The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[kathyl59]

This puzzle is from about 3 weeks ago in the Oklahoma Gazette. I am stumped. If anyone can help, I would appreciate it.

9 _ 5 _ _ 2 3 7 1
4 1 7 3 5 9 6 8 2
3 _ _ _ 7 _ _ 4 _

1 _ _ _ 8 7 _ _ 4
8 7 _ _ 2 _ 1 3 6
5 _ _ _ 1 3 8 _ 7

2 5 _ _ _ _ 7 _ 3
6 _ 1 7 3 _ 2 _ _
7 _ _ 2 _ _ 4 _ _

I finally got the answer.

965842371
417359682
382176945
136987524
879524136
524613897
258491763
641738259
793265418

[wintder]

In box 8 I have marked with "#" the cells that cannot be 5, because of the five in r8c2 and the five in r2c5. The remaing spaces in box 8 must contain a 5.

That means that in box 5 the cell marked with a "?" cannot be a 5.
You should be able to solve that cell.

Code: Select all

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

Here is a markup, if you prefer them?

Code: Select all

.---------------------.---------------------.---------------------.
| 9      68     5     | 468    46     2     | 3      7      1     |
| 4      1      7     | 3      5      9     | 6      8      2     |
| 3      268    268   | 168    7      168   | 59     4      59    |
:---------------------+---------------------+---------------------:
| 1      2369   2369  | 569    8      7     | 59     259    4     |
| 8      7      49    | 459    2      4-5   | 1      3      6     |
| 5      2469   2469  | 469    1      3     | 8      29     7     |
:---------------------+---------------------+---------------------:
| 2      5      489   | 14689  469    1468  | 7      169    3     |
| 6      489    1     | 7      3     *458   | 2      59     589   |
| 7      389    389   | 2      69    *1568  | 4      1569   589   |
'---------------------'---------------------'---------------------'