The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[goodnplenty]

I can't seem to find the answer to this, and I am brand new here, so if this is redundant, pardon me, but I was wondering if there is more than one possible answer for any Sudoku puzzle?

[wapati]

A correct puzzle has only one possible solution.

[goodnplenty]

It seems that I once got another answer for a puzzle and it was perfect, but different than the answer on the web based Sudoku. But I might be wrong, it was a while ago. Thanks for the response.

[wapati]

It seems that I once got another answer for a puzzle and it was perfect, but different than the answer on the web based Sudoku. But I might be wrong, it was a while ago. Thanks for the response.

There are improper puzzles around! The Sudokus of Shame thread in this area is a listing of known invalid puzzles.

[goodnplenty]

It seems that I once got another answer for a puzzle and it was perfect, but different than the answer on the web based Sudoku. But I might be wrong, it was a while ago. Thanks for the response.

There are improper puzzles around! The Sudokus of Shame thread in this area is a listing of known invalid puzzles.

Well that info sure puts a bee in my bonnet! Hah hah. I am so hooked on these and I want everything to be PERFECT no matter what. I guess nothing is perfect. I am proud to say that I have worked my way up to HARD puzzles, and after I get them down to a manageable time, I will attempt EVIL puzzles.

[Smythe Dakota]

My wife bought me some $2 software at Walgreens which is chock full of bugs. It comes with about 700 puzzles. So far I have discovered that about 20% of them have two solutions. Invariably, this comes about when there is an unsolvable rectangle, such as two ways of placing 4's and 7's in the four cells at r56c27 at the end of an otherwise complete puzzle.

In addition to puzzles with dual solutions, this software contains zillions of programming bugs, such as the inability to load a new puzzle without restarting the program (it won't let you fill in any cells which had clues in the previously loaded puzzle), or its tendency (about 10% of the time) to abort with a "subscript out of range" error when asking for a hint.

In answer to your question, no, there are not supposed to be multiple solutions to a Sudoku. If you stick to the puzzles found in newspapers (whether Pappocom or not) you'll probably be OK.

Bill Smythe

[goodnplenty]

Hi there! Okay, that makes a lot of sense. I bought two or three of the handheld expen$ive Sudoku games and they also seemed to have those same bugs in them. VERY FRUSTRATING, I think I threw them against a wall. I would love to have a hand held one that I could do puzzle by puzzle, keep a record, etc, and they were QUALITY no bugs. Any tips? I would love to have one to carry with me. I carry paper but I hate the erasing, finding a book to write on, etc.

Thanks!
Lynne

My wife bought me some $2 software at Walgreens which is chock full of bugs. It comes with about 700 puzzles. So far I have discovered that about 20% of them have two solutions. Invariably, this comes about when there is an unsolvable rectangle, such as two ways of placing 4's and 7's in the four cells at r56c27 at the end of an otherwise complete puzzle.

In addition to puzzles with dual solutions, this software contains zillions of programming bugs, such as the inability to load a new puzzle without restarting the program (it won't let you fill in any cells which had clues in the previously loaded puzzle), or its tendency (about 10% of the time) to abort with a "subscript out of range" error when asking for a hint.

In answer to your question, no, there are not supposed to be multiple solutions to a Sudoku. If you stick to the puzzles found in newspapers (whether Pappocom or not) you'll probably be OK.

Bill Smythe

[Smythe Dakota]

.... I bought two or three of the handheld expen$ive Sudoku games and they also seemed to have those same bugs in them. ....

I wonder if the software in the hand-held games is the same as in the PC-based program I have. Are we allowed to name brand-names (while disparaging the products) on this forum?

Bill Smythe

[goodnplenty]

Let me see if I can describe my daintiest innermost feelings without using disparaging (love that word!) remarks: the one I bought from Toys R Us sucks, (hmmmmm....is that less than disparaging?)

I think its in pieces somewhere at the bottom of Scholl Canyon, which is our local dump site. Sorry I cant remember the brand name, but Sucker comes to mind. The other one I bought was from Kaybee Toys. Also a stinker.

I wish someone would find one that was one we could carry into those boring meetings and look busy with. I could really chew up some time doing a SOLVEABLE hard Sudoku. Yeahhhh...

.... I bought two or three of the handheld expen$ive Sudoku games and they also seemed to have those same bugs in them. ....

I wonder if the software in the hand-held games is the same as in the PC-based program I have. Are we allowed to name brand-names (while disparaging the products) on this forum?

Bill Smythe