The New Sudoku Players' Forum

by **Ocean** » Sat May 27, 2006 3:16 pm

The purpose of this thread is to collect lowstepper puzzles - puzzles that can be solved by a low number of 'singleton steps'. Puzzles are collected from the 'inferior thread', in addition to new submissions.

The puzzles are grouped by the following symmetry types:

Type I = Full dihedral symmetry [F]
Type II = Full rotational symmetry [L]
Type III = Horizontal and vertical reflection [P]
Type IV = Diagonal and anti-diagonal reflection [X]
Type V = 180-degree rotational symmetry [R]
Type VI = Horizontal or vertical reflection [H]
Type VII = Diagonal or anti-diagonal reflection [D]
Type 0 = No symmetry [A]

Steps for the low-stepper puzzles are counted as defined in the Inferior Thread:

ab wrote:Vidarino summed up how to count the number of steps quite well:
1. locate singles (naked or hidden) - but don't place any numbers
2. place all located singles in one sweep
3. rinse and repeat until solved

As an effort to get a collection of good quality and diversity, the following rules are proposed for puzzles to qualify: Everybody may submit up to 3 puzzles in a specific class (symmetry type and number of steps). After that new submissions should beat your personal best in the particular group it belongs. Also, puzzles 'substantially lower than average' will not enter the list.

Code: Select all: Lowest known number of clues for Low-steppers: #------------------------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ Number of steps: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | #------------------------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ Symmetric + absolute minimal: | -- | -- | -- | 20 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 18 | Symmetric + minimal symmetric: | 44 | 32 | 24 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 18 | Symmetric: | 38 | 30 | 24 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 18 | Minimal: | -- | -- | 31 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 17 | Any sudoku: | 34 | 28 | 24 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 17 | #------------------------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ #------------------------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ Type I symmetry: (M) | -- | -- | -- | -- | 24 | -- | 21 | 20 | [code:F] (SM) | 44 | 32 | 28 | 28 | | 24 | | | (not M) | 40 | | | | | | | | #------------------------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ Type II symmetry: (M) | -- | -- | -- | 24 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | [code:L] (SM) | -- | 32 | 24 | | | | | | (not M) | 40 | | | | | | | | #------------------------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ Type III symmetry: (M) | -- | -- | -- | -- | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | [code:P] (SM) | -- | 34 | 28 | 25 | | | | | (not M) | 40 | 32 | | | | | | | #------------------------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ Type IV symmetry: (M) | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 18 | 18 | 18 | [code:X] (SM) | -- | 32 | 26 | 26 | 25 | | | | (not M) | 39 | 31 | | | | | | | #------------------------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ Type V symmetry: (M) | -- | -- | -- | 20 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 18 | [code:R] (SM) | -- | -- | 26 | | | | | | (not M) | 38 | 31 | | | | | | | #------------------------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ Type VI symmetry: (M) | -- | -- | -- | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | [code:H] (SM) | -- | -- | 27 | | | | | | (not M) | 38 | 31 | | | | | | | #------------------------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ Type VII symmetry: (M) | -- | -- | -- | -- | 22 | 22 | 18 | 18 | [code:D] (SM) | -- | 32 | 25 | 23 | | | | | (not M) | 38 | 30 | | | | | | | #------------------------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ No symmetry: (M) | -- | -- | 31 | 31 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 17 | [code:A] (not M) | 34 | 28 | 25 | 23 | | | | | #------------------------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ #------------------------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ Lowest known number of steps for minimal 31+ puzzles: #------------------------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ Number of clues: | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | -- | -- | -- | #------------------------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ Lowest number of steps: | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | -- | -- | -- | #------------------------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+

#
# Lowest entries (symtype,steps,clues,min,puzzle,submitter,refno):
#
#
-,1,34,-,020000610560047008708003002002609000070000540010078306009510070000806190043002000,JPF,263
-,2,28,-,310005700005800401070090000007900520060000000090168000040030065008000090000607100,JPF,242
-,3,25,-,007010000060020080080000906002800009700003201050000400300067000000305000290000050,JPF,241
-,3,31,M,003006780700000450056700100201000800060007201090030500312605000600008000070012000,coloin,277
-,3,32,M,003006780700100450406780100230064800060000201000000000312640000600008000008012005,coloin,278
-,3,33,M,023006780700100450406700100231060800060007200000000000310605000600008002078012005,coloin,279
-,3,34,M,000000000004001052057043081018057034006480007000000000091025040070106008085900013,coloin,272
-,4,23,-,007100800062000930004207100000000000000010200030456000000538060009070000000000000,Ocean,232
-,4,31,M,000000000000001352057040601018050930006009000000312005001005700070130000080074203,coloin,281
-,5,21,M,001200000000100030400000056700000083000500020004900000029000000008004900000003700,Ocean,286
-,6,19,M,010200000000000703006000400000500097400000800000100000050006010700040000000080009,Ocean,25
-,6,35,M,000000000060001352057000601018057930000409007009310060001005700070130500085074203,coloin,273
-,7,18,M,010023000000000045000000000406000000000060300500000070000410060030000200100080000,Ocean,24
-,8,17,M,000100060300000200500000000017000000000003800000000000060710040200000300000600500,gfroyle/Ruud,18
-,8,17,M,010000700000004000000060000504000060000120000600300000400008000000000305000700100,gfroyle/Ruud,19
#
I,1,40,-,560070012700149006003060400010306080825000637040702090008090700200438009630020041,JPF,253
I,1,44,SM,065207930100508004709306208513000682000000000496000317908601405300702006021409870,Ocean,30
I,2,32,SM,040000070510030024000284000001603900034000510002407800000546000780020036090000050,Ocean,27
I,2,32,SM,040206030205000807070010090100604009009000200800307005030080020706000108080109040,JPF,270
I,3,28,SM,970000063100070008000205000005802600020000010006903400000109000500040009860000041,Ocean,75
I,4,28,SM,000789000006000100070030090800405006704000209600203008050060030002000400000127000,gsf,118
I,5,24,M,004108700000206000700000006370000012000000000460000059500000003000709000002804900,Ocean,85
I,6,24,SM,007000400000104000302000905060080030000709000070050090901000304000506000003000700,gsf,179
I,7,21,M,000102000010000030004050600300000002005070800900000001008040500020000060000508000,Ocean,264
I,8,20,M,000000000001020300040105060003000700080000040009000200050407080002010900000000000,Ocean,150
#
II,1,40,-,800001905000863700624000300740295080090306050050147092009000841001578000203900006,gsf,226
II,1,40,-,028306010409105003000807045213000974000000000654000328180703000700509601030402580,JPF,268
II,2,32,SM,000183000071002360020900050850000107400000009603000045060001020085200790000574000,gsf,122
II,3,24,SM,000001230100004500670008000268000000000000000000000497000500081004700003093600000,Ocean,177
II,4,24,M,000001020201003000004005670683000000000000000000000245068200900000800403090700000,Ocean,180
II,5,20,M,100000203000000400560070000000205000004000800000103000000060071008000000203000005,Ocean,238
II,6,20,M,000001020304005000000006070528000000000000000000000314010200000000300508060700000,Ocean,185
II,7,20,M,000001230300000400450060000900000000007000800000000004000040056008000009072300000,Ocean,184
II,8,20,M,000001230400000500560070000300000000008000900000000005000050067009000004082300000,Ocean,183
#
III,1,40,-,068000170105080302000491000206307904040508060803904205000135000702040508034000690,JPF,254
III,2,32,-,006849500000050000402000709035000940040105020087000310903000108000070000001382600,JPF,256
III,2,34,SM,000000000803601504105304807650080093000000000270060018904105306302907105000000000,gsf,160
III,3,28,SM,000000000506000201800236005090402030040000010050809020900753004403000906000000000,gsf,161
III,4,25,SM,000509000008000500701000608400060002000324000500090001603000704007000900000801000,gsf,130
III,5,22,M,000010000001000200023000450500306007000000000800204006054000390002000500000070000,Ocean,166
III,6,22,M,000000000010020030400506007002010800000709000009080600600105004080030020000000000,Ocean,167
III,7,22,M,000000000001020300024000150300104006000000000700805004013000240008090700000000000,Ocean,168
III,8,22,M,000000000000102000304000506010020040570000081090060020108000409000607000000000000,Ocean,169
#
IV,1,39,-,006003010002750804734200090053020009020189040800040760040001356109032400070800900,JPF,255
IV,2,31,-,090063100700000800000008674000030406600951002801070000243500000007000008005610030,JPF,261
IV,2,32,SM,002806030000004809600095070800000354006000700591000006010670008309100000040209600,gsf,196
IV,3,26,SM,300008600040015000000002904000000385030000090867000000506700000000290070008400002,gsf,259
IV,4,26,SM,040079100903000000060002008000003504600000002207500000500100070000000605002960010,Ruud,153
IV,4,26,SM,020000509305001000060008004000040790000706000052010000600400010000500603508000070,gsf,157
IV,5,25,SM,604500010000820006108000000510000000070090050000000049000000507300069000060004908,Ruud,154
IV,6,18,M,001000023000004005600007000000000780000000000052000000000200009800300000470000100,Ocean,290
IV,7,18,M,001000023000004005200006000000000670000000000035000000000500004600200000740000800,Ocean,291
IV,8,18,M,001000023000004005600007000000000480000000000032000000000200009800600000470000100,Ocean,292
#
V,1,38,-,030008061190074800200506300380049000047000290000630087004801006001290074950400020,JPF,249
V,2,31,-,623000010000009865009700020200840050000070000050063007040007600968200000070000483,JPF,248
V,3,26,SM,080000024050009000014750000008040600000102000002060700000015360000300090590000040,gsf,191
V,4,20,M,000000001000002000030400506000007890060000020043500000207009080000600000100000000,Ocean,288
V,5,20,M,000000010002000034500067000000031000700000005000480000000240009380000600010000000,Ocean,87
V,6,18,M,000000001000002000001000034000005670004000200018900000690000700000400000200000000,Ocean,289
V,7,18,M,000000010000021000003000045000006200070000080004500000620000900000480000090000000,Ocean,94
V,8,18,M,000000010000012000003000045000006200070000080004500000620000300000840000090000000,Ocean,95
#
VI,1,38,-,004126800003090700860050049070010020020468010901000306210709038500000004007235600,JPF,251
VI,2,31,-,003208600105000309000000000210050068000070000708040205080000070040615030060987010,JPF,247
VI,3,27,SM,000000000003409200980205067000000000000791000207000408010080020036000540050010030,gsf,141
VI,4,22,M,001000200203000405000306000720000068000000000000104000000010000009000300040768020,Ocean,284
VI,5,21,M,000000012030000004005012000200600000000370600800100000006059000050000007000000031,Ocean,287
VI,6,21,M,000000000010020030200405006400000002000000000100706008060050090007040300090000010,Ocean,283
VI,7,21,M,100000002000000000300405006200107004000000000003020800004060900090010080006000300,Ocean,282
VI,8,20,M,000000000000001200130040050002006700053000000008002900980050030000007600000000000,Ocean,239B
#
VII,1,38,-,001908300008041650520000080300175004090824000270630005940000102017000003000703948,JPF,252
VII,2,30,-,500080000000500037000126400013090000409800105008000006001050080030000529020064010,JPF,262
VII,2,32,SM,009410025008200074240900003137000000600000450000000109000036000460050001725004060,gsf,258
VII,3,25,SM,000085000006000700072090030000076005300004902150000000000000340900200600010950000,gsf,164
VII,4,23,SM,017000002090008000002604000000090410500003000000200600800000305000000068201060000,gsf,260
VII,5,22,M,120034000500000600003000700000008010300000028200700000089000003000450000000010900,Ocean,225
VII,6,22,M,000000030000305809006001070700000240430900000000020060200000500000090000005014000,gsf,224
VII,7,18,M,070030000800000500000000100000070943500600000000000000034800070000500600000100000,gfroyle/gsf,105
VII,8,18,M,001400000000200050300000700520000060000010900000000000009080104070500000000000300,gfroyle/gsf,106
VII,8,18,M,002400000000600800700000010130050000000900200000000400090013070004000600000000000,gfroyle/gsf,107
VII,8,18,M,003200000000500800900000040410070000000600500000000200090041070002000600000000000,gfroyle/gsf,108
VII,8,18,M,003200000000500800900000040410070000000600500000000200090041070005000600000000000,gfroyle/gsf,109
VII,8,18,M,009000036020700000800400000036090000000800700000000000000060190700000800400000000,gfroyle/gsf,110
VII,8,18,M,009000064020700000800300000046090000000800700000000000000060190700000800300000000,gfroyle/gsf,111
VII,8,18,M,050000630900100000000400000032080000000600100000000400700032080100000900000000000,gfroyle/gsf,112
VII,8,18,M,080010000500000300000000200000070814300500000000000000014900070000200600000300000,gfroyle/gsf,113
VII,8,18,M,090100800500000020000400000302060000000700400000000100900032060010000700000000000,gfroyle/gsf,114
VII,8,18,M,090100800500000030000200000403060000000700100000000200900043060010000700000000000,gfroyle/gsf,115
VII,8,18,M,090200800500000030000100000403060000000700100000000200900043060010000700000000000,gfroyle/gsf,116

