The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[paulcoz]

Hi,

This is a HARD puzzle produced by the Pappocom program:

blank-----blank------blank-----blank-----blank---------4-----------7---------blank-------blank
5-----------blank------blank-----blank-----blank---------3--------blank------blank-------blank
blank-----blank---------3--------blank--------6---------blank-----blank---------5----------blank
3-----------blank---------5--------blank-----blank------blank--------9---------blank----------2
blank-----blank------blank-----blank------blank-----blank------blank--------3----------blank
7-----------blank---------9--------blank-----blank------blank------blank-----blank---------6
blank--------9---------blank-----blank--------1---------blank--------2---------blank------blank
blank-----blank------blank--------2--------blank------blank------blank-----blank---------7
blank------blank--------8-----------6--------blank------blank------blank-----blank------blank

I have almost finished the puzzle (only ten empty squares left) but have reached a point where it seems that the puzzle cannot be solved by logic. Can someone please tell me if it has multiple solutions (which I believe it does)?

Thanks!
Paul.

[ravel]

The puzzle you posted:

Code: Select all

------------
...|..4|7..
5..|..3|...
..3|.6.|.5.
------------
3.5|...|9.2
...|...|.3.
7.9|...|..6
------------
.9.|.1.|2..
...|2..|..7
..8|6..|...
------------


has 712 solutions. But i am sure that Pappocoms software would not create multiple solution puzzles, so i suppose you made a mistake when you copied it. Note that for symmetry there are 2 clues missing in boxes 4 and 6.
PS: I only found this symmetrical one with your givens, but it is easy (only box/line interactions)

Code: Select all

------------
...|..4|7..
5..|..3|...
..3|.6.|.5.
------------
3.5|...|9.2
.1.|...|.3.
7.9|...|4.6
------------
.9.|.1.|2..
...|2..|..7
..8|6..|...
------------

[QBasicMac]

I only found this symmetrical one with your givens

Good work! Even though I love figuring out what missing clues were probably there, I didn't relish translating that problem description. So I wasn't disappointed.

Mac

[paulcoz]

Thankyou!

I was wondering why I found this particular puzzle so difficult...it makes sense what you said about the symmetry and missing numbers.

Regards,
Paul.