Here's an interesting case (one of two) arising from a puzzle posted by Champagne on page 3
The base cells hold 3 digits (124) but in the S cells only one instance of digit (2) is possible - in column 1.
Consequently (2) can be eliminated immediately from the base digits, as either, it would have to occupy both target cells, or one target cell and another cell in sight of the base cells.
4..........57..6...1..5..2..8.6.9.....3.7.9.....3...4..2..8..1...7..35..........2; ;1;0;r4c5 r6c5 r2c6 r8c4 124
- Code: Select all
*-------------------------*-------------------------*-------------------------*
| <4> 3679 2689 | 289-1 2369-1 1268 | 1378 35789 35789-1 |
| 2389 39 <5> | <7> 239-14 #14-28 | <6> 389 1'34'89 | S
| 36789 <1> 689 | 89-4 <5> 468 | 3478 <2> 3789-4 |
*-------------------------*-------------------------*-------------------------*
| 257-1 <8> 124 | <6> #14-2 <9> | 1237 357 357-1 |
| 1'256 4'56 <3> | 258-14 <7> 258-14 | <9> 568 1'568 | S
| 25679-1 5679 1269 | <3> #1-2 258-1 | 1278 <4> 5678-1 |
*-------------------------*-------------------------*-------------------------*
| 3569 <2> 469 | 459 <8> 567-4 | 347 <1> 3679-4 |
| 1'689 4'69 <7> | #14-29 269-14 <3> | <5> 689 4'689 | S
| 35689-1 3569-4 14689 | 1459 69-14 567-14 | 3478 36789 <2> |
*-------------------------*-------------------------*-------------------------*
1 4 14
JExocet:(124)r46c5,r2c6,r8c4
Eliminations:
r46c5 <> 2 (the partial fish cells can hold only one instance in column 1)
r2c6 <> 28, r8c4 <> 29 (non-base digits in the target cells)
r1c5 <> 1, r289c5 <> 14, r5c46 <> 14, r6c6 <> 1, (seen by the base cells)
r1c4 <> 1, r3c4 <> 4, r7c6 <> 4, r9c6 <> 14 (seen by both target cells)
r469c1,r146c9 <> 1, r9c2,r37c9 <> 4 (fin cells)
A couple of thoughts I've had while I've been looking for illustrative examples
*:
1. I like Denis's idea of adding the number of base digits to the description because it gives 3 character abbreviations, JE3 & JE4, that can be searched for in the forum.
2. A characteristic of JEs is that the base digits typically occur as two givens all of which are absent from one band of boxes. Therefore I agree that using the number of givens in a puzzle, there must be particular ranges that would favour JE3s & JE4s.
*Champagne have you got a set of moderate puzzles containing different types of Exocets? Without a solver program I'm not making much progress finding suitable puzzles.
[Edit fin eliminations corrected - thanks to Leren]