The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[Nick67]

I found some web pages that indicate that Su Doku first appeared in
in The Times one year ago today (Nov. 12).

Seems like an occasion to celebrate!

Then I found this page in the Times on-line site. It's a little confusing because the date of the article there is 11.12.04,
and it states that Su Doku will start on Monday (11.15.04). But the same page includes
several puzzles, leading me to believe that they were published along with
the article on 11.12.04.

So, I am curious ... can anyone please verify the date of the first Times puzzle?

[Pappocom]

On Friday November 12, 2004, The Times ran a two-page Cover Story in T2, announcing that from the following Monday (November 15) it would carry a daily Sudoku puzzle.

The introductory article on Friday included 4 or 5 puzzles, by way of illustration of the coming daily puzzle.

- Wayne

[Pi]

Are the rating given the same as the Papocomm ratings?

If so i am suprised there wasn't a very easy considering the readers had never seen sudoku before

[PaulIQ164]

As I recall, this initial article used the Pappocom program's ratings. I believe it was the first and only time a Very Hard has been seen in the weekday paper.

[Pat]

Are the rating given the same as the Papocomm ratings?

If so i am suprised there wasn't a Very Easy,
considering the readers had never seen SuDoku before

As I recall, this initial article used the Pappocom program's ratings.

tso has reported:
- that example 1 was a Very Easy, which The Times called "Easy"
- that they gave no example of an Easy puzzle
- that examples 2, 3, 4 did use the Pappocom ratings (Medium, Hard, Very Hard)

I believe it was the first and only time a Very Hard has been seen in the weekday paper.

yes, that is true - or at least it was true as of ( 2005.Mar.29 and ) 2005.Apr.17

- Pat

[Pi]

I wonder if anyone managed tro solve the Very Hard.

It must have taken hours

[PaulIQ164]

I think there was a big thread about it on these forums. Eventually, someone discovered the X-Wing.

[Nick67]

I think there was a big thread about it on these forums. Eventually, someone discovered the X-Wing.

Does anyone know where to find posts from around that time?
I just think they'd be fun to look at. Thanks!

[Pappocom]

The topic you have in mind is probably Very Hard - from Times Website.

In those days, I was having to deal with disbelievers, who doubted the Very Hard puzzle was acutally solveable with logic. As I recall, the whole thread evolved over a period of about 24 hours. It was compressed evolution in action.

The Solution to the Very Hard puzzle concerned is no longer available from the Solutions page.

- Wayne