#
# All puzzles so far:
#
-,1,34,-,020000610560047008708003002002609000070000540010078306009510070000806190043002000,JPF,263
-,1,35,-,947008100103006820000000057090340008630090000210000079006831000000704260501200400,JPF,240
-,1,36,-,300007190200806000459000060906001054000030200007204819040150003085020907600408000,JPF,201
-,1,36,-,230700800000609051100000430078015043900080106040000002003062094827300000460150000,JPF,202
-,1,37,-,400900800900813002600000017007400680014020503530009070000041308052000706008762009,JPF,174
-,1,37,-,702600019503007000000823060900031850054080670017040020201000007000309482090205000,JPF,203
-,1,37,-,860305009005074002009008300002000840638009070070600005904850763100230500700400100,JPF,204
-,1,37,-,054300007700100043610900502300820470001060809570000200809503000200090051100047600,JPF,205
-,1,37,-,020600000001080540300921780064700000900250003850006209400193820080000634500004010,JPF,206
-,1,37,-,410000052300420069000068000000907208047200003005310796060540000100003670859001300,JPF,207
-,1,37,-,740001300012000680000729050060500740308090005090102000480000030007630920620950401,JPF,208
-,1,37,-,367000910080090406005081000070562030003000647091003080800400071500900302026105000,JPF,209
-,1,37,-,002634000008001570490058302003900681007310020065000009320047010070000000506803900,JPF,210
-,1,37,-,286009400009510800000000670635900000090000732100084000002468050500273901470100008,JPF,211
-,1,37,-,681004090003080500004003128048710630050940080060000057890001000000539072700002004,JPF,212
-,1,37,-,600000450591080070824003900042090106000076090005408020073500002080140600100030709,JPF,213
-,1,37,-,032590007050080962080700050490063000021000800605004100009208074067050003203010008,JPF,214
-,1,37,-,390000065050190024060200080004003000020871009805640013087054600006000790109008400,JPF,215
-,1,37,-,640050091703008054800092000010000739000670002530210008020000687008705900409030100,JPF,216
-,1,37,-,000045006007830501830090002903100648060580000020000730076209010382006000001070064,JPF,217
-,1,37,-,080600000000002950040185270010728090829003600350000400102076000690530001004009803,JPF,218
-,1,37,-,090076000006380071000100240704900513200704009800035000040291705001040680523000000,JPF,219
-,1,37,-,060090704201040069009370051983000100006002030700005800430600000502814600010700902,JPF,220
-,1,38,-,100097023900006050002300740070500201350900086208400030004083910019750000560020004,ab,96
-,1,39,-,100097023900006050002300740070508001350000086208400030004083910019750002560029004,ab,93
-,2,28,-,310005700005800401070090000007900520060000000090168000040030065008000090000607100,JPF,242
-,2,29,-,040700200082001604000040003230400070090863040000000100001975000306000000008200050,JPF,195
-,2,30,-,400000560003400080520073000100026000005000100000008975060907030008100000391004002,JPF,171
-,2,31,-,002600009490070206503040010000000100021809004050007090700003058000501700300096000,JPF,170
-,2,34,-,002000065760400090008507100000083600097000350040659000106000432370210000050030001,JPF,17
-,3,25,-,007010000060020080080000906002800009700003201050000400300067000000305000290000050,JPF,241
-,3,26,-,054076000100000200009040000000007060008009005701008090000051000400092300230000700,JPF,193
-,3,27,-,051000097080020405000041000907600000200000370000000804370280500000400008000390000,JPF,182
-,3,31,M,003006780700000450056700100201000800060007201090030500312605000600008000070012000,coloin,277
-,3,32,M,003006780700100450406780100230064800060000201000000000312640000600008000008012005,coloin,278
-,3,33,M,023006780700100450406700100231060800060007200000000000310605000600008002078012005,coloin,279
-,3,34,M,000000000004001052057043081018057034006480007000000000091025040070106008085900013,coloin,272
-,4,23,-,007100800062000930004207100000000000000010200030456000000538060009070000000000000,Ocean,232
-,4,25,-,000800000700005180064000030000014000006000079050092000178000002200930006000100000,JPF,221
-,4,26,-,200003000015800000690000804000400000002108500000009006000000900908070120007034080,JPF,181
-,4,27,-,007200000000150800543007602092060300000003021000080005060008004000070000900000703,Ruud,151
-,4,31,M,000000000000001352057040601018050930006009000000312005001005700070130000080074203,coloin,281
-,4,34,M,023406700080100450406700100231060800060007201000000000312600008600008000078012005,coloin,280
-,5,21,M,001200000000100030400000056700000083000500020004900000029000000008004900000003700,Ocean,286
-,5,22,M,000000000000010200030450000002006700076000130008902600000843050001020000000000000,Ocean,233
-,5,24,M,300000000072008090060032080000600000000059001018000700120000500000003000900700103,Ruud,152
-,6,19,M,010200000000000703006000400000500097400000800000100000050006010700040000000080009,Ocean,25
-,6,35,M,000000000060001352057000601018057930000409007009310060001005700070130500085074203,coloin,273
-,6,35,M,000000000060001350057003601010057930506409000009010060001025700072130500080074203,coloin,274
-,6,35,M,000000000060001350050043601010057930506409000009012000091025700072130500000074203,coloin,275
-,6,35,M,000000000060001350050043601010057930506409000009012000001025700072130500080074203,coloin,276
-,7,18,M,010023000000000045000000000406000000000060300500000070000410060030000200100080000,Ocean,24
-,8,17,M,000100060300000200500000000017000000000003800000000000060710040200000300000600500,gfroyle/Ruud,18
-,8,17,M,010000700000004000000060000504000060000120000600300000400008000000000305000700100,gfroyle/Ruud,19
#
I,1,40,-,560070012700149006003060400010306080825000637040702090008090700200438009630020041,JPF,253
I,1,44,SM,065207930100508004709306208513000682000000000496000317908601405300702006021409870,Ocean,30
I,1,44,SM,608703902020408050503209406286000594000000000415000837704901308060305070109806205,Ocean,31
I,1,44,SM,004107300002893500590204087259000741010000050738000692380502016001386200005901400,Ocean,32
I,1,44,SM,046208530720403096800509007234000169000000000579000382400705003190304058058601270,Ocean,33
I,1,48,SM,305208904087904160960301025598000312000000000123000746830406057042509630601703408,vidarino,4
I,1,48,SM,076205340209407608510603029652000137000000000387000964160304092703908406098102570,Ocean,35
I,1,48,SM,096108240802706103130204065265000489000000000978000316720405038601903704054807920,Ocean,36
I,1,48,SM,081502670607309805520607043278000316000000000413000957150406038806701504094805260,Ocean,37
I,1,48,SM,017209350908501204620803091192000875000000000546000913250407036704306509061902480,Ocean,38
I,1,48,SM,092107350805309602160502097928000134000000000634000785780203046306708901059406870,Ocean,39
I,1,48,SM,390215064204603805060704090936000578800000001152000436080902050405107609710568043,Ocean,40
I,1,48,SM,052804960108509704490601035731000258000000000546000193820107049904203607073408510,Ocean,41
I,1,48,SM,083705920506901803790803056218000749000000000475000361950604038607102405024309610,Ocean,42
I,1,48,SM,001867500087201940650409087943000721200000005875000364730506018068103270004798600,Ocean,43
I,1,48,SM,018409370205306108740801095482000936000000000356000781120705069807902503039108420,Ocean,44
I,2,32,SM,040000070510030024000284000001603900034000510002407800000546000780020036090000050,Ocean,27
I,2,32,SM,040206030205000807070010090100604009009000200800307005030080020706000108080109040,JPF,270
I,2,36,SM,700935006005070900090801020903000502420000083806000109070403050009050300500627004,Ocean,16
I,2,36,SM,700935006005070900090801020903000502420000083806000109070403050009050300500627004,Ocean,45
I,2,36,SM,000759000057308640090020050310000062605000108870000095040030020068402510000176000,Ocean,46
I,2,36,SM,020593010100204008004000300940030087800406002350070064007000600200605009060781050,Ocean,47
I,2,36,SM,400176002001000900030502040705209603200000008103805709060407090008000500500938007,Ocean,48
I,2,36,SM,009508600000916000103000908370080021040301090590060084904000805000845000008107200,Ocean,49
I,2,36,SM,500301002007000800010864030804607301001000900905108407080752060002000500700903008,Ocean,50
I,2,36,SM,706503409000402000501000703480609051000000000210805067109000208000706000304201605,Ocean,51
I,2,36,SM,500403009007609200080107060316000827000000000425000913040302080001906700200805004,Ocean,52
I,2,36,SM,000687000001503200057010460280000074904000603730000051048060710002405300000891000,Ocean,53
I,2,36,SM,000801000003625400072000650340080025020709060680030094091000270004957800000203000,Ocean,54
I,2,36,SM,020506080640010097000479000804000209057000460103000508000147000970060041030902050,Ocean,55
I,2,36,SM,700020003013090620050108040001709200570000084006803900030405060024070130100080007,Ocean,56
I,2,36,SM,003178400000904000907020806380000049406000107710000085601090708000503000005617200,Ocean,57
I,2,36,SM,017504320800070009300109006104000905080000010203000607700206001400090003069803740,Ocean,58
I,2,36,SM,910070026300901008000645000062000170109000802087000590000193000800704005670080049,Ocean,59
I,2,36,SM,004905600020000050500621004802409301003000400907308506700236005060000080009804100,Ocean,60
I,2,36,SM,001903800020805070309000601930070042000602000510040086108000305060701090003506200,Ocean,61
I,2,36,SM,020639050306000907050010060800201006105000209700804005070080010509000402030427090,Ocean,62
I,2,36,SM,030742010900000002005806700206905308800000001709408205001309400300000007090621050,Ocean,63
I,2,36,SM,900163002002908300010000060160040037300806001480030029090000080001409500200385004,Ocean,64
I,2,36,SM,008762300030908040900000005580070024700203008620090013200000007040507030009481600,Ocean,65
I,2,36,SM,010532080705000601040000020600974003500301009200865007050000010409000302030746090,Ocean,66
I,2,36,SM,800137006007040100049000720500608004320000097700309001016000570005060300200581009,Ocean,67
I,2,36,SM,060419020200000001005306700701040609800705002403090805002903400900000007010257080,Ocean,68
I,2,36,SM,040020070306080901089000460000832000270906014000174000032000780901040503050060040,Ocean,69
I,2,36,SM,802000104000384000900702006094070810070803090083020460300207001000651000107000905,Ocean,70
I,2,36,SM,100906003043105680090000050560010034000802000980050027030000060057308910600204005,Ocean,71
I,2,36,SM,009104200003080700120906048508000906090000070406000103860307092007090600001205400,Ocean,72
I,2,36,SM,500000004080467010003201700061080470050706030092010580008605100020943060400000002,Ocean,73
I,2,36,SM,000513000005807900017000630150070029700109008680030041063000150008301400000926000,Ocean,74
I,3,28,SM,970000063100070008000205000005802600020000010006903400000109000500040009860000041,Ocean,75
I,3,28,SM,060103050340080092000000000100602003070000040900305008000000000580020037030406010,Ocean,76
I,3,28,SM,860000025200010008000708000003070800050603040007050600000905000100030009520000086,Ocean,77
I,3,28,SM,002000500000261000407000906020705010080000050090104080905000708000937000006000200,Ocean,78
I,3,28,SM,000629000072000180050000060900102004100000008700804005080000030037000290000531000,Ocean,79
I,3,28,SM,020000060350010047000906000005309800080000070001502400000107000970040085060000090,Ocean,80
I,3,28,SM,008040300000905000605000701020103060900000007050207040309000104000802000006010800,Ocean,81
I,3,29,SM,000982000021000780050000040900070005100368002600050001010000060083000510000514000,vidarino,7
I,3,29,SM,007000900000658000503000604010205070050030060060409080901000207000147000006000500,vidarino,8
I,3,29,SM,560000024800000007002106500001040700000317000009050300005409800200000006970000031,vidarino,9
I,3,32,SM,000030000004508900058090240070105030503000604020306090092050480006409700000020000,gsf,117
I,4,28,SM,000789000006000100070030090800405006704000209600203008050060030002000400000127000,gsf,118
I,5,24,M,004108700000206000700000006370000012000000000460000059500000003000709000002804900,Ocean,85
I,6,24,SM,007000400000104000302000905060080030000709000070050090901000304000506000003000700,gsf,179
I,6,28,SM,000000000034020580080607020005030800020809050009040700010204060048060910000000000,gsf,119
I,7,21,M,000102000010000030004050600300000002005070800900000001008040500020000060000508000,Ocean,264
I,7,24,SM,400000009030000020000517000002060800001203900009040500000792000070000060800000003,gsf,120
I,8,20,M,000000000001020300040105060003000700080000040009000200050407080002010900000000000,Ocean,150
I,8,28,SM,000010000002769800080050040070000090319000582050000030090040070005687400000030000,gsf,121
#
II,1,40,-,800001905000863700624000300740295080090306050050147092009000841001578000203900006,gsf,226
II,1,40,-,028306010409105003000807045213000974000000000654000328180703000700509601030402580,JPF,268
II,1,40,-,270500009089100347040870060000030658007904100153020000030015080925006470600007032,JPF,269
II,1,41,-,100900873806005000200781050098040207003526900604090310060278009000300601352009004,gsf,198
II,2,32,-,000090020930046150082000700070508000350000086000401030004000910019750062060020000,ab,92
II,2,32,SM,000183000071002360020900050850000107400000009603000045060001020085200790000574000,gsf,122
II,2,32,-,700400198200380000806000700000902065070000020930605000001000503000064001528001009,JPF,271
II,2,36,SM,000008510807053000105079340682000000073000420000000876069310205000420901031900000,JPF,97
II,3,24,SM,000001230100004500670008000268000000000000000000000497000500081004700003093600000,Ocean,177
II,3,28,SM,058007000040000589010002007602309000000000000000705103700800020481000090000600740,gsf,123
II,4,24,M,000001020201003000004005670683000000000000000000000245068200900000800403090700000,Ocean,180
II,4,24,SM,000000010123000040000056070002608000007000300000307800080210000030000756040000000,Ocean,176
II,4,28,SM,000000390900004100130620000070206900008000500003105080000063075007800006062000000,gsf,124
II,5,20,M,100000203000000400560070000000205000004000800000103000000060071008000000203000005,Ocean,238
II,5,21,M,102000003000104000000005006047000080000090000080000410300600000000301000200000509,Ocean,234
II,5,24,M,000000010102003000004020350080050000005702600000060030053070200000100908060000000,Ocean,175
II,5,24,SM,100000003009000000008709460001050700000602000004030900067905800000000200800000007,gsf,125
II,6,20,M,000001020304005000000006070528000000000000000000000314010200000000300508060700000,Ocean,185
II,6,24,M,001084900000000500370000006400601000500000001000402009600000075007000000003120800,Ocean,173
II,6,24,SM,030600000009700001000001080008070059000804000120090600060100000400005200000008090,gsf,126
II,7,20,M,000001230300000400450060000900000000007000800000000004000040056008000009072300000,Ocean,184
II,7,24,SM,000300480900070500280000000000010009060408020100020000000000031002050006037004000,gsf,127
II,8,20,M,000001230400000500560070000300000000008000900000000005000050067009000004082300000,Ocean,183
II,8,24,M,840000005000060003000307000005408300010000080006103700000604000900020000500000024,Ocean,172
II,8,24,SM,000000170150070080600002000001080000020904030000020700000800006080050093049000000,gsf,128
#
III,1,40,-,068000170105080302000491000206307904040508060803904205000135000702040508034000690,JPF,254
III,1,42,-,609501408070000010083702950305409607000203000208107509032605180060000090407908302,gsf,231
III,1,44,-,208537406000819000530040078106080204003201600807060905740050069000926000901478503,JPF,223
III,2,32,-,006849500000050000402000709035000940040105020087000310903000108000070000001382600,JPF,256
III,2,34,SM,000000000803601504105304807650080093000000000270060018904105306302907105000000000,gsf,160
III,2,36,SM,070000010006409200018305960360904085000000000490807021057206140003701800020000030,JPF,102
III,3,28,SM,000000000506000201800236005090402030040000010050809020900753004403000906000000000,gsf,161
III,3,30,SM,060000070000305000310406089042000790000107000091000560420809056000502000030000040,vidarino,5
III,3,30,SM,030416080070000040200000005007903100600708002008201300300000001090000030040372050,gsf,129
III,3,32,SM,400000002028705630001060500590000013000309000710000086007030100065208340800000007,JPF,99
III,3,33,-,000503000405102309603000102010209080000010000050704090709000804804601205000407000,vidarino,3
III,4,25,SM,000509000008000500701000608400060002000324000500090001603000704007000900000801000,gsf,130
III,5,22,M,000010000001000200023000450500306007000000000800204006054000390002000500000070000,Ocean,166
III,5,25,SM,000509000008010500701000608400000002000324000500000001603000704007030900000801000,gsf,131
III,6,22,M,000000000010020030400506007002010800000709000009080600600105004080030020000000000,Ocean,167
III,6,24,SM,009608400013000260000000000400060007000201000100050008000000000032000870006409100,gsf,132
III,7,22,M,000000000001020300024000150300104006000000000700805004013000240008090700000000000,Ocean,168
III,7,24,SM,670050028000609000002000100300000005060000040800000001007000600000801000590060072,gsf,162
III,7,26,SM,000000000103000206000125000070080010310906048040050020000892000906000803000000000,gsf,133
III,8,22,M,000000000000102000304000506010020040570000081090060020108000409000607000000000000,Ocean,169
III,8,24,SM,400000009030000020000517000002060800501000906009040500000792000070000060800000003,gsf,134
#
IV,1,39,-,006003010002750804734200090053020009020189040800040760040001356109032400070800900,JPF,255
IV,1,41,-,007020954010059037400803002002300180140080096065007400500206008620130070938040200,JPF,222
IV,1,43,-,321605007400008030905270600209050081006194200170030906008021705040500008500407369,JPF,194
IV,1,45,-,670403010504200783080050240390540001008792300400016078049030060231004805050901037,JPF,190
IV,2,31,-,090063100700000800000008674000030406600951002801070000243500000007000008005610030,JPF,261
IV,2,32,SM,002806030000004809600095070800000354006000700591000006010670008309100000040209600,gsf,196
IV,2,34,SM,005900030004810007896750000451000000028000960000000174000069852500072300040008700,gsf,135
IV,2,38,SM,039007060805209041710408000023000674000000000971000320000904037180306205090100480,JPF,103
IV,3,26,SM,300008600040015000000002904000000385030000090867000000506700000000290070008400002,gsf,259
IV,3,28,SM,005009102000042000409005006000000431060000080751000000600300704000190000903200600,Ruud,104
IV,3,30,SM,020010500800067900000005067000500640450000023092006000180900000004270008009080030,JPF,98
IV,4,26,SM,040079100903000000060002008000003504600000002207500000500100070000000605002960010,Ruud,153
IV,4,26,SM,020000509305001000060008004000040790000706000052010000600400010000500603508000070,gsf,157
IV,4,28,SM,070008600905004300010003048000000739000000000194000000830900020006200804009500060,tarek,6
IV,4,28,SM,000000060039500078060082000090060200004905300002030050000710030540003810070000000,gsf,136
IV,5,25,SM,604500010000820006108000000510000000070090050000000049000000507300069000060004908,Ruud,154
IV,5,26,SM,000005208004070000080003009000708302010000080608209000300500040000030100207400000,gsf,137
IV,6,18,M,001000023000004005600007000000000780000000000052000000000200009800300000470000100,Ocean,290
IV,6,19,M,000001020030000004001050000000600003007030500500002000000070100800000070060200000,Ocean,267
IV,6,20,M,001023004000004000500000600000000071600000003890000000004000007000300000700650800,Ocean,235
IV,6,24,SM,000008500008061000042000007000007018090000020710600000300000450000270600004800000,gsf,138
IV,7,18,M,001000023000004005200006000000000670000000000035000000000500004600200000740000800,Ocean,291
IV,7,19,M,000001020030000004004050000000300006005070300700002000000060800500000070060400000,Ocean,266
IV,7,20,M,001023004000001000500000600000000043600000001720000000004000005000200000800690700,Ocean,236
IV,7,20,SM,000001023002000004050060000000300007008000200600007000000020050100000600740800000,Ocean,200
IV,7,24,M,000309800000065000000000504700003068010000050360400001504000000000120000009608000,gsf,139
IV,8,18,M,001000023000004005600007000000000480000000000032000000000200009800600000470000100,Ocean,292
IV,8,19,M,000001020030000001004050000000400006007080400200005000000070200100000050060300000,Ocean,265
IV,8,20,M,001023004000001000500000600000000043600000001720000000004000005000200000100680700,Ocean,237
IV,8,20,SM,000001023001000004050020000000600007008000500300008000000050080500000900260700000,Ocean,199
IV,8,24,M,070800000800060400000250010106000000083000150000000203040025000002030008000007030,Ruud,155
IV,8,25,SM,006004300002700000910200007079000002000010000500000840400006035000007400003500600,gsf,140
#
V,1,38,-,030008061190074800200506300380049000047000290000630087004801006001290074950400020,JPF,249
V,1,39,-,300451000609002400100009587502004038006030900710500604947100005001900302000786009,JPF,243
V,1,40,-,326087400070000892580041000030706001401000709200405030000650024952000080008120573,JPF,34
V,1,42,-,178560000940783000300000872007308209091000540205901600784000001000176038000094725,JPF,26
V,1,42,-,160037900080000471040815000904020703306509108807060502000283050698000020005940017,JPF,29
V,1,43,-,570008090408961570639400000065320800100050004007089360000003248092847601050600039,tarek,82
V,1,46,-,400861500500970380290400170057200603012504890304006210045007061029045008006189002,JPF,22
V,2,31,-,623000010000009865009700020200840050000070000050063007040007600968200000070000483,JPF,248
V,2,33,-,007560013004270000090000050970080006061030920200040037050000090000097800630054200,JPF,228
V,2,35,-,570000090408961000639400000005320800100050004007089300000003248000847601050000039,tarek,83
V,3,26,SM,080000024050009000014750000008040600000102000002060700000015360000300090590000040,gsf,191
V,3,28,SM,940003700500060300000001009060009520000806000084200010700100000003020007005700042,Ocean,1
V,3,28,SM,000035070600000010130020090500683900000000000004912006080090053010000008040760000,gsf,158
V,3,29,-,070000090408961000620000000005320800100050004007089300000000048000847601050000030,tarek,84
V,3,36,-,020810740700003100090002805009040087400208003160030200302700060005600008076051090,Times/ab,239
V,4,20,M,000000001000002000030400506000007890060000020043500000207009080000600000100000000,Ocean,288
V,4,24,SM,000710030300000020290600000102300009000000000400008507000009068070000001030045000,Ruud,10
V,4,27,SM,800000094040000006000530120700410000005020800000063009039087000400000030250000007,JPF,13
V,4,27,SM,003007008001400000276000004500040000008179600000020001600000917000006500800500300,JPF,15
V,4,28,SM,030970800001000000890300420562800000000000000000009546016007095000000700009046010,vidarino,2
V,4,28,SM,000200706080000015005089000600920000509000207000015003000470800820000030103002000,JPF,12
V,4,28,SM,908000000050600709000280500095020007200000006700040830007012000801004070000000203,JPF,14
V,5,20,M,000000010002000034500067000000031000700000005000480000000240009380000600010000000,Ocean,87
V,5,22,SM,000000680200370000000900050004700003080000010600005400070002000000056009013000000,Ruud,11
V,6,18,M,000000001000002000001000034000005670004000200018900000690000700000400000200000000,Ocean,289
V,6,20,M,000000010002000034400056000000041000600000007000380000000230009780000500010000000,Ocean,88
V,6,21,M,000040200790000000051009000860000000000782000000000025000500690000000053007010000,Ruud,21
V,7,18,M,000000010000021000003000045000006200070000080004500000620000900000480000090000000,Ocean,94
V,7,20,M,000000010002000034300051000000036000700000002000810000000490007160000500020000000,Ocean,90
V,7,21,M,000006058009200000050000030600010000004090200000040007070000010000005400320900000,Ruud,20
V,8,18,M,000000010000012000003000045000006200070000080004500000620000300000840000090000000,Ocean,95
V,8,19,M,000000012300004000000005006000000570006030400052000000700400000000600001830000000,Ocean,86
V,8,20,M,300000020010980000000006800000000978000000000652000000001400000000072050090000001,Ruud,28
V,8,22,M,500000008000000300070401090004060500000509000003070800090106070008000000300000001,Ocean,23
#
VI,1,38,-,004126800003090700860050049070010020020468010901000306210709038500000004007235600,JPF,251
VI,1,39,-,017305840002080100003706500400601002009040600180030097700109004650278031200050008,JPF,250
VI,1,40,-,906104708004050100000683000701000309029000540500798006608215403130406095070000020,JPF,244
VI,1,41,-,009073100010490005704200308430008061650930400290004073305600809080750004002081600,JPF,192
VI,1,44,-,007100036090046250526070008108750304900008720702910605289060003070083410003500062,JPF,186
VI,2,31,-,003208600105000309000000000210050068000070000708040205080000070040615030060987010,JPF,247
VI,2,33,-,000800005291000000048260100600080490900040617100070530056910800872000000000500003,JPF,230
VI,2,34,-,040762001008000036007000400180024005902003600670015008005000200006000083020438009,JPF,229
VI,2,35,-,020080004000090160509107320200600030308500041400800070104703290000060780070020003,JPF,188
VI,3,27,SM,000000000003409200980205067000000000000791000207000408010080020036000540050010030,gsf,141
VI,4,22,M,001000200203000405000306000720000068000000000000104000000010000009000300040768020,Ocean,284
VI,4,24,SM,000080000904000802003402600870000054020903010000000000005000200000746000030000070,gsf,227
VI,4,25,SM,034020960020901050000070000700000003000010000400809001350000012600000005000702000,gsf,142
VI,4,26,SM,092070000500800009000000685000294000016000000000615000000000731200700008034060000,JPF,100
VI,5,21,M,000000012030000004005012000200600000000370600800100000006059000050000007000000031,Ocean,287
VI,5,22,M,000001020100003000004000056500060300320000000700010400008000071900002000000009060,Ocean,285
VI,5,23,SM,900000005010000090020106040005904300700050002060000010140000067000302000000000000,gsf,178
VI,5,24,SM,000968000310000048080000020000000000006020500002301900200000003000256000050040080,gsf,143
VI,6,21,M,000000000010020030200405006400000002000000000100706008060050090007040300090000010,Ocean,283
VI,6,23,SM,000008000000035810067000000002060503000040000005080907049000000000051280000009000,gsf,197
VI,6,24,SM,000000000000156008074000002080700500056000801090300700068000009000592007000000000,gsf,144
VI,7,21,M,100000002000000000300405006200107004000000000003020800004060900090010080006000300,Ocean,282
VI,7,22,M,000064070409030000001000000000009068900100000000008023008000000306010000000072040,gsf,165
VI,7,23,M,007000600000935000000000000800000003690000087000102000400607008006403200900000001,gsf,145
VI,8,20,M,000000000000001200130040050002006700053000000008002900980050030000007600000000000,Ocean,239B
VI,8,22,SM,800007040000000030400039000003500006004000008009800002600012000000000050700003020,gsf,163
VI,8,23,M,000000000009406700020301060052090180000000000007000500730000012000000000500609003,gsf,146
#
VII,1,38,-,001908300008041650520000080300175004090824000270630005940000102017000003000703948,JPF,252
VII,1,39,-,460800020700213800000700591125680030090350070080004600072009004806430007003000162,JPF,245
VII,1,40,-,150000028940870530008106007031004800070068050004590270010203096860045700402000300,JPF,187
VII,2,30,-,500080000000500037000126400013090000409800105008000006001050080030000529020064010,JPF,262
VII,2,32,SM,009410025008200074240900003137000000600000450000000109000036000460050001725004060,gsf,258
VII,2,32,-,000050480003000702010207905008305000700020056009400020194000600300069000027080003,JPF,246
VII,2,34,-,740006010809000360060710800001004006006070035400809070058000703320048000000350100,JPF,189
VII,3,25,SM,000085000006000700072090030000076005300004902150000000000000340900200600010950000,gsf,164
VII,3,28,SM,020703000500000900000460050084020003050001600360000709400006000000914008007800040,gsf,147
VII,4,23,SM,017000002090008000002604000000090410500003000000200600800000305000000068201060000,gsf,260
VII,4,25,SM,003109600000007430000000081000700056950000000600002007230000009004080000008520000,gsf,148
VII,4,27,SM,003542080004000000870000090200108075300000200100300400000059000506400002000700050,JPF,101
VII,5,22,M,120034000500000600003000700000008010300000028200700000089000003000450000000010900,Ocean,225
VII,5,23,SM,040013000200000009000007083000090608600100400407000000000230000005000000031700005,gsf,149
VII,6,22,M,000000030000305809006001070700000240430900000000020060200000500000090000005014000,gsf,224
VII,6,23,SM,000030080000910000000080201090100600537000090000002400009508000100060000004000007,gsf,159
VII,6,24,SM,920600000500100900803000050000708000002000000000405087005090600060000003000000418,Ruud,156
VII,7,18,M,070030000800000500000000100000070943500600000000000000034800070000500600000100000,gfroyle/gsf,105
VII,8,18,M,001400000000200050300000700520000060000010900000000000009080104070500000000000300,gfroyle/gsf,106
VII,8,18,M,002400000000600800700000010130050000000900200000000400090013070004000600000000000,gfroyle/gsf,107
VII,8,18,M,003200000000500800900000040410070000000600500000000200090041070002000600000000000,gfroyle/gsf,108
VII,8,18,M,003200000000500800900000040410070000000600500000000200090041070005000600000000000,gfroyle/gsf,109
VII,8,18,M,009000036020700000800400000036090000000800700000000000000060190700000800400000000,gfroyle/gsf,110
VII,8,18,M,009000064020700000800300000046090000000800700000000000000060190700000800300000000,gfroyle/gsf,111
VII,8,18,M,050000630900100000000400000032080000000600100000000400700032080100000900000000000,gfroyle/gsf,112
VII,8,18,M,080010000500000300000000200000070814300500000000000000014900070000200600000300000,gfroyle/gsf,113
VII,8,18,M,090100800500000020000400000302060000000700400000000100900032060010000700000000000,gfroyle/gsf,114
VII,8,18,M,090100800500000030000200000403060000000700100000000200900043060010000700000000000,gfroyle/gsf,115
VII,8,18,M,090200800500000030000100000403060000000700100000000200900043060010000700000000000,gfroyle/gsf,116
#

