The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[solgor100]

I am fairly new to Sudoku but have learned enough over the past few months to be able to solve most of the puzzles even through the expert category. I use Simplesudoku solver and find it a wonderful solving and learning tool. The thing that really frustrates me all the time is when I study up on a specific strategy and use it in solving, and the rules don't always work. They may work most of the time but not always, and as soon as I see the light come on at the bottom of the solver I consider the game lost and delete the puzzle. For example, yesterday I had a perfect X-wing formation in a puzzle according to the rules I learned, yet when I started deleting the proper numbers in the columns the error indicator appeared. This is just one example. Does anybody else have this problem? Any advice? I am really frustrated.

[hobiwan]

I have never seen a valid X-Wing causing invalid eliminations (and I can't imagine how it could). It would be helpful if you could provide us with examples.

[ab]

there are two reasons I can think of why you're having a problem when you make eliminations using an x-wing. One is that you made a mistake and it turned out there were 3 or more of the specific candidate on one or both of the lines. The other is that the puzzle that you were trying to solve doesn't have a solution. I guess there is a third possibility, that you haven't quite understood how to search for/apply the x-wing technique and you're making eliminations that don't follow from the x-wing.

As solgor100 said if you are applying any of the standard techniques to a valid sudoku puzzle, they will not cause invalid eliminations, period.

[wintder]

if you are applying any of the standard techniques to a valid sudoku puzzle, they will not cause invalid eliminations, period.

True.

[ronk]

I had a perfect X-wing formation in a puzzle according to the rules I learned, yet when I started deleting the proper numbers in the columns the error indicator appeared. This is just one example. Does anybody else have this problem? Any advice? I am really frustrated.

Make sure that your "elimination cells" are the only cells highlighted. I've used Simple Sudoku for 2-years, and I still make that mistake occasionally.

[Pat]

The thing that really frustrates me all the time is
when I study up on a specific strategy and use it in solving,
and the rules don't always work.

They may work most of the time but not always,
and as soon as I see the light come on at the bottom of the solver
I consider the game lost.

For example,
yesterday I had a perfect X-wing formation in a puzzle
according to the rules I learned,
yet when I started deleting the proper numbers in the columns
the error indicator appeared.

This is just one example.

Does anybody else have this problem? Any advice? I am really frustrated.

hey solgor100,

what you gave is not an example

next time you seem to have such a problem,
please post the specific example
so that we can offer you an intelligent response

[ronk]

please post the specific example
so that we can offer you an intelligent response[/list]

Are you implying our responses didn't show intelligence?

[eleven]

Are you implying our responses didn't show intelligence?

At least they are very creative to say 2+2=4

[Pat]

Are you implying our responses didn't show intelligence?

i'm sorry if my post sounds that way,
the responses are obviously intelligent

my poorly-phrased post
was intended to get a reply from solgor100