The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[foureyes]

I have only been playing for four weeks and i have solved four moderate levels. However, i find some difficulty in solving gentle levels. Is this common?

[Pappocom]

Are you sure you have posted in the right forum? I think you are not solving Pappocom Sudoku puzzles. Where do you get the puzzles from?

If you are indeed talking about "The Times" (Pappocom) puzzles, then you are very unusual! If you can solve Medium puzzles, you should be able to solve Easy puzzles - easily!

On reading your post again, I see you use the terms "moderate" and "gentle", which confirms my belief that you are not talking about "The Times" (Pappocom) puzzles.

- Wayne

[award]

I think the poster is refuring to the Daily Telegraph puzzles ???

http://www.sudoku.org.uk/daily.asp

[The Druid]

I almost always find "Fiendish" ones simple and straightforward, while "Difficult" ones - allegedly easier than "Fiendish" - occasionally prove a real struggle.

I suspect that I'm missing one particular solving-strategy which you simply don't need for "Fiendish".

The Druid

[PaulIQ164]

I've occasionally found the same thing. I have no idea why it is.

[demdempster]

My theory about this phenomenon, as a pen and paper solver, is that fiendish puzzles generally have one or more breakthrough points, from which large chunks of the solution cascade. This can require a degree of focus to achieve progress.

With difficult puzzles I'm more inclined to flit around looking for the easy bits which must be there [otherwise it would be fiendish], and therefore tend to lose track occasionally and 'overlook' relative obvious ways forward. What might be called the "D'oh!" factor.

It doesn't apply at the easy/mild level since there is almost always another number to be found by simple observation rather than chain of thought.

[george-no1]

I use extensive pencilmarks for Fiendish as I find that it is impossible to get very far without them. However, for easy, mild and difficult I have not used any pencilmarks in a long time because I have discovered that not much information needs to be retained in your head for long amounts of time.

G

[PaulIQ164]

I like to do fiendishes without pencilmarks when I can, but often I find myself needing them (today's, annoyingly, I started making pencilmarks, then noticed there was a cell which could only be an 8). I think demdempster might be right about why the Difficults sometimes seem to pose more of a challenge.

[george-no1]

I've tried doing fiendishes without pencilmarks, but I just can't seem to keep all that information in my head! Please can you explain how when most cells have more than 3 candidates!

G

[PaulIQ164]

Well, I just sort of... look round, for things. I mean, it doesn't matter if a cell has three candidates if it's the only place a 7 can go in that row, or whatever. And then as soon as I notice that there's a pair, or a number where all its possible places in one box are in the same column, I try to fill in any cells that arise as a consequence of that straight away so I don't have to remember about it for a long time.

[The Druid]

I use pencil marks if I need to, it's as simple as that for me.

My interest in Su Doku is to exercise my logical skills (which I enjoy using), not my memory (which is erratic at the best of times).

If I want to make a particular puzzle harder, I leave out all entries of one particular number until the rest of the puzzle is completed, or something similar.

The Druid