The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[Ruftara]

I am new to the game and have statred doing the puzzle from the Toronto Star. So far I have managed to solve all the puzzles in about ten minutes or less so I suspect they are in an easy category. I would like to move to a higher level if possible.

I got online to see what tips and tricks were available and read some of the users mail. There are a number of mails that talk about Wing X or Wings and I do not know what this means. I would like to understand more about solving the puzzles and need to read up on techniques and also get to know the associated terminology. Any suggestions on books, articles that will help.

Barbara in Toronto

[scrose]

These sites list a variety of solving techniques.

• http://www.sudoku.com/howtosolve.htm
• http://www.angusj.com/sudoku/hints.php
• http://www.simes.clara.co.uk/programs/sudokutechniques.htm
• http://www.puzzle.jp/keys/sudoku_keys-e.html
  

Before jumping right into x-wings and swordfishes, I suggest you gradually move up through the levels of difficulty. Download Pappocom's software and try the "medium" puzzles. If those still seem quite easy to you, move up to the "hard" and "very hard" puzzles. (In my experience, I find that about half of the "very hard" Pappocom puzzles contain x-wings.)

You could also try some of the recent puzzles from UK newspapers.

• The Times
• The Guardian
  

[Ruftara]

Thank you for your advice. Unfortunately, I am a MAC user and therefore cannot use the computer version of Sudoku as it runs on Windows. I was wondering if there are available books of puzzles that would offer something similar to the Computer Puzzle that would achieve the same end.

Barbara

[lunababy_moonchild]

There are.

The "Times" Su Doku: The Utterly Addictive Number-placing Puzzle: Bk. 1
Wayne Gould (Editor)

The "Times" Su Doku: The Utterly Addictive Number-placing Puzzle: Bk. 2
Wayne Gould (Editor)

Sudoku
Michael Mepham, "Daily Telegraph"

The Little Book of Sudoku
Pete Sinden

The SuDoku Book: An Introduction to SuDoku with 101 Puzzles
Sam Griffiths-Jones

The Independent Book of Super Sudoku

The Independent Book of Sudoku

Amazon do these and a whole host of others that are yet to be published.

The Times books are puzzles by Pappocom, should that make any difference. Can't comment on the other books, I haven't read them.

Hope that helps.

Luna

[Ruftara]

Hi Luna,

Thank you for your input. I will try Amazon.com to get a few of the suggested books before my planned trans Atlantic trip. Such puzzles are great for keeping nervous fliers occupied.

Many thanks,

Barbara

[simes]

Ruftara,

Here's a Mac program that you might like:http://www.madoverlord.com/projects/sudoku.t