Sudoku homework interview help?
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Sudoku homework interview help?
by AnthroStudent2026 » Fri Feb 19, 2021 11:22 pm
Hi everyone! I'm a university student, interested in how people solve puzzles. I have a homework assignment to interview people solving sudoku puzzles. I have a series of 3 puzzles for folks to solve over the course of 45 minutes & think-aloud describing their strategies. I'm looking for volunteers who'd like to help. I can offer a $15-20 Amazon gift-card for your time in return. Just shoot me a message or reply to this post if you'd like to know more! Thanks!
- AnthroStudent2026
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- Joined: 10 February 2021
Re: Sudoku homework interview help?
by Pupp » Fri Jul 02, 2021 1:13 am
It would be so easy for a software programmer to create sudoku program that can export a puzzle with all the moves a person makes.
Then a person could add notes for each move.
Right now I'm doing easier problems as a refresher, and often use techniques well beyond what the problem requires... leading to luducrise times like 2 minutes, 30 seconds for a 2.5SE rated problem. (I do use pre-filled pencil marks though)
It's nearly physically impossible for me to fill in all the squares any faster.
With the right settings, I could fill in boxes faster, but I'd have to retrain myself on how I do cell inputs. But I'm not into speed solving per se.
I do train myself for speed, but more in the context of just trying to make sure I've mastered a technique. At some point, I'll get at a level where there are diminishing returns on trivial techniqies. That is, puzzles will be at a level where there are few trivial techniques available, or very difficult techniques will be at or near the start of the puzzles.
I think someone said that speed solvers, usually people doing tournaments, generally cap out around 4.5.
Not to say they can't solve more difficult puzzles, but rather that there is a practical limit to how difficult a tournament puzzle can be, and still be finished in a reasonable time in a tournament setting.
I'd think many, if not most, tounament players can solve more difficult puzzles, but they'd limit thier speed solving to techniques likely to be in a tounament puzzle.
Then a person could add notes for each move.
Right now I'm doing easier problems as a refresher, and often use techniques well beyond what the problem requires... leading to luducrise times like 2 minutes, 30 seconds for a 2.5SE rated problem. (I do use pre-filled pencil marks though)
It's nearly physically impossible for me to fill in all the squares any faster.
With the right settings, I could fill in boxes faster, but I'd have to retrain myself on how I do cell inputs. But I'm not into speed solving per se.
I do train myself for speed, but more in the context of just trying to make sure I've mastered a technique. At some point, I'll get at a level where there are diminishing returns on trivial techniqies. That is, puzzles will be at a level where there are few trivial techniques available, or very difficult techniques will be at or near the start of the puzzles.
I think someone said that speed solvers, usually people doing tournaments, generally cap out around 4.5.
Not to say they can't solve more difficult puzzles, but rather that there is a practical limit to how difficult a tournament puzzle can be, and still be finished in a reasonable time in a tournament setting.
I'd think many, if not most, tounament players can solve more difficult puzzles, but they'd limit thier speed solving to techniques likely to be in a tounament puzzle.
- Pupp
- Posts: 246
- Joined: 18 October 2019
2 posts
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