4xx xxx
1xx 3xx 47x

956 738 xx4
2xx 549 736
734 1xx 895

x47 xx3 xx1
xxx x71 x43
3xx xx4 687

Please help me. Thank you.

[angusj]

Here is an unsolved puzzle.

How many of the 225 solutions do you want?
(ie: as you've typed it here, it's an invalid puzzle )

[ramb]

I think this is a partly solved probem. Please post the original problem.

[Cec]

" .......as you've typed it here, it's an invalid puzzle"

Hi Angusj. In the Simple Sudoku program, is there a way to know whether a puzzle is invalid before commencing to solve it?

Bonsai Cec

[lthjason123]

i am so sorry with that.
The diagram below is the origianl sudoku.

xxx xxx xxx
5xx 4xx xxx
1xx 3xx 47x

x56 xx8 xx4
2xx 5x9 xx6
7xx 1xx 89x

x47 xx3 xx1
xxx xx1 xx3
xxx xxx 68x

[stuartn]

Multiple solutions I'm afraid - although I could PM you ONE of them if you want!

stuartn

[angusj]

Hi Angusj. In the Simple Sudoku program, is there a way to know whether a puzzle is invalid before commencing to solve it?

Yes, in the statusbar Simple Sudoku will display a warning if a puzzle has multiple solutions.
For the puzzle above SS displays: "INVALID PUZZLE - 225 solutions".

[5udoku]

More numbers have/had to be given to give only 1 solution?

[QBasicMac]

Heh - Easiest to "Solve" puzzle I ever saw.

Using normal techniques, one quickly reaches

Code: Select all

Solution so far
4-- --- ---
5-- 4-- ---
1-- 3-5 47-
956 738 --4
2-- 549 736
734 1-- 895
-47 --3 --1
--- -71 -43
3-- --4 687
Pencilmarks So Far
-         26789     2389      2689      12689     267       1235      1256      289     
-         26789     2389      -         12689     267       123       126       289     
-         2689      289       -         2689      -         -         -         289     
-         -         -         -         -         -         12        12        -       
-         18        18        -         -         -         -         -         -       
-         -         -         -         26        26        -         -         -       
68        -         -         2689      25689     -         259       25        -       
68        29        259       68        -         -         259       -         -       
-         129       1259      29        259       -         -         -         -       


Then I couldn't see any more progress, so started guessing.

Starting from there, it seems that any guess leads to a "solution".

I guess we could suggest you get your puzzles from some other source.

Mac

[Cec]

...in the statusbar Simple Sudoku will display a warning if a puzzle has multiple solutions.
For the puzzle above SS displays: "INVALID PUZZLE - 225 solutions".

Thank you angusj - your explanation is what I expected to be displayed after I have keyed in the puzzle but for some reason this warning does not appear. I've doubled checked and re-checked again the next day to ensure I've typed the puzzle correctly (which I'm sure I have) so there has to be some other reason why this warning does not appear.

I have downloaded the SS program and it works fine in all other aspects apart from the above mystery and it's driving me nuts trying to figure out what I've done wrong - particularly after my "X-Wing Confusion" blooper!

I enjoy these puzzles - although frustrating at times - but the help I get from you people makes it all worth while. Any thoughts as to what might be causing this problem would be appreciated.

Regards Bonsai Cec

[Lardarse]

You're probably using an old version

[emm]

Cec, Instead of typing it in, try highlighting the grid above and copying it directly into SS using Edit & Paste.

[Cec]

You're probably using an old version

I'm using version 4.1 which I believe is the latest but thanks anyway.

Cec, Instead of typing it in, try highlighting the grid above and copying it directly into SS using Edit & Paste.

Bravo Em - it takes a woman's touch. Your above suggestion immediately displayed in the status bar that this is an invalid puzzle with 225 solutions. Out of curiosity, after opening the SS program, I selected F2 then F3 to get a blank grid then again typed in this puzzle but still showing no warning that it's an invalid puzzle. It does permit progressive "solving" for about a dozen moves when a message appears in the status bar that there are no more hints available.

However, no problem now because I can use your "system".

Cec

[robertsetiadi]

How about this?

[4,2,3,6,8,7,5,1,9]
[5,7,9,4,1,2,3,6,8]
[1,6,8,3,9,5,4,7,2]
[9,5,6,7,3,8,1,2,4]
[2,8,1,5,4,9,7,3,6]
[7,3,4,1,2,6,8,9,5]
[8,4,7,2,6,3,9,5,1]
[6,9,5,8,7,1,2,4,3]
[3,1,2,9,5,4,6,8,7]

[emm]

224 to go!