The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[Pat]

.

( not intended to re-start a debate on "guessing" - i just thought the Michael Mepham update deserves an independent Topic )

discovered that Mepham is known for publishing puzzles that do require T/E, at least at the current stage of solving capabilities.]

Michael Mepham himself said in the past that his harder puzzles required t&e, and he published his own guide on how to solve his puzzles that explicitly says that (I know this because I read it, unfortunately I can't lay my hands on either the copy I printed or the website).

He seems to have changed his mind, though and explains himself here: { broken link } www.sudoku.org.uk/goodbye.htm

in www.sudoku.Org.UK/goodbye.htm { broken link } Farewell to Ariadne's thread?,

The time has come to wave goodbye to Diabolical sudoku puzzles that appear to require guessing - at least from the mainstream that appear in newspapers and books.

also see www.sudoku.Org.UK/bifurcation.htm { broken link } The "unsolvable" sudoku:

The puzzles below are guaranteed to have a unique solution, but defy known logical solving methods.

here's Michael Mepham's website;
this is his Solving Sudoku document [ PDF ] (not necessarily updated).


- Pat

[lunababy_moonchild]

.

this is his Solving Sudoku document [ PDF ] (not necessarily updated).


- Pat

That's the document I was trying to find and to which I was referring.

Thanks Pat !

Luna

[Pat]

here's Michael Mepham's website;
this is his Solving Sudoku document [ PDF ]

i posted those links as a service for whoever may be curious — i should've also clearly stated: not intended as a recommendation.


meanwhile, Michael Mepham's list of www.SuDoku.Org.UK/bifurcation.htm { broken link } "unsolvable" SuDoku (so-called) has grown to 11;
rubylips has reported that all of them fall to forced chains

~ Pat

[Havard]

I had a quick look through all 11, and most of them can be solved with some xy-wings and some Turbot Fish. A few need ALS (almost locked sets). nr. 1 I could not solve without a forcing chain, but that was the only one I found that needed that, the rest is pretty straight stuff...