The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[Tlmills82]

I've not been doing sudoku for very long, but I've gotten to the point that I need to do expert levels or I don't have much fun with it. I've met my match with this puzzle though, I have to be missing something or some technique somewhere. Any advice without just giving me the outright answer would be appreciated.

[SpAce]

Hi Timills82,

I've not been doing sudoku for very long, but I've gotten to the point that I need to do expert levels or I don't have much fun with it.

Okay...

I've met my match with this puzzle though, I have to be missing something or some technique somewhere. Any advice without just giving me the outright answer would be appreciated.

It appears that you've made a mistake. You're missing a candidate 7 at r8c1. The correct pencilmarks for your puzzle state:

Code: Select all

1...897....9..3..........1....4...6825.........7....42.9..65.....6..4.5....8..9..

.-------------------.----------------.-------------.
| 1      6     25   | 25    8     9  | 7   3    4  |
| 478    247   9    | 1     247   3  | 6   28   5  |
| 34578  2347  2358 | 257   2457  6  | 28  1    9  |
:-------------------+----------------+-------------:
| 9      13    13   | 4     27    27 | 5   6    8  |
| 2      5     4    | 6     3     8  | 1   9    7  |
| 6      8     7    | 59    59    1  | 3   4    2  |
:-------------------+----------------+-------------:
| 378    9     1238 | 237   6     5  | 4   278  13 |
| 378*   1237  6    | 2379  279   4  | 28  5    13 |
| 345    34    35   | 8     1     27 | 9   27   6  |
'-------------------'----------------'-------------'

Beyond fixing that, there are still plenty of basic techniques available that would advance this puzzle. Basics should get you to this point:

grid after basics: Show

Code: Select all

.------------.-------------.-----------.
| 1   6   25 | 25   8   9  | 7  3   4  |
| 4   27  9  | 1    27  3  | 6  8   5  |
| 35  37  8  | 57   4   6  | 2  1   9  |
:------------+-------------+-----------:
| 9   13  13 | 4    27  27 | 5  6   8  |
| 2   5   4  | 6    3   8  | 1  9   7  |
| 6   8   7  | 9    5   1  | 3  4   2  |
:------------+-------------+-----------:
| 8   9   12 | 237  6   5  | 4  27  13 |
| 7   12  6  | 23   9   4  | 8  5   13 |
| 35  4   35 | 8    1   27 | 9  27  6  |
'------------'-------------'-----------'


At that point I recommend you read about BUG+1. It's the easiest way to finish it.