The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[gibcul]

Can someone help me with this one?


_ _ _ | 3 _ 6 | 1 _ _
9 _ _ | _ _ 7 | _ _ _
1 _ _ | _ _ _ | _ 9 3
-----------------------
6 _ 7 | _ _ _ | _ 8 _
_ 3 _ | _ 4 _ | _ 1 _
_ 4 _ | _ _ _ | 3 _ 5
-----------------------
4 2 _ | _ _ _ | _ _ 7
_ _ _ | 7 _ _ | _ _ 8
_ _ 5 | 2 _ 3 | _ _ _



I've got as far as:

_ _ _ | 3 9 6 | 1 7 _
9 _ 3 | _ _ 7 | _ _ _
1 7 _ | _ _ _ | _ 9 3
-----------------------
6 _ 7 | _ 3 _ | _ 8 _
_ 3 _ | _ 4 _ | 7 1 _
_ 4 _ | _ 7 _ | 3 _ 5
-----------------------
4 2 _ | _ _ _ | _ 3 7
3 _ _ | 7 _ 4 | _ _ 8
7 _ 5 | 2 _ 3 | _ _ 1



I've have found the solution on the sudoku site

But that doesn't help me the next time around!

I wondered if someone can explain in plain terms how to do the next step?


Thanks in advance!!

Gibcul

[Cec]

Hi gibcul and welcome to the forum.

If you haven't read the Forum's procedures for posting puzzles, including a "Pencilmark" grid, you should read up on this by clicking Here

Here is your "Pencilmark" grid at the stage you reached....

Code: Select all

 *--------------------------------------------------------------------*
 | 258    58     248    | 3      9      6      | 1      7      24     |
 | 9      568    3      | 1458   1258   7      | 24568  2456   246    |
 | 1      7      2468   | 458    258    258    | 24568  9      3      |
 |----------------------+----------------------+----------------------|
 | 6      159    7      | 159    3      1259   | 249    8      249    |
 | 258    3      289    | 5689   4      2589   | 7      1      269    |
 | 28     4      1289   | 1689   7      1289   | 3      26     5      |
 |----------------------+----------------------+----------------------|
 | 4      2      1689   | 15689  1568   1589   | 569    3      7      |
 | 3      169    169    | 7      156    4      | 2569   256    8      |
 | 7      689    5      | 2      68     3      | 469    46     1      |
 *--------------------------------------------------------------------*


Some of the many links explaining "basic" solving techniques are listed hereunder. Before proceeding to "Advanced" solving techniques, new members are encouraged to fully acquaint themselves with the "basic" techniques including Hidden and Naked singles, Hidden and Naked pairs and triples and "Locked Candidates (1) and (2).

http://www.angusj.com/sudoku/hints.php
http://www.sadmansoftware.com/sudoku/techniques.htm
http://www.scanraid.com/BasicStrategies.htm

As an example of identifying the "Locked Candidates" technique of excluding candidates in some cells to eventually achieve a solution, you will see that candidate 2's in column 5 (c5) are restricted or "locked" within box2 (the top middle 3X3 grid). Therefore, any other 2's within this box outside c5 can be excluded so remove 2 from r3c6.

Again in c5, the 6's are "locked" in box8 (lower middle 3X3 grid) which enables all other 6's within box8 outside c5 to be excluded. Further "Locked" candidates exclusions exist in box8 and other boxes 6 and box1. The remainder of the puzzle solves by identifying "Hidden" or "Naked" singles.

Cec

[gibcul]

Cec

Thanks for the info on helpful sites and the pro forma

Gibcul

[Cec]

Just to satisfy my curiousity, when I replied above to gibcul I welcomed him/her to the forum because I noted that this was their first post - or so I thought? This thread now shows the "first" post was the second post? I'm sure I was drinking diet-coke last night but now I'm wondering?

Cec

[ronk]

This thread now shows the "first" post was the second post? I'm sure I was drinking diet-coke last night but now I'm wondering?

The "nnnn" of "posts: nnnn" is the current total, not a sequence number.

[Cec]

Thanks ronk for rapid response and satisfying my curiousity.

Cec