by **Ocean** » Sat May 27, 2006 3:17 pm

Post reserved for collections of lowstepper puzzles, sorted chronologically by submission (so post #1 can be kept at a decent size).

I. Puzzles collected from the 'inferior puzzles thread' :

Code: Select all: # #Chronologically by submission. #Referential numbers will be added #Format will be modified (if necessary) to support automatic treatment by gsf's program. # #001 Ocean (3 steps) +-------+-------+-------+ | 9 4 . | . . 3 | 7 .. | | 5 . . | . 6 . | 3 . . | | . . . | . . 1 | . . 9 | +-------+-------+-------+ | . 6 . | . . 9 | 5 2 . | | . . . | 8 . 6 | . . . | | . 8 4 | 2 . . | . 1 . | +-------+-------+-------+ | 7 . . | 1 . . | . . . | | . . 3 | . 2 . | . . 7 | | . . 5 | 7 . . | . 4 2 | +-------+-------+-------+ # #002 vidarino. Anyway, here's a 4-stepper from me: +-------+-------+-------+ | . 3 . | 9 7 . | 8 . . | | . . 1 | . . . | . . . | | 8 9 . | 3 . . | 4 2 . | +-------+-------+-------+ | 5 6 2 | 8 . . | . . . | | . . . | . . . | . . . | | . . . | . . 9 | 5 4 6 | +-------+-------+-------+ | . 1 6 | . . 7 | . 9 5 | | . . . | . . . | 7 . . | | . . 9 | . 4 6 | . 1 . | +-------+-------+-------+ #It would become a 3-stepper if I added a clue to the center cell, but then it wouldn't be minimal anymore, so... # #This would not count as it has >30 cells...... #003 vidarino It is a 3 stepper (6,24,18) . . . | 5 . 3 | . . . 4 . 5 | 1 . 2 | 3 . 9 6 . 3 | . . . | 1 . 2 -------+-------+------ . 1 . | 2 . 9 | . 8 . . . . | . 1 . | . . . . 5 . | 7 . 4 | . 9 . -------+-------+------ 7 . 9 | . . . | 8 . 4 8 . 4 | 6 . 1 | 2 . 5 . . . | 4 . 7 | . . . # #004 vidarino OK, just for sh*ts and giggles, here is a 1-stepper. It has no less than 48 givens, so it's way out of the "competition", but interestingly, it *is* minimal. You can't remove a set of clues without breaking the (all-axis) symmetry or losing the unique solution. | 3 . 5 | 2 . 8 | 9 . 4 | | . 8 7 | 9 . 4 | 1 6 . | | 9 6 . | 3 . 1 | . 2 5 | +-------+-------+-------+ | 5 9 8 | . . . | 3 1 2 | | . . . | . . . | . . . | | 1 2 3 | . . . | 7 4 6 | +-------+-------+-------+ | 8 3 . | 4 . 6 | . 5 7 | | . 4 2 | 5 . 9 | 6 3 . | | 6 . 1 | 7 . 3 | 4 . 8 | # #005 vidarino And a 30-clued 3-stepper: +-------+-------+-------+ | . 6 . | . . . | . 7 . | | . . . | 3 . 5 | . . . | | 3 1 . | 4 . 6 | . 8 9 | +-------+-------+-------+ | . 4 2 | . . . | 7 9 . | | . . . | 1 . 7 | . . . | | . 9 1 | . . . | 5 6 . | +-------+-------+-------+ | 4 2 . | 8 . 9 | . 5 6 | | . . . | 5 . 2 | . . . | | . 3 . | . . . | . 4 . | +-------+-------+-------+ # #006 tarek This is a 28-clue 4-stepper Empty centre boxe, rotational & diagonal reflective symmetry ( a 6 in the centre would turn it to a 3 stepper, but that will not please vidar ) . 7 . | . . 8 | 6 . . 9 . 5 | . . 4 | 3 . . . 1 . | . . 3 | . 4 8 -------+-------+------ . . . | . . . | 7 3 9 . . . | . . . | . . . 1 9 4 | . . . | . . . -------+-------+------ 8 3 . | 9 . . | . 2 . . . 6 | 2 . . | 8 . 4 . . 9 | 5 . . | . 6 . # ##007 # vidarino A few more 3-steppers, one of which is particularly nice to look at: +-------+-------+-------+ | . . . | 9 8 2 | . . . | | . 2 1 | . . . | 7 8 . | | . 5 . | . . . | . 4 . | +-------+-------+-------+ | 9 . . | . 7 . | . . 5 | | 1 . . | 3 6 8 | . . 2 | | 6 . . | . 5 . | . . 1 | +-------+-------+-------+ | . 1 . | . . . | . 6 . | | . 8 3 | . . . | 5 1 . | | . . . | 5 1 4 | . . . | +-------+-------+-------+ # ##008 +-------+-------+-------+ | . . 7 | . . . | 9 . . | | . . . | 6 5 8 | . . . | | 5 . 3 | . . . | 6 . 4 | +-------+-------+-------+ | . 1 . | 2 . 5 | . 7 . | | . 5 . | . 3 . | . 6 . | | . 6 . | 4 . 9 | . 8 . | +-------+-------+-------+ | 9 . 1 | . . . | 2 . 7 | | . . . | 1 4 7 | . . . | | . . 6 | . . . | 5 . . | +-------+-------+-------+ # ##009 +-------+-------+-------+ | 5 6 . | . . . | . 2 4 | | 8 . . | . . . | . . 7 | | . . 2 | 1 . 6 | 5 . . | +-------+-------+-------+ | . . 1 | . 4 . | 7 . . | | . . . | 3 1 7 | . . . | | . . 9 | . 5 . | 3 . . | +-------+-------+-------+ | . . 5 | 4 . 9 | 8 . . | | 2 . . | . . . | . . 6 | | 9 7 . | . . . | . 3 1 | +-------+-------+-------+ # #010 #Ruud Here is a 4-Stepper with only 24 clues. And yes, it is minimal symmetric. . . .|7 1 .|. 3 . 3 . .|. . .|. 2 . 2 9 .|6 . .|. . . -----+-----+----- 1 . 2|3 . .|. . 9 . . .|. . .|. . . 4 . .|. . 8|5 . 7 -----+-----+----- . . .|. . 9|. 6 8 . 7 .|. . .|. . 1 . 3 .|. 4 5|. . . # ##011 #Ruud And a 22-Clue 5-Stepper: . . .|. . .|6 8 . 2 . .|3 7 .|. . . . . .|9 . .|. 5 . -----+-----+----- . . 4|7 . .|. . 3 . 8 .|. . .|. 1 . 6 . .|. . 5|4 . . -----+-----+----- . 7 .|. . 2|. . . . . .|. 5 6|. . 9 . 1 3|. . .|. . . # ##012 # JPF Here are 4-steppers “minimal symmetric” but not minimal. . . . | 2 . . | 7 . 6 . 8 . | . . . | . 1 5 . . 5 | . 8 9 | . . . -------+-------+------- 6 . . | 9 2 . | . . . 5 . 9 | . . . | 2 . 7 . . . | . 1 5 | . . 3 -------+-------+------- . . . | 4 7 . | 8 . . 8 2 . | . . . | . 3 . 1 . 3 | . . 2 | . . . # 4 steps : 10,15,17,11 # ##013 #JPF 8 . . | . . . | . 9 4 . 4 . | . . . | . . 6 . . . | 5 3 . | 1 2 . -------+-------+------- 7 . . | 4 1 . | . . . . . 5 | . 2 . | 8 . . . . . | . 6 3 | . . 9 -------+-------+------- . 3 9 | . 8 7 | . . . 4 . . | . . . | . 3 . 2 5 . | . . . | . . 7 # # 4 steps : 13,20,15,6 # ##014 #JPF 9 . 8 | . . . | . . . . 5 . | 6 . . | 7 . 9 . . . | 2 8 . | 5 . . -------+-------+------- . 9 5 | . 2 . | . . 7 2 . . | . . . | . . 6 7 . . | . 4 . | 8 3 . -------+-------+------- . . 7 | . 1 2 | . . . 8 . 1 | . . 4 | . 7 . . . . | . . . | 2 . 3 #4 steps : 14,12,19,8 # ##015 #JPF 4 steps - 27 clues . . 3 | . . 7 | . . 8 . . 1 | 4 . . | . . . 2 7 6 | . . . | . . 4 -------+-------+------- 5 . . | . 4 . | . . . . . 8 | 1 7 9 | 6 . . . . . | . 2 . | . . 1 -------+-------+------- 6 . . | . . . | 9 1 7 . . . | . . 6 | 5 . . 8 . . | 5 . . | 3 . . #4 steps : (12,16,15,11) # ##016 # Ocean This one apparently fills a gap, a two-stepper (36 clues, minimal with respect to its full symmetry): +-------+-------+-------+ | 7 . . | 9 3 5 | . . 6 | | . . 5 | . 7 . | 9 . . | | . 9 . | 8 . 1 | . 2 . | +-------+-------+-------+ | 9 . 3 | . . . | 5 . 2 | | 4 2 . | . . . | . 8 3 | | 8 . 6 | . . . | 1 . 9 | +-------+-------+-------+ | . 7 . | 4 . 3 | . 5 . | | . . 9 | . 5 . | 3 . . | | 5 . . | 6 2 7 | . . 4 | +-------+-------+-------+ # ##017 # JPF Sorry, a mix : a 2-stepper (34 clues, not symmetric, not minimal) . . 2 | . . . | . 6 5 7 6 . | 4 . . | . 9 . . . 8 | 5 . 7 | 1 . . -------+-------+------- . . . | . 8 3 | 6 . . . 9 7 | . . . | 3 5 . . 4 . | 6 5 9 | . . . -------+-------+------- 1 . 6 | . . . | 4 3 2 3 7 . | 2 1 . | . . . . 5 . | . 3 . | . . 1 # # Ruud We could start here with the lowsteppers: ##018 #17-clues (minimal) non-symmetrical 8-steppers . . .|1 . .|. 6 . 3 . .|. . .|2 . . 5 . .|. . .|. . . -----+-----+----- . 1 7|. . .|. . . . . .|. . 3|8 . . . . .|. . .|. . . -----+-----+----- . 6 .|7 1 .|. 4 . 2 . .|. . .|3 . . . . .|6 . .|5 . . # ##019 . 1 .|. . .|7 . . . . .|. . 4|. . . . . .|. 6 .|. . . -----+-----+----- 5 . 4|. . .|. 6 . . . .|1 2 .|. . . 6 . .|3 . .|. . . -----+-----+----- 4 . .|. . 8|. . . . . .|. . .|3 . 5 . . .|7 . .|1 . . #From Gordon Royle's collection. # ##020 #Ruud And to close the new gap: 21 clues minimal symmetrical 7-stepper. . . .|. . 6|. 5 8 . . 9|2 . .|. . . . 5 .|. . .|. 3 . -----+-----+----- 6 . .|. 1 .|. . . . . 4|. 9 .|2 . . . . .|. 4 .|. . 7 -----+-----+----- . 7 .|. . .|. 1 . . . .|. . 5|4 . . 3 2 .|9 . .|. . . #(from my own collection) # ##021 #Ruud and a replacement: 21-clues minimal symmetrical 6-stepper. . . .|. 4 .|2 . . 7 9 .|. . .|. . . . 5 1|. . 9|. . . -----+-----+----- 8 6 .|. . .|. . . . . .|7 8 2|. . . . . .|. . .|. 2 5 -----+-----+----- . . .|5 . .|6 9 . . . .|. . .|. 5 3 . . 7|. 1 .|. . . #also from my own microbrewery # ##022 # JPF a 1-stepper (46 clues with some symmetry) 4 . . | 8 6 1 | 5 . . 5 . . | 9 7 . | 3 8 . 2 9 . | 4 . . | 1 7 . -------+-------+------- . 5 7 | 2 . . | 6 . 3 . 1 2 | 5 . 4 | 8 9 . 3 . 4 | . . 6 | 2 1 . -------+-------+------- . 4 5 | . . 7 | . 6 1 . 2 9 | . 4 5 | . . 8 . . 6 | 1 8 9 | . . 2 # ##023 # Ocean A little more gap-filling: 22 clues, minimal and symmetric (8 steps): +-------+-------+-------+ | 5 . . | . . . | . . 8 | | . . . | . . . | 3 . . | | . 7 . | 4 . 1 | . 9 . | +-------+-------+-------+ | . . 4 | . 6 . | 5 . . | | . . . | 5 . 9 | . . . | | . . 3 | . 7 . | 8 . . | +-------+-------+-------+ | . 9 . | 1 . 6 | . 7 . | | . . 8 | . . . | . . . | | 3 . . | . . . | . . 1 | +-------+-------+-------+ # ##024 # Ocean 18 clues, minimal (7 steps) +-------+-------+-------+ | . 1 . | . 2 3 | . . . | | . . . | . . . | . 4 5 | | . . . | . . . | . . . | +-------+-------+-------+ | 4 . 6 | . . . | . . . | | . . . | . 6 . | 3 . . | | 5 . . | . . . | . 7 . | +-------+-------+-------+ | . . . | 4 1 . | . 6 . | | . 3 . | . . . | 2 . . | | 1 . . | . 8 . | . . . | +-------+-------+-------+ # ##025 #Ocean 19 clues, minimal (6 steps): +-------+-------+-------+ | . 1 . | 2 . . | . . . | | . . . | . . . | 7 . 3 | | . . 6 | . . . | 4 . . | +-------+-------+-------+ | . . . | 5 . . | . 9 7 | | 4 . . | . . . | 8 . . | | . . . | 1 . . | . . . | +-------+-------+-------+ | . 5 . | . . 6 | . 1 . | | 7 . . | . 4 . | . . . | | . . . | . 8 . | . . 9 | +-------+-------+-------+ # ##026 # JPF A new 1-stepper (42 clues with some symmetry) : 1 7 8 | 5 6 . | . . . 9 4 . | 7 8 3 | . . . 3 . . | . . . | 8 7 2 -------+-------+------- . . 7 | 3 . 8 | 2 . 9 . 9 1 | . . . | 5 4 . 2 . 5 | 9 . 1 | 6 . . -------+-------+------- 7 8 4 | . . . | . . 1 . . . | 1 7 6 | . 3 8 . . . | . 9 4 | 7 2 5 # ##027 # Ocean Found a 32-clue 2-stepper, full symmetric (and 'symmetrically minimal'): +-------+-------+-------+ | . 4 . | . . . | . 7 . | | 5 1 . | . 3 . | . 2 4 | | . . . | 2 8 4 | . . . | +-------+-------+-------+ | . . 1 | 6 . 3 | 9 . . | | . 3 4 | . . . | 5 1 . | | . . 2 | 4 . 7 | 8 . . | +-------+-------+-------+ | . . . | 5 4 6 | . . . | | 7 8 . | . 2 . | . 3 6 | | . 9 . | . . . | . 5 . | +-------+-------+-------+ # ##028 # Ruud Here is a 20-clue minimal + symmetrical 8-stepper for the list. 3 . .|. . .|. 2 . . 1 .|9 8 .|. . . . . .|. . 6|8 . . -----+-----+----- . . .|. . .|9 7 8 . . .|. . .|. . . 6 5 2|. . .|. . . -----+-----+----- . . 1|4 . .|. . . . . .|. 7 2|. 5 . . 9 .|. . .|. . 1 # ##029 # JPF a 1-stepper again , still with 42 clues and with some symmetry. 1 6 . | . 3 7 | 9 . . . 8 . | . . . | 4 7 1 . 4 . | 8 1 5 | . . . -------+-------+------- 9 . 4 | . 2 . | 7 . 3 3 . 6 | 5 . 9 | 1 . 8 8 . 7 | . 6 . | 5 . 2 -------+-------+------- . . . | 2 8 3 | . 5 . 6 9 8 | . . . | . 2 . . . 5 | 9 4 . | . 1 7 # ##030 # Ocean A 44-clue 1-stepper, full symmetry, symmetrically minimal. +-------+-------+-------+ | . 6 5 | 2 . 7 | 9 3 . | | 1 . . | 5 . 8 | . . 4 | | 7 . 9 | 3 . 6 | 2 . 8 | +-------+-------+-------+ | 5 1 3 | . . . | 6 8 2 | | . . . | . . . | . . . | | 4 9 6 | . . . | 3 1 7 | +-------+-------+-------+ | 9 . 8 | 6 . 1 | 4 . 5 | | 3 . . | 7 . 2 | . . 6 | | . 2 1 | 4 . 9 | 8 7 . | +-------+-------+-------+ # # #Ocean Also 3 more 44-clues symmetrically minimal one-steppers. But the first one (above) is 'the most overdetermined': ##031 608703902020408050503209406286000594000000000415000837704901308060305070109806205 ##032 004107300002893500590204087259000741010000050738000692380502016001386200005901400 ##033 046208530720403096800509007234000169000000000579000382400705003190304058058601270 # ##034 # JPF a brand-new 1-stepper with 40 clues, somme symmetry, but not symmetrically minimal. 3 2 6 | . 8 7 | 4 . . . 7 . | . . . | 8 9 2 5 8 . | . 4 1 | . . . -------+-------+------- . 3 . | 7 . 6 | . . 1 4 . 1 | . . . | 7 . 9 2 . . | 4 . 5 | . 3 . -------+-------+------- . . . | 6 5 . | . 2 4 9 5 2 | . . . | . 8 . . . 8 | 1 2 . | 5 7 3 # # Ocean For the 'very easy' ones: These are about the easiest you can get: # # - Ten one-steppers: # ##035 076205340209407608510603029652000137000000000387000964160304092703908406098102570 ##036 096108240802706103130204065265000489000000000978000316720405038601903704054807920 ##037 081502670607309805520607043278000316000000000413000957150406038806701504094805260 ##038 017209350908501204620803091192000875000000000546000913250407036704306509061902480 ##039 092107350805309602160502097928000134000000000634000785780203046306708901059406870 ##040 390215064204603805060704090936000578800000001152000436080902050405107609710568043 ##041 052804960108509704490601035731000258000000000546000193820107049904203607073408510 ##042 083705920506901803790803056218000749000000000475000361950604038607102405024309610 ##043 001867500087201940650409087943000721200000005875000364730506018068103270004798600 ##044 018409370205306108740801095482000936000000000356000781120705069807902503039108420 # # - 30 two-steppers: # ##045 700935006005070900090801020903000502420000083806000109070403050009050300500627004 ##046 000759000057308640090020050310000062605000108870000095040030020068402510000176000 ##047 020593010100204008004000300940030087800406002350070064007000600200605009060781050 ##048 400176002001000900030502040705209603200000008103805709060407090008000500500938007 ##049 009508600000916000103000908370080021040301090590060084904000805000845000008107200 ##050 500301002007000800010864030804607301001000900905108407080752060002000500700903008 ##051 706503409000402000501000703480609051000000000210805067109000208000706000304201605 ##052 500403009007609200080107060316000827000000000425000913040302080001906700200805004 ##053 000687000001503200057010460280000074904000603730000051048060710002405300000891000 ##054 000801000003625400072000650340080025020709060680030094091000270004957800000203000 ##055 020506080640010097000479000804000209057000460103000508000147000970060041030902050 ##056 700020003013090620050108040001709200570000084006803900030405060024070130100080007 ##057 003178400000904000907020806380000049406000107710000085601090708000503000005617200 ##058 017504320800070009300109006104000905080000010203000607700206001400090003069803740 ##059 910070026300901008000645000062000170109000802087000590000193000800704005670080049 ##060 004905600020000050500621004802409301003000400907308506700236005060000080009804100 ##061 001903800020805070309000601930070042000602000510040086108000305060701090003506200 ##062 020639050306000907050010060800201006105000209700804005070080010509000402030427090 ##063 030742010900000002005806700206905308800000001709408205001309400300000007090621050 ##064 900163002002908300010000060160040037300806001480030029090000080001409500200385004 ##065 008762300030908040900000005580070024700203008620090013200000007040507030009481600 ##066 010532080705000601040000020600974003500301009200865007050000010409000302030746090 ##067 800137006007040100049000720500608004320000097700309001016000570005060300200581009 ##068 060419020200000001005306700701040609800705002403090805002903400900000007010257080 ##069 040020070306080901089000460000832000270906014000174000032000780901040503050060040 ##070 802000104000384000900702006094070810070803090083020460300207001000651000107000905 ##071 100906003043105680090000050560010034000802000980050027030000060057308910600204005 ##072 009104200003080700120906048508000906090000070406000103860307092007090600001205400 ##073 500000004080467010003201700061080470050706030092010580008605100020943060400000002 ##074 000513000005807900017000630150070029700109008680030041063000150008301400000926000 # # - Seven three-steppers: # ##075 970000063100070008000205000005802600020000010006903400000109000500040009860000041 ##076 060103050340080092000000000100602003070000040900305008000000000580020037030406010 ##077 860000025200010008000708000003070800050603040007050600000905000100030009520000086 ##078 002000500000261000407000906020705010080000050090104080905000708000937000006000200 ##079 000629000072000180050000060900102004100000008700804005080000030037000290000531000 ##080 020000060350010047000906000005309800080000070001502400000107000970040085060000090 ##081 008040300000905000605000701020103060900000007050207040309000104000802000006010800 # ##082 # tarek if minimality is not an issue... this 43-cell 1 stepper 5 7 . | . . 