The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[Wecoc]

Phistomefel's Theorem (sometimes also called Phistomefel's Ring) stipulates that if we divide any solved sudoku grid like this:

Code: Select all

AA.....AA
AA.....AA
..CBBBC..
..B...B..
..B...B..
..B...B..
..CBBBC..
AA.....AA
AA.....AA

then the contents on A equal the contents on B+C. In other words, if we know which digits go exactly on region A, those exact same digits will appear on B+C, and vice versa.
Further explanation on this can be found here: Neuer (?) Fund über Sudoku-Geometrie

Note: Probably this isn't news to you, but I couldn't find another topic about this here

This can probably be used on classic sudoku as a way to spot fishes like keith's technique, but where this property really shines is on figure-based sudoku variants like Killer, Arrow, etc.

I've seen some killer sudokus where JSudoku needs recursion with +30 guesses to find the solution, and a human can find it with a pretty straight-forward path using this technique (more on that later).

Furthermore, computers could use this technique in a more generalized way: columns, rows and stacks can be swapped, giving other patterns that are still perfectly valid since permutations don't affect the theorem, they simply move the regions around. The only distinction between B and C appart from the distinction used to prove the equality is that C shares a box with A; that difference is often omitted to simplify the possible patterns. A human can easily spot the symmetric ones, but there are exactly 729 (3^6) unique patterns.

Patterns: Show

Code: Select all

AA.....AA
AA.....AA
..CBBBC..
..B...B..
..B...B..  Default
..B...B..
..CBBBC..
AA.....AA
AA.....AA

AA.....AA
..CBBBC..
AA.....AA
..B...B..
..B...B..  Swapping r23
..B...B..
..CBBBC..
AA.....AA
AA.....AA

..CBBBC..
AA.....AA
AA.....AA
..B...B..
..B...B..  Swapping r13
..B...B..
..CBBBC..
AA.....AA
AA.....AA

(...)

....B..B.
....B..B.
....B..B.
...A.AA.A
BBB.C..C.  Swapping c23-c78-r23-r78-c{123|456}-r{123|456}
...A.AA.A
...A.AA.A
BBB.C..C.
...A.AA.A

You can download the full list here: phistomefel.txt

This is an example I made some days ago: Anti-King Little Rose (the Anti-King restriction must be included manually on JSudoku)

Example: Show

Code: Select all

3x3::k:17:18:5645:19:20:21:5646:22:23:24:5645:25:2049:2049:2049:26:5646:27:5645:28:4870:4870:4357:3586:3586:29:5646:30:2055:4870:4357:4357:4100:3586:2051:31:32:2055:3850:3850:33:4100:4100:2051:34:35:2055:2825:3850:3851:3851:4620:2051:36:5648:37:2825:2825:3851:4620:4620:38:5647:39:5648:40:2056:2056:2056:41:5647:42:43:44:5648:45:46:47:5647:48:49:

JSudoku can only find 4 digits using "Deduce All Moves", and requires 13 guesses with "Recursively Solve", 20 if we use recursion from start.

But here's how it can be solved using this trick:

Solution path (first steps): Show

We use this pattern, which is symmetrical, therefore not hard to spot by a human:

Code: Select all

A.A...A.A
.C.BBB.C.
A.A...A.A
.B.....B.
.B.....B.  Swapping r23-c23-r78-c78
.B.....B.
A.A...A.A
.C.BBB.C.
A.A...A.A

The crucial point here is the 8-cages are {125} or {134} so they can't have a 6 or higher, and the 22-arrows are {679} or {589} so they can't have a 4 or lower.
Now it shouldn't be hard to see that {679} is impossible in an arrow because it uses two "non-fillable" cells using the BC region at once, that would mean another of the arrows must also be {679} making the disbalance even higher. In other words, all 22-arrows are {589}.

Not only that, but if 5 is in the middle (C) of an arrow then we are defining on the A region two "non-fillable" cells at once again. Also, there will be four 5s in the A region which can only come from the 8-cages. All the 8-cages must be {125}.

That means we have this.

Code: Select all

  12  .   589 .   .   .   589 .   12
  .   89  .   125 125 125 .   89  .
  589 .   12  .   .   .   12  .   589
  .   125 .   .   .   .   .   125 .
  .   125 .   .   .   .   .   125 .
  .   125 .   .   .   .   .   125 .
  589 .   12  .   .   .   12  .   589
  .   89  .   125 125 125 .   89  .
  12  .   589 .   .   .   589 .   12

and from there there are various ways to proceed, the more obvious one is the 19-cage.

We still don't have any digit, but as a comparison, if we use that as a starting point on JSudoku, it can solve it without recursion and without many hard steps:

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79 Naked Single
2 Hidden Single
3 Unique Pair
5 Naked Pair
3 Hidden Pair
5 Unique Triplet
3 Intersection
3 Naked Triplet
1 Hidden Triplet
1 Odd Pairs
3 Odd Triplets
1 Conflicting Pair
4 Quadruple Innies & Outies
1 Pointing Pair
1 Generalized Naked Subset
5 Turbot Fish
1 Y-Wing

[mith]

It's been mentioned elsewhere, but Phistomefel is another way of looking at SK Loops (which are implemented in some computer solvers), at least in classic sudoku, and both are subsets of MSLS. As you say, it really shines in sum-based puzzles!

