The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[sanchez]

Hi all, i have recently started doing sudoku puzzles. i wanted to know if anyone has any tips on finding errors in the puzzle ur working on. really any tips would be great or if u can point me in the right direction there already is a thread on this topic.

[Cec]

"..i have recently started doing sudoku puzzles. i wanted to know if anyone has any tips on finding errors in the puzzle ur working on..." .

Hi sanchez,
I'm just not sure what it is you are asking. You say you are new to sudoku in which case the usual help sought is for tips and techniques to help solve puzzles. Click on the following links for help if that is what you want:
http://www.paulspages.co.uk/sudoku/howtosolve/index.htm
http://www.angusj.com/sudoku/hints.php
http://www.simes.clara.co.uk/programs/sudokutechniques.htm

If you are talking about making an obvious error whilst you are trying to solve a puzzle, for example, you pencil in the same number more than once in either the same row, column or "box" - a box being one of the nine 3X3 grids which make up the full grid, it is usually difficult to retrace your steps to find your mistake. Scrapping your work and restarting from scratch is the usual step to take.

On the other hand, you may be enquiring about puzzles which have more than one solution - these are known as invalid puzzles and are best discarded. Puzzles generated in this Forum by Pappocom are valid puzzles.

If I've gone "off the rails" in my above comments I hope somebody else will respond.
Cec

[sanchez]

If you are talking about making an obvious error whilst you are trying to solve a puzzle, for example, you pencil in the same number more than once in either the same row, column or "box" - a box being one of the nine 3X3 grids which make up the full grid, it is usually difficult to retrace your steps to find your mistake. Scrapping your work and restarting from scratch is the usual step to take.

Cec, thanks for the info. U actually answered my question. i have been able to fill in most of the puzzle except for the last 2 or 3 cells of the last box. guess i have to scrap the work i did and try again.

[Cec]

Thanks sanchez for replying - you can always post the puzzle as described Here if you need further help.
Cec