8 | . 9 . 4 . 8 | 9 6 1 | 5 7 . 6 3 9 | 4 . . | . . . -------+-------+------ . 6 5 | 3 2 . | 8 . . 1 . . | . 5 . | . . 4 . . 7 | . 8 9 | 3 6 . -------+-------+------ . . . | . . 3 | 2 4 8 . 9 2 | 8 4 7 | 6 . 1 . 5 . | 6 . . | . 3 9 # ##083 # tarek contains this 35-cell 2 stepper 5 7 . | . . . | . 9 . 4 . 8 | 9 6 1 | . . . 6 3 9 | 4 . . | . . . -------+-------+------ . . 5 | 3 2 . | 8 . . 1 . . | . 5 . | . . 4 . . 7 | . 8 9 | 3 . . -------+-------+------ . . . | . . 3 | 2 4 8 . . . | 8 4 7 | 6 . 1 . 5 . | . . . | . 3 9 # ##084 #tarek and this 29-cell 3 stepper . 7 . | . . . | . 9 . 4 . 8 | 9 6 1 | . . . 6 2 . | . . . | . . . -------+-------+------ . . 5 | 3 2 . | 8 . . 1 . . | . 5 . | . . 4 . . 7 | . 8 9 | 3 . . -------+-------+------ . . . | . . . | . 4 8 . . . | 8 4 7 | 6 . 1 . 5 . | . . . | . 3 . # ##085 # Ocean Slow progress with the low-steppers. But here is a minimal 24-clues 5-stepper (full symmetry). +-------+-------+-------+ | . . 4 | 1 . 8 | 7 . . | | . . . | 2 . 6 | . . . | | 7 . . | . . . | . . 6 | +-------+-------+-------+ | 3 7 . | . . . | . 1 2 | | . . . | . . . | . . . | | 4 6 . | . . . | . 5 9 | +-------+-------+-------+ | 5 . . | . . . | . . 3 | | . . . | 7 . 9 | . . . | | . . 2 | 8 . 4 | 9 . . | +-------+-------+-------+ #Five single-steps: 10-15-21-30-24. # ##086 # Ocean An 8-stepper with 19 clues. Minimal and with rotational symmetry. ...|...|.12 3..|..4|... ...|..5|..6 ---+---+--- ...|...|57. ..6|.3.|4.. .52|...|... ---+---+--- 7..|4..|... ...|6..|..1 83.|...|... # ##087 # Ocean Then, at the opposite end, a 5-stepper: M20. 5 steps. ...|...|.1. ..2|...|.34 5..|.67|... ---+---+--- ...|.31|... 7..|...|..5 ...|48.|... ---+---+--- ...|24.|..9 38.|...|6.. .1.|...|... ##088 # Ocean And also two more replacements: M20. 6 steps. 000000010002000034400056000000041000600000007000380000000230009780000500010000000 .......1...2....344...56.......41...6.......7...38.......23...978....5...1....... # ##090 #Ocean M20. 7 steps. 000000010002000034300051000000036000700000002000810000000490007160000500020000000 .......1...2....343...51.......36...7.......2...81.......49...716....5...2....... # ##092 #ab I found a 32 clue 2 step puzzle. It has full rotational symmetry, but is not symmetric minimal: . . . | . 9 . | . 2 . 9 3 . | . 4 6 | 1 5 . . 8 2 | . . . | 7 . . ------+-------+------ . 7 . | 5 . 8 | . . . 3 5 . | . . . | . 8 6 . . . | 4 . 1 | . 3 . ------+-------+------ . . 4 | . . . | 9 1 . . 1 9 | 7 5 . | . 6 2 . 6 . | . 2 . | . . . # ##093 # ab What are the latest records for low steppers? There are plenty of 39 clue one steppers in that grid, for example: 1 . . | . 9 7 | . 2 3 9 . . | . . 6 | . 5 . . . 2 | 3 . . | 7 4 . ------+-------+------ . 7 . | 5 . 8 | . . 1 3 5 . | . . . | . 8 6 2 . 8 | 4 . . | . 3 . ------+-------+------ . . 4 | . 8 3 | 9 1 . . 1 9 | 7 5 . | . . 2 5 6 . | . 2 9 | . . 4 # ##094 # Ocean Found a 7-stepper with 18 clues, minimal, rotational symmetry: . . .|. . .|. 1 . . . .|. 2 1|. . . . . 3|. . .|. 4 5 -----+-----+----- . . .|. . 6|2 . . . 7 .|. . .|. 8 . . . 4|5 . .|. . . -----+-----+----- 6 2 .|. . .|9 . . . . .|4 8 .|. . . . 9 .|. . .|. . . ##095 #Ocean A slight modification gives this 8-stepper (18 clues, minimal, rotational symmetry): .......1.....12.....3....45.....62...7.....8...45.....62....3.....84.....9....... # ##096 # ab there's even a 38 clue 1 stepper there: 1 . . | . 9 7 | . 2 3 9 . . | . . 6 | . 5 . . . 2 | 3 . . | 7 4 . ------+-------+------ . 7 . | 5 . . | 2 . 1 3 5 . | 9 . . | . 8 6 2 . 8 | 4 . . | . 3 . ------+-------+------ . . 4 | . 8 3 | 9 1 . . 1 9 | 7 5 . | . . . 5 6 . | . 2 . | . . 4 # ##097 #JPF 2 steps, SM, type II symmetry, 36 clues . . . | . . 8 | 5 1 . 8 . 7 | . 5 3 | . . . 1 . 5 | . 7 9 | 3 4 . -------+-------+------- 6 8 2 | . . . | . . . . 7 3 | . . . | 4 2 . . . . | . . . | 8 7 6 -------+-------+------- . 6 9 | 3 1 . | 2 . 5 . . . | 4 2 . | 9 . 1 . 3 1 | 9 . . | . . . # ##098 #JPF 3 steps, SM, type IV symmetry, 30 clues . 2 . | . 1 . | 5 . . 8 . . | . 6 7 | 9 . . . . . | . . 5 | . 6 7 -------+-------+------- . . . | 5 . . | 6 4 . 4 5 . | . . . | . 2 3 . 9 2 | . . 6 | . . . -------+-------+------- 1 8 . | 9 . . | . . . . . 4 | 2 7 . | . . 8 . . 9 | . 8 . | . 3 . # ##099 # JPF 3 steps, SM, type III symmetry, 32 clues 4 . . | . . . | . . 2 . 2 8 | 7 . 5 | 6 3 . . . 1 | . 6 . | 5 . . -------+-------+------- 5 9 . | . . . | . 1 3 . . . | 3 . 9 | . . . 7 1 . | . . . | . 8 6 -------+-------+------- . . 7 | . 3 . | 1 . . . 6 5 | 2 . 8 | 3 4 . 8 . . | . . . | . . 7 # ##100 #JPF 4 steps, SM, type VI symmetry, 26 clues . 9 2 | . 7 . | . . . 5 . . | 8 . . | . . 9 . . . | . . . | 6 8 5 -------+-------+------- . . . | 2 9 4 | . . . . 1 6 | . . . | . . . . . . | 6 1 5 | . . . -------+-------+------- . . . | . . . | 7 3 1 2 . . | 7 . . | . . 8 . 3 4 | . 6 . | . . . # ##101 #JPF 4 steps, SM, type VII symmetry, 27 clues . . 3 | 5 4 2 | . 8 . . . 4 | . . . | . . . 8 7 . | . . . | . 9 . -------+-------+------- 2 . . | 1 . 8 | . 7 5 3 . . | . . . | 2 . . 1 . . | 3 . . | 4 . . -------+-------+------- . . . | . 5 9 | . . . 5 . 6 | 4 . . | . . 2 . . . | 7 . . | . 5 . # ##102 # JPF Here are two more for this new list : 2 steps, SM, type III symmetry, 36 clues . 7 . | . . . | . 1 . . . 6 | 4 . 9 | 2 . . . 1 8 | 3 . 5 | 9 6 . -------+-------+------- 3 6 . | 9 . 4 | . 8 5 . . . | . . . | . . . 4 9 . | 8 . 7 | . 2 1 -------+-------+------- . 5 7 | 2 . 6 | 1 4 . . . 3 | 7 . 1 | 8 . . . 2 . | . . . | . 3 . # ##103 #JPF 2 steps, SM, type IV symmetry, 38 clues . 3 9 | . . 7 | . 6 . 8 . 5 | 2 . 9 | . 4 1 7 1 . | 4 . 8 | . . . -------+-------+------- . 2 3 | . . . | 6 7 4 . . . | . . . | . . . 9 7 1 | . . . | 3 2 . -------+-------+------- . . . | 9 . 4 | . 3 7 1 8 . | 3 . 6 | 2 . 5 . 9 . | 1 . . | 4 8 . # ##104 # Ruud This is a lowstepper I found in my new batch: Diagonal (type?) symmetry, SM, 28 clues, 3 stepper. . . 5|. . 9|1 . 2 . . .|. 4 2|. . . 4 . 9|. . 5|. . 6 -----+-----+----- . . .|. . .|4 3 1 . 6 .|. . .|. 8 . 7 5 1|. . .|. . . -----+-----+----- 6 . .|3 . .|7 . 4 . . .|1 9 .|. . . 9 . 3|2 . .|6 . . # # gsf #Red Ed pointed me to gfroyle's 22M puzzle 18 clue collection #here are some notes on the collection #notes on gfroyle's sudoku18 #!sudoku cut=5, #VII,7,18,M,070030000800000500000000100000070943500600000000000000034800070000500600000100000,gfroyle,17921852 #VII,8,18,M,001400000000200050300000700520000060000010900000000000009080104070500000000000300,gfroyle,747618 #VII,8,18,M,002400000000600800700000010130050000000900200000000400090013070004000600000000000,gfroyle,3911523 #VII,8,18,M,003200000000500800900000040410070000000600500000000200090041070002000600000000000,gfroyle,6299657 #VII,8,18,M,003200000000500800900000040410070000000600500000000200090041070005000600000000000,gfroyle,6299658 #VII,8,18,M,009000036020700000800400000036090000000800700000000000000060190700000800400000000,gfroyle,21574539 #VII,8,18,M,009000064020700000800300000046090000000800700000000000000060190700000800300000000,gfroyle,21867336 #VII,8,18,M,050000630900100000000400000032080000000600100000000400700032080100000900000000000,gfroyle,12728116 #VII,8,18,M,080010000500000300000000200000070814300500000000000000014900070000200600000300000,gfroyle,19482472 #VII,8,18,M,090100800500000020000400000302060000000700400000000100900032060010000700000000000,gfroyle,21335141 #VII,8,18,M,090100800500000030000200000403060000000700100000000200900043060010000700000000000,gfroyle,21335154 #VII,8,18,M,090200800500000030000100000403060000000700100000000200900043060010000700000000000,gfroyle,21482277 ##105 070030000800000500000000100000070943500600000000000000034800070000500600000100000,gfroyle,17921852 ##106 001400000000200050300000700520000060000010900000000000009080104070500000000000300,gfroyle,747618 ##107 002400000000600800700000010130050000000900200000000400090013070004000600000000000,gfroyle,3911523 ##108 003200000000500800900000040410070000000600500000000200090041070002000600000000000,gfroyle,6299657 ##109 003200000000500800900000040410070000000600500000000200090041070005000600000000000,gfroyle,6299658 ##110 009000036020700000800400000036090000000800700000000000000060190700000800400000000,gfroyle,21574539 ##111 009000064020700000800300000046090000000800700000000000000060190700000800300000000,gfroyle,21867336 ##112 050000630900100000000400000032080000000600100000000400700032080100000900000000000,gfroyle,12728116 ##113 080010000500000300000000200000070814300500000000000000014900070000200600000300000,gfroyle,19482472 ##114 090100800500000020000400000302060000000700400000000100900032060010000700000000000,gfroyle,21335141 ##115 090100800500000030000200000403060000000700100000000200900043060010000700000000000,gfroyle,21335154 ##116 090200800500000030000100000403060000000700100000000200900043060010000700000000000,gfroyle,21482277 # #gsf here are the low steppers from a background process that's scanned ~250M random symmetric puzzles so far #I don't think these have made it into the table yet #!sudoku cut=5, #I,3,32,SM,000030000004508900058090240070105030503000604020306090092050480006409700000020000,gsf,NEW #I,4,28,SM,000789000006000100070030090800405006704000209600203008050060030002000400000127000,gsf,NEW #I,6,28,SM,000000000034020580080607020005030800020809050009040700010204060048060910000000000,gsf,NEW #I,7,24,SM,400000009030000020000517000002060800001203900009040500000792000070000060800000003,gsf,NEW #I,8,28,SM,000010000002769800080050040070000090319000582050000030090040070005687400000030000,gsf,NEW #II,2,32,SM,000183000071002360020900050850000107400000009603000045060001020085200790000574000,gsf,NEW #II,3,28,SM,058007000040000589010002007602309000000000000000705103700800020481000090000600740,gsf,NEW #II,4,28,SM,000000390900004100130620000070206900008000500003105080000063075007800006062000000,gsf,NEW #II,5,24,SM,100000003009000000008709460001050700000602000004030900067905800000000200800000007,gsf,NEW #II,6,24,SM,030600000009700001000001080008070059000804000120090600060100000400005200000008090,gsf,NEW #II,7,24,SM,000300480900070500280000000000010009060408020100020000000000031002050006037004000,gsf,NEW #II,8,24,SM,000000170150070080600002000001080000020904030000020700000800006080050093049000000,gsf,NEW #III,3,30,SM,030416080070000040200000005007903100600708002008201300300000001090000030040372050,gsf,NEW #III,4,25,SM,000509000008000500701000608400060002000324000500090001603000704007000900000801000,gsf,NEW #III,5,25,SM,000509000008010500701000608400000002000324000500000001603000704007030900000801000,gsf,NEW #III,6,24,SM,009608400013000260000000000400060007000201000100050008000000000032000870006409100,gsf,NEW #III,7,26,SM,000000000103000206000125000070080010310906048040050020000892000906000803000000000,gsf,NEW #III,8,24,SM,400000009030000020000517000002060800501000906009040500000792000070000060800000003,gsf,NEW #IV,2,34,SM,005900030004810007896750000451000000028000960000000174000069852500072300040008700,gsf,NEW #IV,4,28,SM,000000060039500078060082000090060200004905300002030050000710030540003810070000000,gsf,NEW #IV,5,26,SM,000005208004070000080003009000708302010000080608209000300500040000030100207400000,gsf,NEW #IV,6,24,SM,000008500008061000042000007000007018090000020710600000300000450000270600004800000,gsf,NEW #IV,7,24,M,000309800000065000000000504700003068010000050360400001504000000000120000009608000,gsf,NEW #IV,8,25,SM,006004300002700000910200007079000002000010000500000840400006035000007400003500600,gsf,NEW #VI,3,27,SM,000000000003409200980205067000000000000791000207000408010080020036000540050010030,gsf,NEW #VI,4,25,SM,034020960020901050000070000700000003000010000400809001350000012600000005000702000,gsf,NEW #VI,5,24,SM,000968000310000048080000020000000000006020500002301900200000003000256000050040080,gsf,NEW #VI,6,24,SM,000000000000156008074000002080700500056000801090300700068000009000592007000000000,gsf,NEW #VI,7,23,M,007000600000935000000000000800000003690000087000102000400607008006403200900000001,gsf,NEW #VI,8,23,M,000000000009406700020301060052090180000000000007000500730000012000000000500609003,gsf,NEW #VII,3,28,SM,020703000500000900000460050084020003050001600360000709400006000000914008007800040,gsf,NEW #VII,4,25,SM,003109600000007430000000081000700056950000000600002007230000009004080000008520000,gsf,NEW #VII,5,23,SM,040013000200000009000007083000090608600100400407000000000230000005000000031700005 ##117 000030000004508900058090240070105030503000604020306090092050480006409700000020000,gsf,NEW ##118 000789000006000100070030090800405006704000209600203008050060030002000400000127000,gsf,NEW ##119 000000000034020580080607020005030800020809050009040700010204060048060910000000000,gsf,NEW ##120 400000009030000020000517000002060800001203900009040500000792000070000060800000003,gsf,NEW ##121 000010000002769800080050040070000090319000582050000030090040070005687400000030000,gsf,NEW ##122 000183000071002360020900050850000107400000009603000045060001020085200790000574000,gsf,NEW ##123 058007000040000589010002007602309000000000000000705103700800020481000090000600740,gsf,NEW ##124 000000390900004100130620000070206900008000500003105080000063075007800006062000000,gsf,NEW ##125 100000003009000000008709460001050700000602000004030900067905800000000200800000007,gsf,NEW ##126 030600000009700001000001080008070059000804000120090600060100000400005200000008090,gsf,NEW ##127 000300480900070500280000000000010009060408020100020000000000031002050006037004000,gsf,NEW ##128 000000170150070080600002000001080000020904030000020700000800006080050093049000000,gsf,NEW ##129 030416080070000040200000005007903100600708002008201300300000001090000030040372050,gsf,NEW ##130 000509000008000500701000608400060002000324000500090001603000704007000900000801000,gsf,NEW ##131 000509000008010500701000608400000002000324000500000001603000704007030900000801000,gsf,NEW ##132 009608400013000260000000000400060007000201000100050008000000000032000870006409100,gsf,NEW ##133 000000000103000206000125000070080010310906048040050020000892000906000803000000000,gsf,NEW ##134 400000009030000020000517000002060800501000906009040500000792000070000060800000003,gsf,NEW ##135 005900030004810007896750000451000000028000960000000174000069852500072300040008700,gsf,NEW ##136 000000060039500078060082000090060200004905300002030050000710030540003810070000000,gsf,NEW ##137 000005208004070000080003009000708302010000080608209000300500040000030100207400000,gsf,NEW ##138 000008500008061000042000007000007018090000020710600000300000450000270600004800000,gsf,NEW ##139 000309800000065000000000504700003068010000050360400001504000000000120000009608000,gsf,NEW ##140 006004300002700000910200007079000002000010000500000840400006035000007400003500600,gsf,NEW ##141 000000000003409200980205067000000000000791000207000408010080020036000540050010030,gsf,NEW ##142 034020960020901050000070000700000003000010000400809001350000012600000005000702000,gsf,NEW ##143 000968000310000048080000020000000000006020500002301900200000003000256000050040080,gsf,NEW ##144 000000000000156008074000002080700500056000801090300700068000009000592007000000000,gsf,NEW ##145 007000600000935000000000000800000003690000087000102000400607008006403200900000001,gsf,NEW ##146 000000000009406700020301060052090180000000000007000500730000012000000000500609003,gsf,NEW ##147 020703000500000900000460050084020003050001600360000709400006000000914008007800040,gsf,NEW ##148 003109600000007430000000081000700056950000000600002007230000009004080000008520000,gsf,NEW ##149 040013000200000009000007083000090608600100400407000000000230000005000000031700005.gsf.NEW # ##150 #Ocean [M20/F20][S8] ...|...|... ..1|.2.|3.. .4.|1.5|.6. ---+---+--- ..3|...|7.. .8.|...|.4. ..9|...|2.. ---+---+--- .5.|4.7|.8. ..2|.1.|9.. ...|...|... #

