The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[Bernard Stay]

So the Sunday Times has got in on the act. Oh, dear, now I have to toss up between finishing the Mephisto (an unbroken run of nine weeks) or struggling with Su Doku. No.1 wasn't rated, but I reckon it to be pretty tough - I began to get worried when I was still grappling with it by the early afternoon. About the top end of fiendish without embarking on X-wings etc. I reckon. Or did you think it was a doddle?

[george-no1]

Perhaps you could post it?

I don't get the Sunday Times.

George

[Bernard Stay]

Perhaps you could post it?

I don't get the Sunday Times.

George

***|985|***
*9*|1*6|*8*
**5|***|6**
--------------
*19|***|73*
**3|***|2**
*82|***|95*
--------------
**7|***|1**
*5*|4*1|*2*
***|392|*** Good luck!

[Sabreman64]

Yes, I'd say the first Sunday Times sudoku was a fiendish one. I ended up having to fill in a large sudoku grid with all the possibilities in the empty cells. I usually need to do that only with The Times's fiendish puzzles.

[su_doku]

Hints (after the straightforward cells filled):

Step 1: pair in row 7 box 8
Step 2: pair in row 3 box 3
Step 3: use steps 1 and 2 to highlight a triplet in column 9

When done a cell in box 9 can be filled! Beauty of a puzzle!

[Bernard Stay]

Hints (after the straightforward cells filled):

Step 1: pair in row 7 box 8
Step 2: pair in row 3 box 3
Step 3: use steps 1 and 2 to highlight a triplet in column 9

When done a cell in box 9 can be filled! Beauty of a puzzle!

Who are these hints for? I've done it, and others might really prefer to try it unaided, don't you think? [The solution is not published until next Sunday]

[su_doku]

Before you someone else (I forget who) had posted the same puzzle last night, and it was partly filled, but apparently due to technical problems that post had been lost. He/she was desperate for a hint so it should help them at least!

I didn't intend spoiling anyone's fun.

[davidspd]

I wondered where my post had gone

Although i can usually solve fiendish puzzles without too much hair pulling, for some reason this one has got me stumped.

In row 7 box 8 i have a 4 and a 9
In row 3 box 3 i have a 5
and i can't for the life of me see the triplet in colum 9

I'm getting balder by the minute.

[su_doku]

Hi davidspd

I looked at your post last night but this morning it was gone! I remember now - you couldn't see the wood for the trees!

In row 7 box 8 i have a 4 and a 9
In row 3 box 3 i have a 5
and i can't for the life of me see the triplet in colum 9

In row 7 look carefully at r7c4 and r7c5
In row 3 look carefully at r3c8 and r3c9

Once you have done that examine column 9 carefully for a triplet

hope that helps

[davidspd]

Eureka !! Thanks very much su_doku

Still couldn't see the triplet just by looking, so ended up writing the whole thing out long-hand.

Thanks again,
davidspd

[easysurf]

Help!
I still don't see the triplet in column 9:

Column 9 pencil marks:
1: 2 3 4 7
2: 2 3 5 7
3: 1 9
4: 6 8
5: 1 4 6 8
6: 1 4 6
7: 3 4 9
8: 3 6 9
9: 4 5 6 7

[possum]

I'm stuck at the same point as easysurf, looking for that triplet.

[Bernard Stay]

I'm stuck at the same point as easysurf, looking for that triplet.

I don't want to add to the confusion, but I am puzzled by the route suggested by Su_doku's hints. I didn't find a triple in column 9 either, but on the way to the solution I did (as far as I can recall) find and make use of a triple in box7.

[simes]

The hidden triple consists of 2, 5 and 7. There are only 3 cells with any of those candidates.


Simes

[george-no1]

Isn't it just a naked sextet?

NO pun implied.

(1,3,4,6,8,9)

George :-P