The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[WhtTigress]

I would like to see a feature where you could hide pencilmarks other than the selected number, or bold the pencilmarks that match the current number.

Thanks

Rhiannon

[Cec]

OK. I'll try and respond even though I am somewhat confused with your post.
The inclusion of pencilmarks manually by the solver is only an option to assist solving a puzzle. If you don't want to see the pencilmarks then you don't write them in.

To my knowledge, where the "clues" (ie. the given numbers) are loaded into any of the various program solvers, the option exists to not show the pencilmarks. As I see it, what you are wanting already exists. I also can't understand your reference to bolding the pencilmarks that "match the current number".

Cec

[fudgeset]

An addition... Maybe the pencilmarks can remain in the box when the large number is incorrect (when you have auto notification of incorrect large number turned on, of course!!)

Another thing that I think the original poster was getting at... Once a box has been correctly filled in, it would be helpful for that number to be bolded in the other boxes on the same line/column/box so it is easy not to forget to remove them...although maybe doing this manually is part of the game process???

[Son of Pappocom]

I think fudgeset is approaching our thinking on this one. We're hesitant to add so many features that the game almost plays itself.

It is a delicate balancing act though, as some players prefer more aids than others (particularly those to whom trying to solve without them causes so much frustration that the alternative is not to play at all).

[stocku]

Speaking for 9X9 as well as myself, please don't accede to all or any of the wishes, however well-intentioned and keenly-felt, which amount to a dumbing down of the puzzles, particularly since, in all probability, they emanate from a "dissatisfied" minority, with the silent majority voicing no complaints. The satisfaction of solving the harder puzzles derives, at least in part, from the concentration and perspiration that have to be added, as an integral part of the process, to the inspiration.

May this ever remain so!!

[Cec]

"..Another thing that I think the original poster was getting at... Once a box has been correctly filled in, it would be helpful for that number to be bolded in the other boxes on the same line/column/box so it is easy not to forget to remove them"

Apart from a hand-held program solver which I'm not familiar with, to my knowledge, the other program solvers referred to in this forum automatically do this.
When solving by pencilling directly to a paper puzzle, after a cell has been correctly filled in, it could help to also jot down this number temporarily outside the puzzle as a reminder to remove this candidate if appearing in the same row, column or box. No offence fudgeset but the suggested terminology recommends the small squares within the grid be referred to as "cells" whilst the term "boxes" refers to the nine 3X3 grids of the puzzle.

"..although maybe doing this manually is part of the game process???"

Err.. provided you can remember to do it!
Cec

[stocku]

Hello Tigress

Would it assist you if you built a standard procedure into your solving - a "military drill" if you like? My way, as and when I enter a Large Number, is to religiously say to myself, "Box, Row, Column" and to cross through / delete each same Small Number from other Cells in firstly the Box, then the Row and then the Column.

[nj3h]

In the next version, are you planning to have some automatic display of pencil marks for other than the 9x9 grids?

Also, your program now only allows for 9 pencil marks to be shown. For 16x16 puzzles, it would be nice to allow a full 16 pencil marks to be shown, in a 4x4 arrangement where each pencil mark number is always in the same location in the cell. This make visual searching a lot easier.

Thnaks for your consideration.

Regards,
George

[Pappocom]

For 16x16 puzzles, it would be nice to allow a full 16 pencil marks to be shown

Two thoughts:

1. On most screens, there would not be enough room to show 16 two-digit pencilmarks and still have them legible.

2. Do you really want to deal with 16 pencilmarks per cell, in potentially over 100 cells? I can't imagine that would be very much fun at all, and if you did solve a puzzle that way, wouldn't you just be emulating a computer (very inefficiently and slowly) instead of solving the puzzle with logic?

- Wayne

[stocku]

Wayne - personally, I agree with you entirely about "computer emulation".

Dare I say, always use logic not (dis)lo(d)g(e)ic!!