The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[jayal]

from NZ Herald "65734" - this rated "Hard" and so it was till i fluked a 2 in R 1 - C 8 So my q again will be "why was the 2 in 8 and not 5?"

**6 **5 7*3
*** 4** *8*
*** 93* ***

*4* *** 2*1
**1 *** 3**
6*5 *** *4*

*** *14 ***
*1* **9 ***
2*4 3** 6**

incidentally the puzzle was easy from then

[simes]

It's the only number that can go there. How far did you get before you fluked the 2?

Here's a log up to that point:

Code: Select all

Note: Cell coordinates are in (row,column) format with (1,1) at top-left and (9,9) at bottom-right.
(1,1) = 4 : only cell in row 1 that can contain 4
(5,5) = 4 : only cell in row 5 that can contain 4
(9,8) = 1 : only cell in row 9 that can contain 1
(7,2) = 6 : only cell in column 2 that can contain 6
(1,4) = 1 : only cell in row 1 that can contain 1
(6,6) = 1 : only cell in row 6 that can contain 1
(4,6) = 3 : only cell in column 6 that can contain 3
(6,2) = 3 : only cell in block 4 that can contain 3
(5,2) = 2 : only cell in block 4 that can contain 2
blocks 5 and 8 must contain 2 in columns 4 and 5 - removing 2 from candidates for cell(s) (1,5)(2,5)
(1,5) = 8 : only possible value for this cell
(1,2) = 9 : only possible value for this cell
(1,8) = 2 : only possible value for this cell
...