II. Puzzles submitted in this thread:

Code: Select all: ##151 #27 clues - no symmetry - 4 steps (Ruud) . . 7|2 . .|. . . . . .|1 5 .|8 . . 5 4 3|. . 7|6 . 2 -----+-----+----- . 9 2|. 6 .|3 . . . . .|. . 3|. 2 1 . . .|. 8 .|. . 5 -----+-----+----- . 6 .|. . 8|. . 4 . . .|. 7 .|. . . 9 . .|. . .|7 . 3 ##152 #24 clues - no symmetry - 5 steps (Ruud) 3 . .|. . .|. . . . 7 2|. . 8|. 9 . . 6 .|. 3 2|. 8 . -----+-----+----- . . .|6 . .|. . . . . .|. 5 9|. . 1 . 1 8|. . .|7 . . -----+-----+----- 1 2 .|. . .|5 . . . . .|. . 3|. . . 9 . .|7 . .|1 . 3 ##153 #26 clues - diagonal & antidiagonal - 4 steps (Ruud) . 4 .|. 7 9|1 . . 9 . 3|. . .|. . . . 6 .|. . 2|. . 8 -----+-----+----- . . .|. . 3|5 . 4 6 . .|. . .|. . 2 2 . 7|5 . .|. . . -----+-----+----- 5 . .|1 . .|. 7 . . . .|. . .|6 . 5 . . 2|9 6 .|. 1 . ##154 #25 clues - diagonal & antidiagonal - 5 steps (Ruud) 6 . 4|5 . .|. 1 . . . .|8 2 .|. . 6 1 . 8|. . .|. . . -----+-----+----- 5 1 .|. . .|. . . . 7 .|. 9 .|. 5 . . . .|. . .|. 4 9 -----+-----+----- . . .|. . .|5 . 7 3 . .|. 6 9|. . . . 6 .|. . 4|9 . 8 ##155 #24 clues - diagonal & antidiagonal - 8 steps (Ruud) . 7 .|8 . .|. . . 8 . .|. 6 .|4 . . . . .|2 5 .|. 1 . -----+-----+----- 1 . 6|. . .|. . . . 8 3|. . .|1 5 . . . .|. . .|2 . 3 -----+-----+----- . 4 .|. 2 5|. . . . . 2|. 3 .|. . 8 . . .|. . 7|. 3 . ##156 #24 clues - diagonal - 6 steps (Ruud) 9 2 .|6 . .|. . . 5 . .|1 . .|9 . . 8 . 3|. . .|. 5 . -----+-----+----- . . .|7 . 8|. . . . . 2|. . .|. . . . . .|4 . 5|. 8 7 -----+-----+----- . . 5|. 9 .|6 . . . 6 .|. . .|. . 3 . . .|. . .|4 1 8 # ##157 #IV,4,26,SM,020000509305001000060008004000040790000706000052010000600400010000500603508000070,gsf,NEW . 2 . . . . 5 . 9 3 . 5 . . 1 . . . . 6 . . . 8 . . 4 . . . . 4 . 7 9 . . . . 7 . 6 . . . . 5 2 . 1 . . . . 6 . . 4 . . . 1 . . . . 5 . . 6 . 3 5 . 8 . . . . 7 . ##158 #V,3,28,SM,000035070600000010130020090500683900000000000004912006080090053010000008040760000,gsf,NEW . . . . 3 5 . 7 . 6 . . . . . . 1 . 1 3 . . 2 . . 9 . 5 . . 6 8 3 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 9 1 2 . . 6 . 8 . . 9 . . 5 3 . 1 . . . . . . 8 . 4 . 7 6 . . . . ##159 #VII,6,23,SM,000030080000910000000080201090100600537000090000002400009508000100060000004000007,gsf,NEW . . . . 3 . . 8 . . . . 9 1 . . . . . . . . 8 . 2 . 1 . 9 . 1 . . 6 . . 5 3 7 . . . . 9 . . . . . . 2 4 . . . . 9 5 . 8 . . . 1 . . . 6 . . . . . . 4 . . . . . 7 ##160 #III,2,34,SM,000000000803601504105304807650080093000000000270060018904105306302907105000000000,gsf,NEW . . . . . . . . . 8 . 3 6 . 1 5 . 4 1 . 5 3 . 4 8 . 7 6 5 . . 8 . . 9 3 . . . . . . . . . 2 7 . . 6 . . 1 8 9 . 4 1 . 5 3 . 6 3 . 2 9 . 7 1 . 5 . . . . . . . . . ##161 #III,3,28,SM,000000000506000201800236005090402030040000010050809020900753004403000906000000000,gsf,NEW . . . . . . . . . 5 . 6 . . . 2 . 1 8 . . 2 3 6 . . 5 . 9 . 4 . 2 . 3 . . 4 . . . . . 1 . . 5 . 8 . 9 . 2 . 9 . . 7 5 3 . . 4 4 . 3 . . . 9 . 6 . . . . . . . . . ##162 #III,7,24,SM,670050028000609000002000100300000005060000040800000001007000600000801000590060072,gsf,NEW 6 7 . . 5 . . 2 8 . . . 6 . 9 . . . . . 2 . . . 1 . . 3 . . . . . . . 5 . 6 . . . . . 4 . 8 . . . . . . . 1 . . 7 . . . 6 . . . . . 8 . 1 . . . 5 9 . . 6 . . 7 2 ##163 #VI,8,22,SM,800007040000000030400039000003500006004000008009800002600012000000000050700003020,gsf,NEW 8 . . . . 7 . 4 . . . . . . . . 3 . 4 . . . 3 9 . . . . . 3 5 . . . . 6 . . 4 . . . . . 8 . . 9 8 . . . . 2 6 . . . 1 2 . . . . . . . . . . 5 . 7 . . . . 3 . 2 . ##164 #VII,3,25,SM,000085000006000700072090030000076005300004902150000000000000340900200600010950000,gsf,NEW . . . . 8 5 . . . . . 6 . . . 7 . . . 7 2 . 9 . . 3 . . . . . 7 6 . . 5 3 . . . . 4 9 . 2 1 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4 . 9 . . 2 . . 6 . . . 1 . 9 5 . . . . # ##165 #VI,7,22,M,000064070409030000001000000000009068900100000000008023008000000306010000000072040,gsf,2006-06-05 . . . . 6 4 . 7 . 4 . 9 . 3 . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . 9 . 6 8 9 . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . 8 . 2 3 . . 8 . . . . . . 3 . 6 . 1 . . . . . . . . 7 2 . 4 . # ##166 (Ocean) #Type III. 5 steps [P22][S5] [M] ...|.1.|... ..1|...|2.. .23|...|45. ---+---+--- 5..|3.6|..7 ...|...|... 8..|2.4|..6 ---+---+--- .54|...|39. ..2|...|5.. ...|.7.|... # ##167 (Ocean) #Type III. 6 steps. [P22][S6][M] ...|...|... .1.|.2.|.3. 4..|5.6|..7 ---+---+--- ..2|.1.|8.. ...|7.9|... ..9|.8.|6.. ---+---+--- 6..|1.5|..4 .8.|.3.|.2. ...|...|... # ##168 (Ocean) #Type III. 7 steps. [P22][S7][M] ...|...|... ..1|.2.|3.. .24|...|15. ---+---+--- 3..|1.4|..6 ...|...|... 7..|8.5|..4 ---+---+--- .13|...|24. ..8|.9.|7.. ...|...|... # ##169 (Ocean) #Type III. 8 steps. [P22][S8][M] ...|...|... ...|1.2|... 3.4|...|5.6 ---+---+--- .1.|.2.|.4. 57.|...|.81 .9.|.6.|.2. ---+---+--- 1.8|...|4.9 ...|6.7|... ...|...|... # ##170 (JPF) # 2 steps ; 31 clues ; no symmetry . . 2 | 6 . . | . . 9 4 9 . | . 7 . | 2 . 6 5 . 3 | . 4 . | . 1 . -------+-------+------- . . . | . . . | 1 . . . 2 1 | 8 . 9 | . . 4 . 5 . | . . 7 | . 9 . -------+-------+------- 7 . . | . . 3 | . 5 8 . . . | 5 . 1 | 7 . . 3 . . | . 9 6 | . . . # ##171 (JPF) #2 steps ; 30 clues ; no symmetry 4 . . | . . . | 5 6 . . . 3 | 4 . . | . 8 . 5 2 . | . 7 3 | . . . -------+-------+------- 1 . . | . 2 6 | . . . . . 5 | . . . | 1 . . . . . | . . 8 | 9 7 5 -------+-------+------- . 6 . | 9 . 7 | . 3 . . . 8 | 1 . . | . . . 3 9 1 | . . 4 | . . 2 # ##172 (Ocean) # Type II, 8 steps, 24 clues, minimal. *-----------* |84.|...|..5| |...|.6.|..3| |...|3.7|...| |---+---+---| |..5|4.8|3..| |.1.|...|.8.| |..6|1.3|7..| |---+---+---| |...|6.4|...| |9..|.2.|...| |5..|...|.24| *-----------* # ##173 (Ocean) # Type II, 6 steps, 24 clues, minimal. *-----------* |..1|.84|9..| |...|...|5..| |37.|...|..6| |---+---+---| |4..|6.1|...| |5..|...|..1| |...|4.2|..9| |---+---+---| |6..|...|.75| |..7|...|...| |..3|12.|8..| *-----------* # ##174 (JPF) #1 step ; 37 clues ; no symmetry 4 . . | 9 . . | 8 . . 9 . . | 8 1 3 | . . 2 6 . . | . . . | . 1 7 -------+-------+------- . . 7 | 4 . . | 6 8 . . 1 4 | . 2 . | 5 . 3 5 3 . | . . 9 | . 7 . -------+-------+------- . . . | . 4 1 | 3 . 8 . 5 2 | . . . | 7 . 6 . . 8 | 7 6 2 | . . 9 # ##175 (Ocean) #Type II. 5 steps, 24 clues, M. *-----------* |...|...|.1.| |1.2|..3|...| |..4|.2.|35.| |---+---+---| |.8.|.5.|...| |..5|7.2|6..| |...|.6.|.3.| |---+---+---| |.53|.7.|2..| |...|1..|9.8| |.6.|...|...| *-----------* # ##176 (Ocean) #Type II. 4 steps(23-19-27-28), 24 clues, SM. *-----------* |...|...|.1.| |123|...|.4.| |...|.56|.7.| |---+---+---| |..2|6.8|...| |..7|...|3..| |...|3.7|8..| |---+---+---| |.8.|21.|...| |.3.|...|756| |.4.|...|...| *-----------* # ##177 (Ocean) #Type II. 3 steps, 24 clues, SM. *-----------* |...|..1|23.| |1..|..4|5..| |67.|..8|...| |---+---+---| |268|...|...| |...|...|...| |...|...|497| |---+---+---| |...|5..|.81| |..4|7..|..3| |.93|6..|...| *-----------* # #two more #improvements seem to be < 1 per day now ##178 (gsf) #VI,5,23,SM,900000005010000090020106040005904300700050002060000010140000067000302000000000000,gsf,2006-06-06 9 . . . . . . . 5 . 1 . . . . . 9 . . 2 . 1 . 6 . 4 . . . 5 9 . 4 3 . . 7 . . . 5 . . . 2 . 6 . . . . . 1 . 1 4 . . . . . 6 7 . . . 3 . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . # ##179 (gsf) #I,6,24,SM,007000400000104000302000905060080030000709000070050090901000304000506000003000700,gsf,2006-06-08 . . 7 . . . 4 . . . . . 1 . 4 . . . 3 . 2 . . . 9 . 5 . 6 . . 8 . . 3 . . . . 7 . 9 . . . . 7 . . 5 . . 9 . 9 . 1 . . . 3 . 4 . . . 5 . 6 . . . . . 3 . . . 7 . . # ## 180 (Ocean) #Finally - first absolute minimal four-stepper. #Type II. 4 steps, 24 clues, Minimal. *-----------* |...|..1|.2.| |2.1|..3|...| |..4|..5|67.| |---+---+---| |683|...|...| |...|...|...| |...|...|245| |---+---+---| |.68|2..|9..| |...|8..|4.3| |.9.|7..|...| *-----------* # ##181 (JPF) # 4 steps ; 26 clues ; no symmetry 2 . . | . . 3 | . . . . 1 5 | 8 . . | . . . 6 9 . | . . . | 8 . 4 -------+-------+------- . . . | 4 . . | . . . . . 2 | 1 . 8 | 5 . . . . . | . . 9 | . . 6 -------+-------+------- . . . | . . . | 9 . . 9 . 8 | . 7 . | 1 2 . . . 7 | . 3 4 | . 8 . # ##182 (JPF) # 3 steps ; 27 clues ; no symmetry . 5 1 | . . . | . 9 7 . 8 . | . 2 . | 4 . 5 . . . | . 4 1 | . . . -------+-------+------- 9 . 7 | 6 . . | . . . 2 . . | . . . | 3 7 . . . . | . . . | 8 . 4 -------+-------+------- 3 7 . | 2 8 . | 5 . . . . . | 4 . . | . . 8 . . . | 3 9 . | . . . # #Improvements on type II: ##183 (Ocean) #Type II. 8 steps. 20 clues. Minimal.[L20][S8][M] ...|..1|23. 4..|...|5.. 56.|.7.|... ---+---+--- 3..|...|... ..8|...|9.. ...|...|..5 ---+---+--- ...|.5.|.67 ..9|...|..4 .82|3..|... # ##184 (Ocean) #Type II. 7 steps. 20 clues. Minimal.[L20][S7][M] ...|..1|23. 3..|...|4.. 45.|.6.|... ---+---+--- 9..|...|... ..7|...|8.. ...|...|..4 ---+---+--- ...|.4.|.56 ..8|...|..9 .72|3..|... # ##185 (Ocean) #Type II. 6 steps. 20 clues. Minimal. [L20][S6][M] ...|..1|.2. 3.4|..5|... ...|..6|.7. ---+---+--- 528|...|... ...|...|... ...|...|314 ---+---+--- .1.|2..|... ...|3..|5.8 .6.|7..|... # ##186 (JPF) #To open new fields : #Type VI, 1 step, 44 clues . . 7 | 1 . . | . 3 6 . 9 . | . 4 6 | 2 5 . 5 2 6 | . 7 . | . . 8 -------+-------+------- 1 . 8 | 7 5 . | 3 . 4 9 . . | . . 8 | 7 2 . 7 . 2 | 9 1 . | 6 . 5 -------+-------+------- 2 8 9 | . 6 . | . . 3 . 7 . | . 8 3 | 4 1 . . . 3 | 5 . . | . 6 2 # ##187 (JPF) #Type VII, 1 step, 40 clues 1 5 . | . . . | . 2 8 9 4 . | 8 7 . | 5 3 . . . 8 | 1 . 6 | . . 7 -------+-------+------- . 3 1 | . . 4 | 8 . . . 7 . | . 6 8 | . 5 . . . 4 | 5 9 . | 2 7 . -------+-------+------- . 1 . | 2 . 3 | . 9 6 8 6 . | . 4 5 | 7 . . 4 . 2 | . . . | 3 . . # ##188 (JPF) #Some more new entries : #Type VI, 2 steps, 35 clues . 2 . | . 8 . | . . 4 . . . | . 9 . | 1 6 . 5 . 9 | 1 . 7 | 3 2 . -------+-------+------- 2 . . | 6 . . | . 3 . 3 . 8 | 5 . . | . 4 1 4 . . | 8 . . | . 7 . -------+-------+------- 1 . 4 | 7 . 3 | 2 9 . . . . | . 6 . | 7 8 . . 7 . | . 2 . | . . 3 # ##189 (JPF) #Type VII, 2 steps, 34 clues 7 4 . | . . 6 | . 1 . 8 . 9 | . . . | 3 6 . . 6 . | 7 1 . | 8 . . -------+-------+------- . . 1 | . . 4 | . . 6 . . 6 | . 7 . | . 3 5 4 . . | 8 . 9 | . 7 . -------+-------+------- . 5 8 | . . . | 7 . 3 3 2 . | . 4 8 | . . . . . . | 3 5 . | 1 . . # ##190 (JPF) #Type IV, 1 step, 45 clues 6 7 . | 4 . 3 | . 1 . 5 . 4 | 2 . . | 7 8 3 . 8 . | . 5 . | 2 4 . -------+-------+------- 3 9 . | 5 4 . | . . 1 . . 8 | 7 9 2 | 3 . . 4 . . | . 1 6 | . 7 8 -------+-------+------- . 4 9 | . 3 . | . 6 . 2 3 1 | . . 4 | 8 . 5 . 5 . | 9 . 1 | . 3 7 # ##191 (gsf) #still ~1/day #V,3,26,SM,080000024050009000014750000008040600000102000002060700000015360000300090590000040,gsf,2006-06-10 . 8 . . . . . 2 4 . 5 . . . 9 . . . . 1 4 7 5 . . . . . . 8 . 4 . 6 . . . . . 1 . 2 . . . . . 2 . 6 . 7 . . . . . . 1 5 3 6 . . . . 3 . . . 9 . 5 9 . . . . . 4 . # ##192 (JPF) #2 Improvements : #Type VI ; 1 step ; 41 clues . . 9 | . 7 3 | 1 . . . 1 . | 4 9 . | . . 5 7 . 4 | 2 . . | 3 . 8 -------+-------+------- 4 3 . | . . 8 | . 6 1 6 5 . | 9 3 . | 4 . . 2 9 . | . . 4 | . 7 3 -------+-------+------- 3 . 5 | 6 . . | 8 . 9 . 8 . | 7 5 . | . . 4 . . 2 | . 8 1 | 6 . . # ##193 (JPF) #3 steps ; 26 clues ; no symmetry (Type 0) . 5 4 | . 7 6 | . . . 1 . . | . . . | 2 . . . . 9 | . 4 . | . . . -------+-------+------- . . . | . . 7 | . 6 . . . 8 | . . 9 | . . 5 7 . 1 | . . 8 | . 9 . -------+-------+------- . . . | . 5 1 | . . . 4 . . | . 9 2 | 3 . . 2 3 . | . . . | 7 . . # #194 (JPF) #Type IV ; 1 step ; 43 clues 3 2 1 | 6 . 5 | . . 7 4 . . | . . 8 | . 3 . 9 . 5 | 2 7 . | 6 . . -------+-------+------- 2 . 9 | . 5 . | . 8 1 . . 6 | 1 9 4 | 2 . . 1 7 . | . 3 . | 9 . 6 -------+-------+------- . . 8 | . 2 1 | 7 . 5 . 4 . | 5 . . | . . 8 5 . . | 4 . 7 | 3 6 9 # ##195 (JPF) #2 steps ; 29 clues ; no symmetry (Type 0) . 4 . | 7 . . | 2 . . . 8 2 | . . 1 | 6 . 4 . . . | . 4 . | . . 3 -------+-------+------- 2 3 . | 4 . . | . 7 . . 9 . | 8 6 3 | . 4 . . . . | . . . | 1 . . -------+-------+------- . . 1 | 9 7 5 | . . . 3 . 6 | . . . | . . . . . 8 | 2 . . | . 5 . # ##196 (gsf) #IV,2,32,SM,002806030000004809600095070800000354006000700591000006010670008309100000040209600,gsf,2006-06-10:21:56 . . 2 8 . 6 . 3 . . . . . . 4 8 . 9 6 . . . 9 5 . 7 . 8 . . . . . 3 5 4 . . 6 . . . 7 . . 5 9 1 . . . . . 6 . 1 . 6 7 . . . 8 3 . 9 1 . . . . . . 4 . 2 . 9 6 . . # ##197 (gsf) #VI,6,23,SM,000008000000035810067000000002060503000040000005080907049000000000051280000009000,gsf,2006-06-11:02:09 . . . . . 8 . . . . . . . 3 5 8 1 . . 6 7 . . . . . . . . 2 . 6 . 5 . 3 . . . . 4 . . . . . . 5 . 8 . 9 . 7 . 4 9 . . . . . . . . . . 5 1 2 8 . . . . . . 9 . . . # ##198 (gsf) #II,1,41,-,100900873806005000200781050098040207003526900604090310060278009000300601352009004,gsf,2006-06-11:02:0 1 . . 9 . . 8 7 3 8 . 6 . . 5 . . . 2 . . 7 8 1 . 5 . . 9 8 . 4 . 2 . 7 . . 3 5 2 6 9 . . 6 . 4 . 9 . 3 1 . . 6 . 2 7 8 . . 9 . . . 3 . . 6 . 1 3 5 2 . . 9 . . 4 # # Two puzzles with double diagonal symmetry. ##199 (Ocean) # Type IV. 8 steps. 20 clues. Minimal. *-----------* |...|..1|.23| |..1|...|..4| |.5.|.2.|...| |---+---+---| |...|6..|..7| |..8|...|5..| |3..|..8|...| |---+---+---| |...|.5.|.8.| |5..|...|9..| |26.|7..|...| *-----------* # ##200 (Ocean) # Type IV. 7 steps. 20 clues. Minimal. *-----------* |...|..1|.23| |..2|...|..4| |.5.|.6.|...| |---+---+---| |...|3..|..7| |..8|...|2..| |6..|..7|...| |---+---+---| |...|.2.|.5.| |1..|...|6..| |74.|8..|...| *-----------* # ## 201 (JPF) #1 step ; 36 clues ; no symmetry (type 0) #this one : 3 . . | . . 