The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[jphamel]

Just posting to how much it means for to have completed my first Hard puzzle without any pencil mark or color to help.
Just the grid and a pen, yes a pen no pencil, no mistake.

This is a big step for me.

Unbelievable how one can feel for doing this.

Also rated hard in Pappocom.

Anyway here's the grid from the book.

Code: Select all

 *-----------*
 |2..|.7.|..6|
 |...|2.3|..8|
 |8..|4..|.5.|
 |---+---+---|
 |...|...|43.|
 |.2.|.1.|.7.|
 |.71|...|...|
 |---+---+---|
 |.5.|..4|..9|
 |6..|7.2|...|
 |9..|.3.|..4|
 *-----------*



JPHamel

[PaulIQ164]

Hurrah! Well done. I think a Hard puzzle sans pencilmarks is the pinnacle of sudoku achievement.

[jphamel]

Thank you!

I did 3 more. It seems to become easier with each completed grid, maybe the power of visualisation is getting stronger who knows.

JPHamel

[Del]

Have you seen the puzzle in the Christmas edition of the New Scientist?
Here it is:

x x x | x x x | 6 x 1
x 4 x | 2 x x | x x x
x x x | x x x | x x x
------ ------- ------
x x x | 7 x x | x 2 x
1 3 x | x x x | x x x
5 x x | 4 x x | x x x
------ ------- ------
4 x 2 | x 1 x | x x x
x x x | x 5 6 | 3 x x
x x x | x x x | x 8 x

I managed to find 34 figures before having to resort to filling in the candidates. It still was not easy to complete.

[jphamel]

I will try it tonight and see how far I can go!

Thanks for the puzzle!

JPHamel

Code: Select all

 *-----------*
 |...|...|6.1|
 |.4.|2..|...|
 |...|...|...|
 |---+---+---|
 |...|7..|.2.|
 |13.|...|...|
 |5..|4..|...|
 |---+---+---|
 |4.2|.1.|...|
 |...|.56|3..|
 |...|...|.8.|
 *-----------*


 *-----------*
 |2..|5.4|6.1|
 |.41|2..|.5.|
 |...|1..|2.4|
 |---+---+---|
 |..4|7.1|.2.|
 |13.|625|4..|
 |52.|4..|.1.|
 |---+---+---|
 |482|317|.6.|
 |719|856|342|
 |...|942|187|
 *-----------*


Well I got this far without pencil mark

[Shazbot]

I've been doing the Extreme puzzles in Simple Sudoku, and getting not-too-bad at them using pencilmarks all the time. But when I was accused of cheating (it highlights naked singles for you), I thought I'd turn off pencilmarks and solve as far as I could without them (I also found I'd notice some placements that weren't clear when using pencilmarks). I've actually been surprised to find that I've been able to solve some EXTREME puzzles without having to turn pencilmarks on at all! The most complicated thing I'd use would be locked candidates and naked pairs, which aren't TOO difficult to spot without looking at pencilmarks!

I don't know if I just happened to look at the right cells, or if the puzzles were given an incorrect rating to start with...? Haven't ever dubbed them into Pappocom to see if it agrees with the rating - maybe I should.

[jphamel]

I noticed too that it was easier to spot things without pencils marks.
And gets easier the more we do it, I can go as far as naked triple before having to resort to pencil mark. And locked candidates are also easy to spot.

I think that some of those hard or very hard puzzle are easier to work without PM.

I did dub them in Pappocom, and they are all rated V. HARD.

I don`t know, maybe our brain is developping a sudoku lobe because of the addiction.

They should put a label on those books and software.
Warning: Sudokus are Highly addictive. Danger increases with use.

JPHamel

[angusj]

I've actually been surprised to find that I've been able to solve some EXTREME puzzles without having to turn pencilmarks on at all! The most complicated thing I'd use would be locked candidates and naked pairs, which aren't TOO difficult to spot without looking at pencilmarks!

Hi Sharon. I'm sure you must have made some lucky (though inadvertent) guesses.

[QBasicMac]

Also rated hard in Pappocom.

Can't imagine why. It had only singles. I can't imagine how these puzzles are rated. Not by a human, it seems. I would rate it Medium.

But congratulations anyway! I couldn't do it without pencilmarks. (At least tiny cheat-pencilmarks in the border). Short-term memory too weak, I guess.

Keep it up!

Mac

[jphamel]

But congratulations anyway! I couldn't do it without pencilmarks. (At least tiny cheat-pencilmarks in the border). Short-term memory too weak, I guess.

Keep it up!

Mac

Thanks!

Well my short term memory can handle at least 1 naked triple when I have my mind on it and nobody is around to disturb me.

JPHamel

[Shazbot]

Hi Sharon. I'm sure you must have made some lucky (though inadvertent) guesses.

No - definitely no guesses - it's happened to me on 2 or 3 puzzles. Next time I find one I'll copy it here somewhere. Wish I'd saved them at the time.

[angusj]

No - definitely no guesses

I didn't mean to imply that you'd made a guess. What I meant is that you probably made a correct placement based on an incorrect premise (something I think most of us have done from time to time).

Next time I find one I'll copy it here somewhere.

That's a good idea.