The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[RaymondM]

I am wondering whether there is meant to be a unique solution. I have two solutions to the Grand Final in the Times, each different from the official one.
Grand Final:

0 3 8 0 0 0 0 0 2
0 0 4 0 2 0 0 5 0
0 0 0 0 0 6 1 9 0
0 0 0 9 0 0 2 0 0
0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 0
4 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0
0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 9 0 0 3 0 8 0 0
1 0 0 0 0 0 9 2 0

Official solution:

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

My two solutions:

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

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

RaymondM

[emm]

Hi Raymond - it seems that there might be even more than 3 solutions for this puzzle - a whole lot more - in fact the solver says 2129! Did you put all the clues in when you posted the original grid?

[RaymondM]

Since posting the message I have had a look around and discovered the claim about the 2129 solutions.

>>Did you put all the clues in when you posted the original grid?
I am new to Sudoku, and not sure what you mean by that.

[emm]

0 3 8 0 0 0 0 0 2
0 0 4 0 2 0 0 5 0
0 0 0 0 0 6 1 9 0
0 0 0 9 0 0 2 0 0
0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 0
4 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0
0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 9 0 0 3 0 8 0 0
1 0 0 0 0 0 9 2 0

This grid is not symmetrical - I wondered if you had left any numbers out when you typed it in.

[Pappocom]

The Times made an error in re-printing the Grand Final puzzle, as I recall. I think they transcribed the puzzle by hand (i.e., not using my Pappocom files) and missed out 3 clues, I think it was. They printed the correct version the following day, with an apology; and I think the version now on TimesOnline is correct.

There were Topics in these forums about it at the time. I'm sorry, I don't have time to locate them just now, but if you search for around October 17 to 19, you should find them.

- Wayne

[RaymondM]

I see now that I had been given the incorrect version, but now with the correct version
0 3 8 0 0 0 0 0 2
0 0 4 0 2 0 0 5 0
0 0 0 0 0 6 1 9 0
0 0 0 9 0 0 2 0 6
0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 0
4 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0
0 8 7 5 0 0 0 0 0
0 9 0 0 3 0 8 0 0
1 0 0 0 0 0 9 2 0

I get the official solution

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

[MCC]

RaymondM

If you look at the solution to the incorrect grid you can see that row 4 and column 8 both have two 4's.

[Pat]

The Times made an error in re-printing the Grand Final puzzle, as I recall. I think they transcribed the puzzle by hand (i.e., not using my Pappocom files) and missed out 3 clues, I think it was. They printed the correct version the following day, with an apology; and I think the version now on TimesOnline is correct.

here's the old discussion in the forum -

Cor blimey! The paper did miss some clues out.

There should be a "6" at the end of row 4, a "7" in r7c3, and a "5" in r7c4.

this is the correction in The Times -

Because of an error in transmission, The Times National Su Doku Championship Grand Final puzzle appeared in yesterday's paper with three clue numbers missing. We know many thousands of you will have been battling with this ultra-fiendish puzzle and we apologise for unintentionally making it even more fiendish.

- Pat