7 | 1 9 . 2 . . | 8 . 6 | . . . 4 5 9 | . . . | . 6 . -------+-------+------- 9 . 6 | . . 1 | . 5 4 . . . | . 3 . | 2 . . . . 7 | 2 . 4 | 8 1 9 -------+-------+------- . 4 . | 1 5 . | . . 3 . 8 5 | . 2 . | 9 . 7 6 . . | 4 . 8 | . . . # ##202 (JPF) #or this one : 2 3 . | 7 . . | 8 . . . . . | 6 . 9 | . 5 1 1 . . | . . . | 4 3 . -------+-------+------- . 7 8 | . 1 5 | . 4 3 9 . . | . 8 . | 1 . 6 . 4 . | . . . | . . 2 -------+-------+------- . . 3 | . 6 2 | . 9 4 8 2 7 | 3 . . | . . . 4 6 . | 1 5 . | . . . # #203-220 (JPF) #Some 1 steppers, 37 clues , type 0 : # 702600019503007000000823060900031850054080670017040020201000007000309482090205000 860305009005074002009008300002000840638009070070600005904850763100230500700400100 054300007700100043610900502300820470001060809570000200809503000200090051100047600 020600000001080540300921780064700000900250003850006209400193820080000634500004010 410000052300420069000068000000907208047200003005310796060540000100003670859001300 740001300012000680000729050060500740308090005090102000480000030007630920620950401 367000910080090406005081000070562030003000647091003080800400071500900302026105000 002634000008001570490058302003900681007310020065000009320047010070000000506803900 286009400009510800000000670635900000090000732100084000002468050500273901470100008 681004090003080500004003128048710630050940080060000057890001000000539072700002004 600000450591080070824003900042090106000076090005408020073500002080140600100030709 032590007050080962080700050490063000021000800605004100009208074067050003203010008 390000065050190024060200080004003000020871009805640013087054600006000790109008400 640050091703008054800092000010000739000670002530210008020000687008705900409030100 000045006007830501830090002903100648060580000020000730076209010382006000001070064 080600000000002950040185270010728090829003600350000400102076000690530001004009803 090076000006380071000100240704900513200704009800035000040291705001040680523000000 060090704201040069009370051983000100006002030700005800430600000502814600010700902 # ##221 (JPF) #4 steps ; 25 clues ; no symmetry (type 0) . . . | 8 . . | . . . 7 . . | . . 5 | 1 8 . . 6 4 | . . . | . 3 . -------+-------+------- . . . | . 1 4 | . . . . . 6 | . . . | . 7 9 . 5 . | . 9 2 | . . . -------+-------+------- 1 7 8 | . . . | . . 2 2 . . | 9 3 . | . . 6 . . . | 1 . . | . . . # ##222 (JPF) #Type IV ; 1 step ; 41 clues . . 7 | . 2 . | 9 5 4 . 1 . | . 5 9 | . 3 7 4 . . | 8 . 3 | . . 2 -------+-------+------- . . 2 | 3 . . | 1 8 . 1 4 . | . 8 . | . 9 6 . 6 5 | . . 7 | 4 . . -------+-------+------- 5 . . | 2 . 6 | . . 8 6 2 . | 1 3 . | . 7 . 9 3 8 | . 4 . | 2 . . # ##223 (JPF) #a new entry ; the last one ? #type III ; 1 step ; 44 clues 2 . 8 | 5 3 7 | 4 . 6 . . . | 8 1 9 | . . . 5 3 . | . 4 . | . 7 8 -------+-------+------- 1 . 6 | . 8 . | 2 . 4 . . 3 | 2 . 1 | 6 . . 8 . 7 | . 6 . | 9 . 5 -------+-------+------- 7 4 . | . 5 . | . 6 9 . . . | 9 2 6 | . . . 9 . 1 | 4 7 8 | 5 . 3 # ##224 (gsf) #another improvement #VII,6,22,M,000000030000305809006001070700000240430900000000020060200000500000090000005014000,gsf,2006-06-12:18:16 . . . . . . . 3 . . . . 3 . 5 8 . 9 . . 6 . . 1 . 7 . 7 . . . . . 2 4 . 4 3 . 9 . . . . . . . . . 2 . . 6 . 2 . . . . . 5 . . . . . . 9 . . . . . . 5 . 1 4 . . . # ##225 (Ocean) #An improvement (5-stepper, diagonal symmetry): # Type VII, 5 steps. 22 clues. Minimal. 1 2 .|. 3 4|. . . 5 . .|. . .|6 . . . . 3|. . .|7 . . -----+-----+----- . . .|. . 8|. 1 . 3 . .|. . .|. 2 8 2 . .|7 . .|. . . -----+-----+----- . 8 9|. . .|. . 3 . . .|4 5 .|. . . . . .|. 1 .|9 . . # ##226 (gsf) #a new 1 stepper improvement and 2 others #II,1,40,-,800001905000863700624000300740295080090306050050147092009000841001578000203900006,gsf,2006-06-12:16:04 8 . . . . 1 9 . 5 . . . 8 6 3 7 . . 6 2 4 . . . 3 . . 7 4 . 2 9 5 . 8 . . 9 . 3 . 6 . 5 . . 5 . 1 4 7 . 9 2 . . 9 . . . 8 4 1 . . 1 5 7 8 . . . 2 . 3 9 . . . . 6 # ##227 (gsf) #VI,4,24,SM,000080000904000802003402600870000054020903010000000000005000200000746000030000070,gsf,2006-06-13:15:58 . . . . 8 . . . . 9 . 4 . . . 8 . 2 . . 3 4 . 2 6 . . 8 7 . . . . . 5 4 . 2 . 9 . 3 . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . 2 . . . . . 7 4 6 . . . . 3 . . . . . 7 . # ##228 (JPF) #An improvement (2-stepper, 180-degree rotational symmetry) #Type V , 2 steps, 33 clues . . 7 | 5 6 . | . 1 3 . . 4 | 2 7 . | . . . . 9 . | . . . | . 5 . -------+-------+------- 9 7 . | . 8 . | . . 6 . 6 1 | . 3 . | 9 2 . 2 . . | . 4 . | . 3 7 -------+-------+------- . 5 . | . . . | . 9 . . . . | . 9 7 | 8 . . 6 3 . | . 5 4 | 2 . . # ##229 (JPF) #improvement of the day... 2-stepper, horizontal reflection #Type VI, 2 steps, 34 clues . 4 . | 7 6 2 | . . 1 . . 8 | . . . | . 3 6 . . 7 | . . . | 4 . . -------+-------+------- 1 8 . | . 2 4 | . . 5 9 . 2 | . . 3 | 6 . . 6 7 . | . 1 5 | . . 8 -------+-------+------- . . 5 | . . . | 2 . . . . 6 | . . . | . 8 3 . 2 . | 4 3 8 | . . 9 # ##230 (JPF) #improvement of the night... #2-stepper, horizontal reflection #Type VI, 2 steps, 33 clues . . . | 8 . . | . . 5 2 9 1 | . . . | . . . . 4 8 | 2 6 . | 1 . . -------+-------+------- 6 . . | . 8 . | 4 9 . 9 . . | . 4 . | 6 1 7 1 . . | . 7 . | 5 3 . -------+-------+------- . 5 6 | 9 1 . | 8 . . 8 7 2 | . . . | . . . . . . | 5 . . | . . 3 # ##231 (gsf) #1 stepper improvement #III,1,42,-,609501408070000010083702950305409607000203000208107509032605180060000090407908302,gsf,2006-06-15:03:45 6 . 9 5 . 1 4 . 8 . 7 . . . . . 1 . . 8 3 7 . 2 9 5 . 3 . 5 4 . 9 6 . 7 . . . 2 . 3 . . . 2 . 8 1 . 7 5 . 9 . 3 2 6 . 5 1 8 . . 6 . . . . . 9 . 4 . 7 9 . 8 3 . 2 # ## 232 (Ocean) # 4 steps. 23 clues. No symmetry. ..7|1..|8.. .62|...|93. ..4|2.7|1.. ---+---+--- ...|...|... ...|.1.|2.. .3.|456|... ---+---+--- ...|538|.6. ..9|.7.|... ...|...|... # ## 233 (Ocean) # 5 steps. 22 clues. Minimal. No symmetry. ...|...|... ...|.1.|2.. .3.|45.|... ---+---+--- ..2|..6|7.. .76|...|13. ..8|9.2|6.. ---+---+--- ...|843|.5. ..1|.2.|... ...|...|... # ##234 (Ocean) # Type II. 5 steps. 21 clues. Minimal. 1.2|...|..3 ...|1.4|... ...|..5|..6 ---+---+--- .47|...|.8. ...|.9.|... .8.|...|41. ---+---+--- 3..|6..|... ...|3.1|... 2..|...|5.9 # #Three puzzles with 20 clues. Type IV symmetry (double diagonal). 6-stepper, 7-stepper, 8-stepper. Same pattern. ##235 (Ocean) # Type IV, 6 steps, 20 clues, minimal. *-----------* |..1|.23|..4| |...|..4|...| |5..|...|6..| |---+---+---| |...|...|.71| |6..|...|..3| |89.|...|...| |---+---+---| |..4|...|..7| |...|3..|...| |7..|65.|8..| *-----------* # ##236 (Ocean) # Type IV, 7 steps, 20 clues, minimal. *-----------* |..1|.23|..4| |...|..1|...| |5..|...|6..| |---+---+---| |...|...|.43| |6..|...|..1| |72.|...|...| |---+---+---| |..4|...|..5| |...|2..|...| |8..|69.|7..| *-----------* # ##237 (Ocean) # Type IV, 8 steps, 20 clues, minimal. *-----------* |..1|.23|..4| |...|..1|...| |5..|...|6..| |---+---+---| |...|...|.43| |6..|...|..1| |72.|...|...| |---+---+---| |..4|...|..5| |...|2..|...| |1..|68.|7..| *-----------* # ##238 (Ocean) #Type II, 5 steps. 20 clues, minimal. 1..|...|2.3 ...|...|4.. 56.|.7.|... ---+---+--- ...|2.5|... ..4|...|8.. ...|1.3|... ---+---+--- ...|.6.|.71 ..8|...|... 2.3|...|..5 # ##239 (Times/ab) #just stumbled across the first sudoku printed in the Times: #it's a 3 stepper: . 2 . | 8 1 . | 7 4 . 7 . . | . . 3 | 1 . . . 9 . | . . 2 | 8 . 5 ------+-------+------ . . 9 | . 4 . | . 8 7 4 . . | 2 . 8 | . . 3 1 6 . | . 3 . | 2 . . ------+-------+------ 3 . 2 | 7 . . | . 6 . . . 5 | 6 . . | . . 8 . 7 6 | . 5 1 | . 9 . # # ##239B (Ocean) # Type VI. 8 Steps. 20 clues. Minimal. *-----------* |...|...|...| |...|..1|2..| |13.|.4.|.5.| |---+---+---| |..2|..6|7..| |.53|...|...| |..8|..2|9..| |---+---+---| |98.|.5.|.3.| |...|..7|6..| |...|...|...| *-----------* # ##240 (JPF) # 1-stepper, 35 clues, no symmetry. 9 4 7 | . . 8 | 1 . . 1 . 3 | . . 6 | 8 2 . . . . | . . . | . 5 7 -------+-------+------- . 9 . | 3 4 . | . . 8 6 3 . | . 9 . | . . . 2 1 . | . . . | . 7 9 -------+-------+------- . . 6 | 8 3 1 | . . . . . . | 7 . 4 | 2 6 . 5 . 1 | 2 . . | 4 . . # ##241 (JPF) # 3-stepper, 25 clues, no symmetry : . . 7 | . 1 . | . . . . 6 . | . 2 . | . 8 . . 8 . | . . . | 9 . 6 -------+-------+------- . . 2 | 8 . . | . . 9 7 . . | . . 3 | 2 . 1 . 5 . | . . . | 4 . . -------+-------+------- 3 . . | . 6 7 | . . . . . . | 3 . 5 | . . . 2 9 . | . . . | . 5 . # ##242 (JPF) # 2-stepper, 28 clues, no symmetry : 3 1 . | . . 5 | 7 . . . . 5 | 8 . . | 4 . 1 . 7 . | . 9 . | . . . -------+-------+------- . . 7 | 9 . . | 5 2 . . 6 . | . . . | . . . . 9 . | 1 6 8 | . . . -------+-------+------- . 4 . | . 3 . | . 6 5 . . 8 | . . . | . 9 . . . . | 6 . 7 | 1 . . # ##243 (JPF) #An improvement (1-stepper, 180-degree rotational symmetry) #Type V , 1 step, 39 clues 3 . . | 4 5 1 | . . . 6 . 9 | . . 2 | 4 . . 1 . . | . . 9 | 5 8 7 -------+-------+------- 5 . 2 | . . 4 | . 3 8 . . 6 | . 3 . | 9 . . 7 1 . | 5 . . | 6 . 4 -------+-------+------- 9 4 7 | 1 . . | . . 5 . . 1 | 9 . . | 3 . 2 . . . | 7 8 6 | . . 9 # ##244 (JPF) #Type VI, 1 step, 40 clues 9 . 6 | 1 . 4 | 7 . 8 . . 4 | . 5 . | 1 . . . . . | 6 8 3 | . . . -------+-------+------- 7 . 1 | . . . | 3 . 9 . 2 9 | . . . | 5 4 . 5 . . | 7 9 8 | . . 6 -------+-------+------- 6 . 8 | 2 1 5 | 4 . 3 1 3 . | 4 . 6 | . 9 5 . 7 . | . . . | . 2 . # #245 (JPF) #Type VII, 1 step, 39 clues 4 6 . | 8 . . | . 2 . 7 . . | 2 1 3 | 8 . . . . . | 7 . . | 5 9 1 -------+-------+------- 1 2 5 | 6 8 . | . 3 . . 9 . | 3 5 . | . 7 . . 8 . | . . 4 | 6 . . -------+-------+------- . 7 2 | . . 9 | . . 4 8 . 6 | 4 3 . | . . 7 . . 3 | . . . | 1 6 2 # ##246 (JPF) #Type VII, 2 steps, 32 clues . . . | . 5 . | 4 8 . . . 3 | . . . | 7 . 2 . 1 . | 2 . 7 | 9 . 5 -------+-------+------- . . 8 | 3 . 5 | . . . 7 . . | . 2 . | . 5 6 . . 9 | 4 . . | . 2 . -------+-------+------- 1 9 4 | . . . | 6 . . 3 . . | . 6 9 | . . . . 2 7 | . 8 . | . . 3 # ##247 (JPF) #Type VI, 2 steps, 31 clues . . 3 | 2 . 8 | 6 . . 1 . 5 | . . . | 3 . 9 . . . | . . . | . . . -------+-------+------- 2 1 . | . 5 . | . 6 8 . . . | . 7 . | . . . 7 . 8 | . 4 . | 2 . 5 -------+-------+------- . 8 . | . . . | . 7 . . 4 . | 6 1 5 | . 3 . . 6 . | 9 8 7 | . 1 . # ##248 (JPF) #Type V, 2 steps, 31 clues 6 2 3 | . . . | . 1 . . . . | . . 9 | 8 6 5 . . 9 | 7 . . | . 2 . -------+-------+------- 2 . . | 8 4 . | . 5 . . . . | . 7 . | . . . . 5 . | . 6 3 | . . 7 -------+-------+------- . 4 . | . . 7 | 6 . . 9 6 8 | 2 . . | . . . . 7 . | . . . | 4 8 3 # ##249 (JPF) #Type V, 1 step, 38 clues . 3 . | . . 8 | . 6 1 1 9 . | . 7 4 | 8 . . 2 . . | 5 . 6 | 3 . . -------+-------+------- 3 8 . | . 4 9 | . . . . 4 7 | . . . | 2 9 . . . . | 6 3 . | . 8 7 -------+-------+------- . . 4 | 8 . 1 | . . 6 . . 1 | 2 9 . | . 7 4 9 5 . | 4 . . | . 2 . # ##250 (JPF) #Type VI, 1 step, 39 clues . 1 7 | 3 . 5 | 8 4 . . . 2 | . 8 . | 1 . . . . 3 | 7 . 6 | 5 . . -------+-------+------- 4 . . | 6 . 1 | . . 2 . . 9 | . 4 . | 6 . . 1 8 . | . 3 . | . 9 7 -------+-------+------- 7 . . | 1 . 9 | . . 4 6 5 . | 2 7 8 | . 3 1 2 . . | . 5 . | . . 8 # ##251 (JPF) #Type VI, 1 step, 38 clues . . 4 | 1 2 6 | 8 . . . . 3 | . 9 . | 7 . . 8 6 . | . 5 . | . 4 9 -------+-------+------- . 7 . | . 1 . | . 2 . . 2 . | 4 6 8 | . 1 . 9 . 1 | . . . | 3 . 6 -------+-------+------- 2 1 . | 7 . 9 | . 3 8 5 . . | . . . | . . 4 . . 7 | 2 3 5 | 6 . . # ##252 (JPF) #Type VII, 1 step, 38 clues . . 1 | 9 . 8 | 3 . . . . 8 | . 4 1 | 6 5 . 5 2 . | . . . | . 8 . -------+-------+------- 3 . . | 1 7 5 | . . 4 . 9 . | 8 2 4 | . . . 2 7 . | 6 3 . | . . 5 -------+-------+------- 9 4 . | . . . | 1 . 2 . 1 7 | . . . | . . 3 . . . | 7 . 3 | 9 4 8 # ##253 (JPF) #Type I, 1 step, 40 clues 5 6 . | . 7 . | . 1 2 7 . . | 1 4 9 | . . 6 . . 3 | . 6 . | 4 . . -------+-------+------- . 1 . | 3 . 6 | . 8 . 8 2 5 | . . . | 6 3 7 . 4 . | 7 . 2 | . 9 . -------+-------+------- . . 8 | . 9 . | 7 . . 2 . . | 4 3 8 | . . 9 6 3 . | . 2 . | . 4 1 # ##254 (JPF) #Type III, 1 step, 40 clues . 6 8 | . . . | 1 7 . 1 . 5 | . 8 . | 3 . 2 . . . | 4 9 1 | . . . -------+-------+------- 2 . 6 | 3 . 7 | 9 . 4 . 4 . | 5 . 8 | . 6 . 8 . 3 | 9 . 4 | 2 . 5 -------+-------+------- . . . | 1 3 5 | . . . 7 . 2 | . 4 . | 5 . 8 . 3 4 | . . . | 6 9 . # ##255 (JPF) #Type IV, 1 step, 39 clues . . 6 | . . 3 | . 1 . . . 2 | 7 5 . | 8 . 4 7 3 4 | 2 . . | . 9 . -------+-------+------- . 5 3 | . 2 . | . . 9 . 2 . | 1 8 9 | . 4 . 8 . . | . 4 . | 7 6 . -------+-------+------- . 4 . | . . 1 | 3 5 6 1 . 9 | . 3 2 | 4 . . . 7 . | 8 . . | 9 . . # #256 (JPF) #Here is an improvement for a 2-stepper : #Type III, 2 steps, 32 clues . . 6 | 8 4 9 | 5 . . . . . | . 5 . | . . . 4 . 2 | . . . | 7 . 9 -------+-------+------- . 3 5 | . . . | 9 4 . . 4 . | 1 . 5 | . 2 . . 8 7 | . . . | 3 1 . -------+-------+------- 9 . 3 | . . . | 1 . 8 . . . | . 7 . | . . . . . 1 | 3 8 2 | 6 . . # # # ##258 (gsf) # inferior VII 2 steps 32 clues antidiagonal symmetric minimal . . 9 4 1 . . 2 5 . . 8 2 . . . 7 4 2 4 . 9 . . . . 3 1 3 7 . . . . . . 6 . . . . . 4 5 . . . . . . . 1 . 9 . . . . 3 6 . . . 4 6 . . 5 . . . 1 7 2 5 . . 4 . 6 . # ##259 (gsf) # inferior IV 3 steps 26 clues diagonal and antidiagonal symmetric minimal 3 . . . . 8 6 . . . 4 . . 1 5 . . . . . . . . 2 9 . 4 . . . . . . 3 8 5 . 3 . . . . . 9 . 8 6 7 . . . . . . 5 . 6 7 . . . . . . . . 2 9 . . 7 . . . 8 4 . . . . 2 # ##260 (gsf) # inferior VII 4 steps 23 clues diagonal symmetric minimal . 1 7 . . . . . 2 . 9 . . . 8 . . . . . 2 6 . 4 . . . . . . . 9 . 4 1 . 5 . . . . 3 . . . . . . 2 . . 6 . . 8 . . . . . 3 . 5 . . . . . . . 6 8 2 . 1 . 6 . . . . #

