Note that a grid can be OK so far and still have no solution. The following is a simple example:
- Code: Select all
+-------+-------+-------+
| 1 2 3 | 4 5 6 | 7 8 . |
| . . . | . . . | . . 9 |
| . . . | . . . | . . . |
+-------+-------+-------+
| . . . | . . . | . . . |
| . . . | . . . | . . . |
| . . . | . . . | . . . |
+-------+-------+-------+
| . . . | . . . | . . . |
| . . . | . . . | . . . |
| . . . | . . . | . . . |
+-------+-------+-------+
Question 1. For which values of N (N=0 through N=81) do there exist grids with N cells filled in, which are OK so far and yet have no solutions?
Question 2. For which values of N (N=0 through N=81) do there exist grids with N cells filled in, which are OK so far and have multiple solutions?
I am guessing that, for question 1, the minimum N is 9, and the maximum is 77 or fewer.
For question 2, the minimum N is obviously 0, and the maximum is probably 77.
Bill Smythe