The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[tso]

Not sure the best place to post this, but:

Pappocom rates puzzles that are dubbed in to it or entered via a library book thusly:

1) Very Easy
2) Easy
3) Medium
4) Hard
5) Very Hard
6) Very Hard, Arguably Unfair (valid, but will not create puzzles like this)
7) Invalid (could require guessing, could have no solution, could have multiple solutions)

The Pappocom software creates puzzles of the first 5 levels.

Here's what I found that's interesting to me and I'd like to see if other have similar experience. I've entered into Pappocom software puzzles created from a variety of other software, printed in magazines and posted on websites -- probably a couple hundred so far. I've found plenty of puzzles rated 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7, but NEVER 5. NOT ONCE have I found a puzzle created by anyone or anything else that Pappocom rates as "Very Hard" without also labeling it Arguably Unfair!

It don't see how it can coincidence, but it seems equally unlikely that other puzzles, created by various methods would NEVER be rated as "Very Hard". I don't know what criterion Pappocom uses to rate difficulty, but he's doing something interesting to create the Very Hards, something that others are leaving up to chance.

Can someone explain this?

If your favorite Pappocom's are the Very Hards, this is the only place to get them -- all other puzzles from the rest of the world will either be easier or harder, but none will be just right. Weird.

[scrose]

Here is a very hard that I did not get from the Pappocom software.

Code: Select all

 . . 6 | . . 4 | . . .
 . . . | 9 . 6 | . 3 .
 5 4 . | . . . | 9 . 2
-------+-------+-------
 3 . 5 | 4 . . | . . .
 . 7 . | . . . | . 1 .
 . . . | . . 8 | 2 . 7
-------+-------+-------
 7 . 1 | . . . | . 2 3
 . 5 . | 1 . 2 | . . .
 . . . | 6 . . | 7 . .

As I understand it, the Pappocom software gives a "Very Hard" rating to puzzles that contain an x-wing, but nothing as difficult as a swordfish. (Puzzles with one or more swordfish go into the "Arguably Unfair" category.) Wayne can correct me or elaborate if he is reading.

[tabber]

On a releated note, the Pappocom puzzles that go into The Times that are rated Difficult and Fiendish - are these category 4 and 5 respecively?

Cheers,
Tabber

[shakers]

On a releated note, the Pappocom puzzles that go into The Times that are rated Difficult and Fiendish - are these category 4 and 5 respecively?

No, just levels 3 and 4. For those who find the Fiendish too simple, they're compelled to buy the program to get the Very Hards.

[tabber]

Oh dear, and there's me thinking I was doing 'Very Hard' puzzles. I wondered why I had never had to use this legendary X-Wing (Or at least, not without knowing I was). I shall have to give one a go...

Thanks,
Tabber