The list continues a bit further down the page...

by **Ruud** » Sat May 27, 2006 11:57 pm

Great to have this in a separate thread.

So you're an administrator now, Ocean?

Here are my first submissions, some gap-filling and record breaking to start with.

Code: Select all: 27 clues - no symmetry - 4 steps (Ruud) . . 7|2 . .|. . . . . .|1 5 .|8 . . 5 4 3|. . 7|6 . 2 -----+-----+----- . 9 2|. 6 .|3 . . . . .|. . 3|. 2 1 . . .|. 8 .|. . 5 -----+-----+----- . 6 .|. . 8|. . 4 . . .|. 7 .|. . . 9 . .|. . .|7 . 3 24 clues - no symmetry - 5 steps (Ruud) 3 . .|. . .|. . . . 7 2|. . 8|. 9 . . 6 .|. 3 2|. 8 . -----+-----+----- . . .|6 . .|. . . . . .|. 5 9|. . 1 . 1 8|. . .|7 . . -----+-----+----- 1 2 .|. . .|5 . . . . .|. . 3|. . . 9 . .|7 . .|1 . 3 26 clues - diagonal & antidiagonal - 4 steps (Ruud) . 4 .|. 7 9|1 . . 9 . 3|. . .|. . . . 6 .|. . 2|. . 8 -----+-----+----- . . .|. . 3|5 . 4 6 . .|. . .|. . 2 2 . 7|5 . .|. . . -----+-----+----- 5 . .|1 . .|. 7 . . . .|. . .|6 . 5 . . 2|9 6 .|. 1 . 25 clues - diagonal & antidiagonal - 5 steps (Ruud) 6 . 4|5 . .|. 1 . . . .|8 2 .|. . 6 1 . 8|. . .|. . . -----+-----+----- 5 1 .|. . .|. . . . 7 .|. 9 .|. 5 . . . .|. . .|. 4 9 -----+-----+----- . . .|. . .|5 . 7 3 . .|. 6 9|. . . . 6 .|. . 4|9 . 8 24 clues - diagonal & antidiagonal - 8 steps (Ruud) . 7 .|8 . .|. . . 8 . .|. 6 .|4 . . . . .|2 5 .|. 1 . -----+-----+----- 1 . 6|. . .|. . . . 8 3|. . .|1 5 . . . .|. . .|2 . 3 -----+-----+----- . 4 .|. 2 5|. . . . . 2|. 3 .|. . 8 . . .|. . 7|. 3 . 24 clues - diagonal - 6 steps (Ruud) 9 2 .|6 . .|. . . 5 . .|1 . .|9 . . 8 . 3|. . .|. 5 . -----+-----+----- . . .|7 . 8|. . . . . 2|. . .|. . . . . .|4 . 5|. 8 7 -----+-----+----- . . 5|. 9 .|6 . . . 6 .|. . .|. . 3 . . .|. . .|4 1 8

Ruud

by **gsf** » Sun May 28, 2006 9:17 am

the new format listing has each line enclosed in '...'
this is probably a unix/windows mismatch in command line processing
the enclosing quotes shouldn't be there

by **gsf** » Sun May 28, 2006 10:06 am

this will list the lowest entries by symmetry class

Code: Select all: sort -t, -k1,1 -k2,2n -k3,3n -k4,4 -k7,7n *.dat | sort -t, -u -k1,1 -k2,2n > lowest.dat

with ties broken by #clues, M/SM/-, and submission#
the second sort assumes stability which gnu and ast (uwin) sort do for -u

by **gsf** » Sun May 28, 2006 10:13 am

here are 3 updates

Code: Select all: #IV,4,26,SM,020000509305001000060008004000040790000706000052010000600400010000500603508000070,gsf,NEW . 2 . . . . 5 . 9 3 . 5 . . 1 . . . . 6 . . . 8 . . 4 . . . . 4 . 7 9 . . . . 7 . 6 . . . . 5 2 . 1 . . . . 6 . . 4 . . . 1 . . . . 5 . . 6 . 3 5 . 8 . . . . 7 . #V,3,28,SM,000035070600000010130020090500683900000000000004912006080090053010000008040760000,gsf,NEW . . . . 3 5 . 7 . 6 . . . . . . 1 . 1 3 . . 2 . . 9 . 5 . . 6 8 3 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 9 1 2 . . 6 . 8 . . 9 . . 5 3 . 1 . . . . . . 8 . 4 . 7 6 . . . . #VII,6,23,SM,000030080000910000000080201090100600537000090000002400009508000100060000004000007,gsf,NEW . . . . 3 . . 8 . . . . 9 1 . . . . . . . . 8 . 2 . 1 . 9 . 1 . . 6 . . 5 3 7 . . . . 9 . . . . . . 2 4 . . . . 9 5 . 8 . . . 1 . . . 6 . . . . . . 4 . . . . . 7

by **Ocean** » Sun May 28, 2006 8:21 pm

Ruud wrote:Great to have this in a separate thread.
So you're an administrator now, Ocean?
Here are my first submissions, some gap-filling and record breaking to start with.