[coloin]

Yes that a good way to demonstrate eliminations

Code: Select all

+---+---+---+
|12.|...|.34|
|3..|...|.21|
|...|...|...|
+---+---+---+
|...|56.|...|
|...|7.8|...|
|...|.9.|...|
+---+---+---+
|...|...|...|
|21.|...|..3|
|43.|...|.12|
+---+---+---+


which solves to pm grid

Code: Select all

+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| 1     2     56789 | 689   578   5679  | 56789 3     4     |
| 3     56789 56789 | 4689  4578  5679  | 56789 2     1     |
| 56789 56789 4     | 123   123   123   | 56789 56789 56789 |
+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| 789   4789  123   | 5     6     123   | 123   4789  789   |
| 569   4569  123   | 7     123   8     | 123   4569  569   |
| 5678  5678  123   | 123   9     4     | 123   5678  5678  |
+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| 56789 56789 56789 | 123   123   123   | 4     56789 56789 |
| 2     1     56789 | 4689  4578  5679  | 56789 56789 3     |
| 4     3     56789 | 689   578   5679  | 56789 1     2     |
+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+


Need to go back to SK-loops ... because I thought it was a 3 clue diagonal pattern in the corner boxes ..

[Wecoc]

It's been mentioned elsewhere, but Phistomefel is another way of looking at SK Loops [...] and both are subsets of MSLS.

That's right, I forgot to mention that.
I've seen very extended explanations on that on Tom Collyer's blog (including the comments section): Puzzle 350 & The MSLS: Revolutions

A human can easily spot the symmetric ones, but there are exactly 729 (3^6) unique patterns.

I want to extend a bit more on that as well. There are only 3 fully symmetrical patterns; the "default" ring, r23-c23-r78-c78 and r13-c13-r79-c79.

Symmetrical Patterns: Show

Code: Select all

AA.....AA
AA.....AA
..CBBBC..
..B...B..
..B...B..
..B...B..
..CBBBC..
AA.....AA
AA.....AA

A.A...A.A
.C.BBB.C.
A.A...A.A
.B.....B.
.B.....B.
.B.....B.
A.A...A.A
.C.BBB.C.
A.A...A.A

C..BBB..C
.AA...AA.
.AA...AA.
B.......B
B.......B
B.......B
.AA...AA.
.AA...AA.
C..BBB..C

The total number of patterns comes from every permutation, but filtering out the repeated patterns. Columns and rows can only permutate inside the same "stack".
default [1] -> column permutations [9] -> row permutations [81] -> column box permutations [243] -> row box permutations [729]

For comparison, here's the same applied on a 6x6 sudoku grid
default [1] -> column permutations [4] -> row permutations [36] -> column box permutations [63] -> row box permutations [105]

6x6 Patterns: Show

Code: Select all

AA..AA
..BB..
..BB..
..BB..
..BB..
AA..AA

B....B
B....B
.AAAA.
.AAAA.
B....B
B....B

(...)

You can download the full list here: phistomefel6x6.txt

Edit: here's the same applied on a 8x8 sudoku grid
default [1] -> column permutations [4] -> row permutations [64] -> column box permutations [128] -> row box permutations [192]

8x8 Patterns: Show

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AAA..AAA
...BB...
...BB...
...BB...
...BB...
...BB...
...BB...
AAA..AAA

(...)

You can download the full list here: phistomefel8x8.txt

The theorem can also be generalized for Latin Squares

[StrmCkr]

Yes that a good way to demonstrate eliminations

Code: Select all

+---+---+---+
|12.|...|.34|
|3..|...|.21|
|...|...|...|
+---+---+---+
|...|56.|...|
|...|7.8|...|
|...|.9.|...|
+---+---+---+
|...|...|...|
|21.|...|..3|
|43.|...|.12|
+---+---+---+


which solves to pm grid

Code: Select all

+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| 1     2     56789 | 689   578   5679  | 56789 3     4     |
| 3     56789 56789 | 4689  4578  5679  | 56789 2     1     |
| 56789 56789 4     | 123   123   123   | 56789 56789 56789 |
+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| 789   4789  123   | 5     6     123   | 123   4789  789   |
| 569   4569  123   | 7     123   8     | 123   4569  569   |
| 5678  5678  123   | 123   9     4     | 123   5678  5678  |
+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| 56789 56789 56789 | 123   123   123   | 4     56789 56789 |
| 2     1     56789 | 4689  4578  5679  | 56789 56789 3     |
| 4     3     56789 | 689   578   5679  | 56789 1     2     |
+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+


Need to go back to SK-loops ... because I thought it was a 3 clue diagonal pattern in the corner boxes ..

4 clue pattern over 4 boxes they just happen to land on the diagonals. (for the first versions published)

[Wecoc]

I edited my last post to include the patterns on a 8x8 grid, since cam made a puzzle about it: Phistomefel Tribute
There are other grid sizes: 4x4 (2x2 boxes), 12x12 (4x3 boxes), 16x16 (4x4 boxes)...