The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[Panzar]

Hi.

I am relatively new to Sudoku and although I have read quite a lot of math I seem to struggle with some of the more advanced techniques. I have read several explanations but I just don't get most of them. So I have solved a hard one as far as I can and barring simple oversight the following example will now need a technique I don't know how to apply.

Some of the techniques that leave me with a blank stare after reading about them are "x-wing", "swordfish" and "solving with colours". Whatever is needed I hope this concrete example will help me understand the technique better (and if it doesn't I can bug you with more questions here). Hopefully I won't have missed any pairs or triples although I have trouble spotting quads at (most) times.

So, what would be the next technique to use here? Start with one if there are multiple ones, or I will get an even bigger headache than I have now.
Thank you in advance if you take the time to help me out.

Code: Select all

Start:                  Current:                Candidate numbers:
-------------           -------------
|83.|9..|...|           |83.|9.6|..4|           [],[],[125]        [],[15],[]    [27],[257],[]
|...|.23|9.1|           |..4|823|9.1|           [67],[567],[]      [],[],[]      [],[567],[]
|9..|7..|..8|           |9..|7.4|..8|           [],[1256],[1256]   [],[15],[]    [236],[2356],[]
|-----------|           |-----------|
|...|...|..7|           |..9|5..|..7|           [126],[1268],[]    [],[46],[28]  [1346],[1346],[]
|.4.|3.9|.8.|           |.4.|3.9|582|           [167],[],[16]      [],[67],[]    [],[],[]
|5..|...|...|           |5.3|1..|..9|           [],[2678],[]       [],[467],[28] [346],[346],[]
|-----------|           |-----------|
|3..|..1|..5|           |3..|.91|..5|           [],[268],[268]     [24],[],[]    [478],[47],[]
|4.7|68.|...|           |497|685|..3|           [],[],[]           [],[],[]      [12],[12],[]
|...|..7|.96|           |...|.37|.96|           [12],[1258],[1258] [24],[],[]    [48],[],[]
-------------           -------------

(This is websudoku's evil #8,483,179,112)


[tso]

Oversight. Look down row 6 -- you've placed a 3 already but haven't eliminated the candidate 3s from the other cells in the row. That'll reveal a naked pair and the puzzle is finished. Oh, and that's a pretty difficult to read candidate grid -- try copying the way other legible grids in the forum are posted -- and click PREVIEW before SUBMIT.

Code: Select all

+----------------+----------------+----------------+
| 8    3    125  | 9    15   6    | 27   257  4    |
| 67   567  4    | 8    2    3    | 9    567  1    |
| 9    1256 1256 | 7    15   4    | 236  2356 8    |
+----------------+----------------+----------------+
| 126  1268 9    | 5    46   28   | 1346 1346 7    |
| 167  4    16   | 3    67   9    | 5    8    2    |
| 5    2678 3    | 1    467  28   | 46   46   9    |
+----------------+----------------+----------------+
| 3    268  268  | 24   9    1    | 2478 247  5    |
| 4    9    7    | 6    8    5    | 12   12   3    |
| 12   1258 1258 | 24   3    7    | 1248 9    6    |
+----------------+----------------+----------------+

[Panzar]

oh... and here I thought I would learn something new... thanks though. To think I spent an hour at this stage checking all kinds of difficult things... must have been tired.

Sorry that you thought it was hard to read but kind of funny you said to use preview as I spent 2+ hours clicking preview before submitting it. I did read several posts but didn't see any better way to post the data. I'll make sure to look harder if I post again.

[Cec]

"oh... and here I thought I would learn something new... thanks though...."

Hi Panzar,
You did! - thanks to tso you now know how to solve this puzzle. . If you click on this thread you can learn more by reading the procedure when asking for help including the preferred way to submit a puzzle including the pencil marks. If you don't understand these procedures then ask again.

Cec

[windbell]

oh... and here I thought I would learn something new... thanks though. To think I spent an hour at this stage checking all kinds of difficult things... must have been tired.

Sorry that you thought it was hard to read but kind of funny you said to use preview as I spent 2+ hours clicking preview before submitting it. I did read several posts but didn't see any better way to post the data. I'll make sure to look harder if I post again.

Code: Select all

8   3   5|9   1   6|7   2   4
6   7   4|8   2   3|9   5   1
9   1   2|7   5   4|3   6   8

2   6   9|5   4   8|1   3   7
7   4   1|3   6   9|5   8   2
5   8   3|1   7   2|6   4   9

3   2   6|4   9   1|8   7   5
4   9   7|6   8   5|2   1   3
1   5   8|2   3   7|4   9   6


What u may want~

[MCC]

What u may want~

No, this is not what Panzar wants.
If you look at the OP, what Panzar wanted was a hint has to how to proceed.
How does giving the solution help?


In future will you stop giving the solution unless someone asks for it.

MCC

[QBasicMac]

In future will you stop giving the solution unless someone asks for it.
MCC

LOL! True. And since nobody on this forum EVER wants a solution....

Even if a person asks for a whole puzzle to be solved, they want to see the steps, not the solution. Only the steps are interesting. The solution is zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Mac

P.S. To TSO: How about quoting only small portions of someone's post?

"So, what would be the next technique to use here?" would have been sufficient.

Just a thought

[tso]

How about quoting only small portions ...

How's that?

[QBasicMac]

How's that?

LOL - Great!

[Cec]

How's that?

LOL - Great!

Point taken Mac but how come you're quoting tso's entire quotation?
Cec