I'm not too fond of administration (tends to distract me from the more interesting search algorithms...). But gsf's program saves a lot of work!
Thanks for the submissions! Most of the table seems to have entries now, thanks to gsf's many 'first entries', and now yours.

gsf wrote:the new format listing has each line enclosed in '...' (...) the enclosing quotes shouldn't be there

Thanks. Problem fixed.

gsf wrote:this will list the lowest entries by symmetry class
Code: Select all
sort -t, -k1,1 -k2,2n -k3,3n -k4,4 -k7,7n *.dat | sort -t, -u -k1,1 -k2,2n > lowest.dat

with ties broken by #clues, M/SM/-, and submission#
the second sort assumes stability which gnu and ast (uwin) sort do for -u

Thanks for hints about sorting the lists. I'm more familiar with unix shell commands (including 'sort') than dos/windows, so think I do the sort on unix instead of experimenting with the unstable dos/windows environment.

gsf wrote:here are 3 updates

Two 'ties' for best, and one improvement!

by **gsf** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 1:12 pm

another update

Code: Select all: #III,2,34,SM,000000000803601504105304807650080093000000000270060018904105306302907105000000000,gsf,NEW . . . . . . . . . 8 . 3 6 . 1 5 . 4 1 . 5 3 . 4 8 . 7 6 5 . . 8 . . 9 3 . . . . . . . . . 2 7 . . 6 . . 1 8 9 . 4 1 . 5 3 . 6 3 . 2 9 . 7 1 . 5 . . . . . . . . . #III,3,28,SM,000000000506000201800236005090402030040000010050809020900753004403000906000000000,gsf,NEW . . . . . . . . . 5 . 6 . . . 2 . 1 8 . . 2 3 6 . . 5 . 9 . 4 . 2 . 3 . . 4 . . . . . 1 . . 5 . 8 . 9 . 2 . 9 . . 7 5 3 . . 4 4 . 3 . . . 9 . 6 . . . . . . . . . #III,7,24,SM,670050028000609000002000100300000005060000040800000001007000600000801000590060072,gsf,NEW 6 7 . . 5 . . 2 8 . . . 6 . 9 . . . . . 2 . . . 1 . . 3 . . . . . . . 5 . 6 . . . . . 4 . 8 . . . . . . . 1 . . 7 . . . 6 . . . . . 8 . 1 . . . 5 9 . . 6 . . 7 2 #VI,8,22,SM,800007040000000030400039000003500006004000008009800002600012000000000050700003020,gsf,NEW 8 . . . . 7 . 4 . . . . . . . . 3 . 4 . . . 3 9 . . . . . 3 5 . . . . 6 . . 4 . . . . . 8 . . 9 8 . . . . 2 6 . . . 1 2 . . . . . . . . . . 5 . 7 . . . . 3 . 2 . #VII,3,25,SM,000085000006000700072090030000076005300004902150000000000000340900200600010950000,gsf,NEW . . . . 8 5 . . . . . 6 . . . 7 . . . 7 2 . 9 . . 3 . . . . . 7 6 . . 5 3 . . . . 4 9 . 2 1 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4 . 9 . . 2 . . 6 . . . 1 . 9 5 . . . .

by **Ocean** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 4:26 pm

gsf wrote:another update

Five records broken! And especially: Lowest known number of clues for a 3-stepper: 25 clues!

###############################################

Edit: Because the volume of the submitted puzzles is too big to fit in one post, the list continues here....

Code: Select all: #[continuation from the second post in this thread] # ##261 (JPF) #Type IV, 2 steps, 31 clues . 9 . | . 6 3 | 1 . . 7 . . | . . . | 8 . . . . . | . . 8 | 6 7 4 -------+-------+------- . . . | . 3 . | 4 . 6 6 . . | 9 5 1 | . . 2 8 . 1 | . 7 . | . . . -------+-------+------- 2 4 3 | 5 . . | . . . . . 7 | . . . | . . 8 . . 5 | 6 1 . | . 3 . # ##262 (JPF) #Type VII, 2 steps, 30 clues 5 . . | . 8 . | . . . . . . | 5 . . | . 3 7 . . . | 1 2 6 | 4 . . -------+-------+------- . 1 3 | . 9 . | . . . 4 . 9 | 8 . . | 1 . 5 . . 8 | . . . | . . 6 -------+-------+------- . . 1 | . 5 . | . 8 . . 3 . | . . . | 5 2 9 . 2 . | . 6 4 | . 1 . # ##263 (JPF) #New improvement #1 step, 34 clues, no symmetry . 2 . | . . . | 6 1 . 5 6 . | . 4 7 | . . 8 7 . 8 | . . 3 | . . 2 -------+-------+------- . . 2 | 6 . 9 | . . . . 7 . | . . . | 5 4 . . 1 . | . 7 8 | 3 . 6 -------+-------+------- . . 9 | 5 1 . | . 7 . . . . | 8 . 6 | 1 9 . . 4 3 | . . 2 | . . . # ##264 (Ocean) #New improvement #Type I, 7 steps, 21 clues, Minimal. *-----------* |...|1.2|...| |.1.|...|.3.| |..4|.5.|6..| |---+---+---| |3..|...|..2| |..5|.7.|8..| |9..|...|..1| |---+---+---| |..8|.4.|5..| |.2.|...|.6.| |...|5.8|...| *-----------* # #265 (Ocean) # Type IV, 8 steps, 19 clues, Minimal. *-----------* |...|..1|.2.| |.3.|...|..1| |..4|.5.|...| |---+---+---| |...|4..|..6| |..7|.8.|4..| |2..|..5|...| |---+---+---| |...|.7.|2..| |1..|...|.5.| |.6.|3..|...| *-----------* # #Two improvements for puzzles with double diagonal symmetry: #266 (Ocean) # Type IV, 7 steps, 19 clues, Minimal. *-----------* |...|..1|.2.| |.3.|...|..4| |..4|.5.|...| |---+---+---| |...|3..|..6| |..5|.7.|3..| |7..|..2|...| |---+---+---| |...|.6.|8..| |5..|...|.7.| |.6.|4..|...| *-----------* # #267 (Ocean) # Type IV, 6 steps, 19 clues, Minimal. *-----------* |...|..1|.2.| |.3.|...|..4| |..1|.5.|...| |---+---+---| |...|6..|..3| |..7|.3.|5..| |5..|..2|...| |---+---+---| |...|.7.|1..| |8..|...|.7.| |.6.|2..|...| *-----------* # #New personnal records : #268 (JPF) #Type II, 1 step, 40 clues # . 2 8 | 3 . 6 | . 1 . 4 . 9 | 1 . 5 | . . 3 . . . | 8 . 7 | . 4 5 -------+-------+------- 2 1 3 | . . . | 9 7 4 . . . | . . . | . . . 6 5 4 | . . . | 3 2 8 -------+-------+------- 1 8 . | 7 . 3 | . . . 7 . . | 5 . 9 | 6 . 1 . 3 . | 4 . 2 | 5 8 . # #269 (JPF) #Type II, 1 step, 40 clues # 2 7 . | 5 . . | . . 9 . 8 9 | 1 . . | 3 4 7 . 4 . | 8 7 . | . 6 . -------+-------+------- . . . | . 3 . | 6 5 8 . . 7 | 9 . 4 | 1 . . 1 5 3 | . 2 . | . . . -------+-------+------- . 3 . | . 1 5 | . 8 . 9 2 5 | . . 6 | 4 7 . 6 . . | . . 7 | . 3 2 # #270 (JPF) #Type I, 2 steps, 32 clues # . 4 . | 2 . 6 | . 3 . 2 . 5 | . . . | 8 . 7 . 7 . | . 1 . | . 9 . -------+-------+------- 1 . . | 6 . 4 | . . 9 . . 9 | . . . | 2 . . 8 . . | 3 . 7 | . . 5 -------+-------+------- . 3 . | . 8 . | . 2 . 7 . 6 | . . . | 1 . 8 . 8 . | 1 . 9 | . 4 . # #271 (JPF) #Type II, 2 steps, 32 clues # 7 . . | 4 . . | 1 9 8 2 . . | 3 8 . | . . . 8 . 6 | . . . | 7 . . -------+-------+------- . . . | 9 . 2 | . 6 5 . 7 . | . . . | . 2 . 9 3 . | 6 . 5 | . . . -------+-------+------- . . 1 | . . . | 5 . 3 . . . | . 6 4 | . . 1 5 2 8 | . . 1 | . . 9 # # #272 (coloin) # Here is a minimal 3-stepper with 34 clues. # A chameleon puzzle from the dukuso15 grid #000000000004001052057043081018057034006480007000000000091025040070106008085900013 # *-----------* |...|...|...| |..4|..1|.52| |.57|.43|.81| |---+---+---| |.18|.57|.34| |..6|48.|..7| |...|...|...| |---+---+---| |.91|.25|.4.| |.7.|1.6|..8| |.85|9..|.13| *-----------* # #Here are the 35s in the dukuso15 grid #273 (coloin) - 35 clues; 6-stepper ..........6...1352.57...6.1.18.5793....4.9..7..931..6...1..57...7.13.5...85.742.3 # #274 (coloin) - 35 clues; 6-stepper ..........6...135..57..36.1.1..5793.5.64.9.....9.1..6...1.257...7213.5...8..742.3 # #275 (coloin) - 35 clues; 6-stepper ..........6...135..5..436.1.1..5793.5.64.9.....9.12....91.257...7213.5......742.3 # #276 (coloin) - 35 clues; 6-stepper ..........6...135..5..436.1.1..5793.5.64.9.....9.12.....1.257...7213.5...8..742.3 # #277 (coloin) - 31 clues; 3 steps: #JPF has kindly filtered a few hundred thousand puzzles to get these 3 steppers - all from the MC grid. ..3..678.7.....45..567..1..2.1...8...6...72.1.9..3.5..3126.5...6....8....7..12... # #278 (coloin) - 32 clues; 3 steps: ..3..678.7..1..45.4.678.1..23..648...6....2.1.........31264....6....8.....8.12..5 # #279 (coloin) - 33 clues; 3 steps: .23..678.7..1..45.4.67..1..231.6.8...6...72...........31.6.5...6....8..2.78.12..5 # #280 (coloin) - 34 clues; 4 steps: .234.67...8.1..45.4.67..1..231.6.8...6...72.1.........3126....86....8....78.12..5 # #281 (coloin) #And a 4 stepper from dukuso15 grid with 31 clues ..............1352.57.4.6.1.18.5.93...6..9......312..5..1..57...7.13.....8..742.3 # # Two improvements for puzzles with type VI symmetry: #282 (Ocean) # Type VI, 7-stepper, 21 clues, Minimal. *-----------* |1..|...|..2| |...|...|...| |3..|4.5|..6| |---+---+---| |2..|1.7|..4| |...|...|...| |..3|.2.|8..| |---+---+---| |..4|.6.|9..| |.9.|.1.|.8.| |..6|...|3..| *-----------* # #283 (Ocean) # Type VI, 6-stepper, 21 clues, Minimal. *-----------* |...|...|...| |.1.|.2.|.3.| |2..|4.5|..6| |---+---+---| |4..|...|..2| |...|...|...| |1..|7.6|..8| |---+---+---| |.6.|.5.|.9.| |..7|.4.|3..| |.9.|...|.1.| *-----------* # #284 (Ocean) #Another improvement: # H22; S4 # Type VI, 4-stepper, 22 clues, Minimal. *-----------* |..1|...|2..| |2.3|...|4.5| |...|3.6|...| |---+---+---| |72.|...|.68| |...|...|...| |...|1.4|...| |---+---+---| |...|.1.|...| |..9|...|3..| |.4.|768|.2.| *-----------* # #285 (Ocean) # And its companion: # H22; S5 # Type VI, 5-stepper, 22 clues, Minimal. *-----------* |...|..1|.2.| |1..|..3|...| |..4|...|.56| |---+---+---| |5..|.6.|3..| |32.|...|...| |7..|.1.|4..| |---+---+---| |..8|...|.71| |9..|..2|...| |...|..9|.6.| *-----------* # #286 (Ocean) # Five steps. # Minimal sudoku, 21 clues, no symmetry. *-----------* |..1|2..|...| |...|1..|.3.| |4..|...|.56| |---+---+---| |7..|...|.83| |...|5..|.2.| |..4|9..|...| |---+---+---| |.29|...|...| |..8|..4|9..| |...|..3|7..| *-----------* # #287 (Ocean) # A further improvement: # Type VI, 5-stepper, 21 clues, Minimal. *-----------* |...|...|.12| |.3.|...|..4| |..5|.12|...| |---+---+---| |2..|6..|...| |...|37.|6..| |8..|1..|...| |---+---+---| |..6|.59|...| |.5.|...|..7| |...|...|.31| *-----------* # # A few improvements. #288 (Ocean) # Type V, 20 clues, minimal. Four-stepper. *-----------* |...|...|..1| |...|..2|...| |.3.|4..|5.6| |---+---+---| |...|..7|89.| |.6.|...|.2.| |.43|5..|...| |---+---+---| |2.7|..9|.8.| |...|6..|...| |1..|...|...| *-----------* # #289 (Ocean) # Type V, 18 clues, minimal. Six-stepper. *-----------* |...|...|..1| |...|..2|...| |..1|...|.34| |---+---+---| |...|..5|67.| |..4|...|2..| |.18|9..|...| |---+---+---| |69.|...|7..| |...|4..|...| |2..|...|...| *-----------* # #290 (Ocean) # Type IV, 18 clues, minimal. Six-stepper. *-----------* |..1|...|.23| |...|..4|..5| |6..|..7|...| |---+---+---| |...|...|78.| |...|...|...| |.52|...|...| |---+---+---| |...|2..|..9| |8..|3..|...| |47.|...|1..| *-----------* # # Trivially: #291 (Ocean) # Type IV, 18 clues, minimal. Seven steps. 001000023000004005200006000000000670000000000035000000000500004600200000740000800 # #292 (Ocean) # Type IV, 18 clues, minimal. Eight steps. 001000023000004005600007000000000480000000000032000000000200009800600000470000100 ### # #

by **gsf** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 9:47 pm

another one -- almost 1G filtered now

Code: Select all: #VI,7,22,M,000064070409030000001000000000009068900100000000008023008000000306010000000072040,gsf,2006-06-05 . . . . 6 4 . 7 . 4 . 9 . 3 . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . 9 . 6 8 9 . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . 8 . 2 3 . . 8 . . . . . . 3 . 6 . 1 . . . . . . . . 7 2 . 4 .

by **Ocean** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 7:23 am

gsf wrote:another one -- almost 1G filtered now

Thanks, new broken record. 1G sounds like a nice collection. Must be a challenge to search effectively for specific properties.

by **gsf** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 8:25 am

Ocean wrote:
gsf wrote:another one -- almost 1G filtered now
Thanks, new broken record. 1G sounds like a nice collection. Must be a challenge to search effectively for specific properties.

the search happens in three parts, the first on the fly, so the 1G collection
is already FN-constrained and step count < 8
the second part generates the symmetry X steps table with minimal entries (~1min/Gpuzzle)
the 3rd part diffs the new and old table and egreps new minimal entries from the 1G

the hard part was coding the solver to do the filtering via options
part of the reason for the pedantic posts about step counts on other forum threads

here is the command line for the first part

Code: Select all: sudoku -g -m -sg -B -q{FN}-G \ -e'valid&&(steps<=8||steps>20)' \ -f'%#tq,%(steps)x,%(clues)x,%(minimal)[-][M][SM]x,%#0v,%($AUTHOR)f,%($SEQ)f'

I forgot I had ||steps>20 for hi steppers (running for 1w6d)
here is the min#clues for symmetric hi steppers from the same 1G

Code: Select all: 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 I 29 28 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- II 25 28 28 28 -- -- -- -- -- -- III 26 24 -- 26 -- -- -- -- -- -- IV 22 26 26 28 -- -- -- -- -- -- V 24 24 22 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- VI 22 24 24 25 24 27 -- -- -- -- VII 18 18 18 23 -- 25 -- -- -- --

by **Ocean** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 12:28 pm

gsf wrote:the search happens in three parts, the first on the fly, (...)

Interesting. For me big volumes are problematic. But filtering on symmetry + low number of clues is effective to prevent big volumes. These small collections have turned out to contain several high-steppers, but not so many low-steppers. For instance the 10k-collection of type I,20 (oceanM20) contains:

Code: Select all: 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 (# steps) I 20 20 20 20 20 20 -- -- -- -- (min#clues) # 25 9 2 1 1 2 (# such puzzles) In the low end: two 8-steppers.

To generate metrics for 10k takes only a few minutes, while 1M is heavy enough (hours).

There are not so many 'very low' steppers, but occationally 8-steppers, 7-steppers, 6-steppers and even 5-steppers. Here are some:

Code: Select all: #Type III. 5 steps [P22][S5] [M] ...|.1.|... ..1|...|2.. .23|...|45. ---+---+--- 5..|3.6|..7 ...|...|... 8..|2.4|..6 ---+---+--- .54|...|39. ..2|...|5.. ...|.7.|...

Code: Select all: #Type III. 6 steps. [P22][S6][M] ...|...|... .1.|.2.|.3. 4..|5.6|..7 ---+---+--- ..2|.1.|8.. ...|7.9|... ..9|.8.|6.. ---+---+--- 6..|1.5|..4 .8.|.3.|.2. ...|...|...

Code: Select all: #Type III. 7 steps. [P22][S7][M] ...|...|... ..1|.2.|3.. .24|...|15. ---+---+--- 3..|1.4|..6 ...|...|... 7..|8.5|..4 ---+---+--- .13|...|24. ..8|.9.|7.. ...|...|...

Code: Select all: #Type III. 8 steps. [P22][S8][M] ...|...|... ...|1.2|... 3.4|...|5.6 ---+---+--- .1.|.2.|.4. 57.|...|.81 .9.|.6.|.2. ---+---+--- 1.8|...|4.9 ...|6.7|... ...|...|...

by **gsf** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 5:14 pm

a correction in case anyone does some envelope cyphering
the low stepper search has accumulated 1Gb puzzle data (not 1G puzzles)
at ~100 bytes/puzzle that's ~10M puzzles

by **tso** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 6:19 pm

[EDIT]

What software is available for the non-programmer to use to identify (not create) low-steppers, either one at a time or in bulk? It's much too tedious and to do it manually.

The New Sudoku Players' Forum

Low-stepper Puzzles.

Low-stepper Puzzles.

Re: Low-stepper Puzzles.

Re: Low-stepper Puzzles.