The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[motoaspes]

Hello

as you all, I am a lover of sudoku and spend every day solving (successfully!) at least 1 sudoku (the more complicated the better).
I would say that my first meter to judge a complicated sudoku is to count the number of given "numbers". If the sum is ~21/22 that sudoku gets my priority attention.

Now, I have tried to read a few topics and they are all fantastic but, because I am not a great and attentive reader, i get lost.

so please forgive me and allow me to go via the lazy way and make you a question.

My teqnique in resolving the sudoku is to write a maximum of 2 possible number in one cell

when there is no other possibility and I am complitly stuck I try with the "Arianna thread" by chosing a "signifacative" number where to start.

I never faild !

Question:
do you pure sudoku masters use the Arianna Thread as well ?
a friend of mine told me that who uses the "Arianna Thread" is someone who has no brain, so it should not be used.

can you also comment my technique ?

ciao motoaspes

[PaulIQ164]

Well, I don't think that anyone here would be so harsh as to declare someone who uses trial and error (or Ariadne's thread, or whatever you call it) to have no brain, but most people don't enjoy using it themselves. It's really a personal choice. Most puzzles are designed so that it's not necessary to use it, and some people dislike it because it's a kind of steamrolling tactic that can negate then need to use any other tactic. But it's entirely a personal choice.

[sweetbix]

If you are a lover of Sudoku you might like to learn some of the different techniques that can be used to solve the puzzles rather than always solving them the same way.

You can check out these sites to learn more about solving Sudoku
http://www.angusj.com/sudoku/hints.php
http://www.simes.clara.co.uk/programs/sudokutechniques.htm

[Carcul]

Hi Motoaspes.

First, welcome to this forum.

I would say that my first meter to judge a complicated sudoku is to count the number of given "numbers". If the sum is ~21/22 that sudoku gets my priority attention.

The number of givens has nothing to do with the difficulty level of a puzzle. For example, how would you rate the following puzzle with 37 givens?

Code: Select all

 8 9 5 | . 7 3 | . 4 1
 6 1 2 | . . 4 | . . .
 3 4 7 | . 1 . | . . .   
-------+-------+-------
 . . 9 | 8 3 . | 4 . .
 . 2 . | . 4 . | . 8 .
 . . . | . 6 5 | 1 . .
-------+-------+-------
 . . . | . 9 . | 7 . 4
 . . . | 3 . . | . . 9
 9 5 . | 4 2 7 | 3 . 8


Or the following one, with 54 givens?

Code: Select all

 . 6 9 | 1 4 3 | 8 . 7
 . . 7 | 9 . . | . . 4
 4 . . | 7 . . | . 9 3
-------+-------+------
 9 . . | 8 5 7 | 3 6 1
 7 . . | 2 1 6 | 9 4 5
 6 1 5 | 3 9 4 | 2 7 8
-------+-------+------
 . 7 . | 5 8 9 | 4 1 .
 8 . . | 6 7 1 | 5 3 .
 . . . | 4 3 2 | 7 8 .


These two puzzles are good for training some of the advanced techniques.

Have fun.

Regards, Carcul

[motoaspes]

If you are a lover of Sudoku you might like to learn some of the different techniques that can be used to solve the puzzles rather than always solving them the same way.

You can check out these sites to learn more about solving Sudoku
http://www.angusj.com/sudoku/hints.php
http://www.simes.clara.co.uk/programs/sudokutechniques.htm

thank you very much, I just printed it and will study it on the train tonight

[motoaspes]

Hi Motoaspes.

First, welcome to this forum.

I would say that my first meter to judge a complicated sudoku is to count the number of given "numbers". If the sum is ~21/22 that sudoku gets my priority attention.

The number of givens has nothing to do with the difficulty level of a puzzle. For example, how would you rate the following puzzle with 37 givens?

Code: Select all

 8 9 5 | . 7 3 | . 4 1
 6 1 2 | . . 4 | . . .
 3 4 7 | . 1 . | . . .   
-------+-------+-------
 . . 9 | 8 3 . | 4 . .
 . 2 . | . 4 . | . 8 .
 . . . | . 6 5 | 1 . .
-------+-------+-------
 . . . | . 9 . | 7 . 4
 . . . | 3 . . | . . 9
 9 5 . | 4 2 7 | 3 . 8


Or the following one, with 54 givens?

Code: Select all

 . 6 9 | 1 4 3 | 8 . 7
 . . 7 | 9 . . | . . 4
 4 . . | 7 . . | . 9 3
-------+-------+------
 9 . . | 8 5 7 | 3 6 1
 7 . . | 2 1 6 | 9 4 5
 6 1 5 | 3 9 4 | 2 7 8
-------+-------+------
 . 7 . | 5 8 9 | 4 1 .
 8 . . | 6 7 1 | 5 3 .
 . . . | 4 3 2 | 7 8 .


These two puzzles are good for training some of the advanced techniques.

Have fun.

Regards, Carcul

thank you for every thing

I will come back on this
at first sight the second one looks easy the first a little bit more complicated, will do it tonight on the train

ciao a tutti