The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[m_b_metcalf]

A tricky business, producing a (continental) one:

Code: Select all

 . . . . 1 2 3 . .
 . . . 4 . 5 6 . .
 . . 7 . . 8 1 . .
 . 1 . . . 9 2 . .
 . . . . . 6 4 . .
 . . . . . 3 7 . .
 . . . . . 4 5 . .
 . . . . . 7 9 . .
 . . . . . 1 8 . .   not hard

 . . . . 1 2 3 . .
 . . . 4 . 5 1 . .
 . . 6 . . 7 8 . .
 . 7 . . . 9 6 . .
 . . . . . 1 4 . .
 . . . . . 8 5 . .
 . . . . . 6 7 . .
 . . . . . 4 2 . .
 . . . . . 3 9 . .   very hard


and a minimal version with only 14 clues:

Code: Select all


 . . . . 1 . . . .
 . . . 2 . . . . .
 . . 3 . . . 4 . .
 . 5 . . . 6 7 . .
 . . . . . . 2 . .
 . . . . . 4 3 . .
 . . . . . 3 8 . .
 . . . . . . 6 . .
 . . . . . 5 . . .   hard, 14 clues minimal

[Hajime]

Is it very difficult to find puzzles with this pattern, even non-minimal ones?
I found one extra next to the very hard one (2nd is your puzzle):

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....923.....6.51....4..78...2...96.......14.......85.......67.......42.......39..   ED=8.9/1.5/1.5
....123.....4.51....6..78...7...96.......14.......85.......67.......42.......39..   ED=9.2/2.9/2.8

[m_b_metcalf]

Code: Select all

....923.....6.51....4..78...2...96.......14.......85.......67.......42.......39..   ED=8.9/1.5/1.5
....123.....4.51....6..78...7...96.......14.......85.......67.......42.......39..   ED=9.2/2.9/2.8

This was my highest rating:

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....123.....4.51....3..67...7...89.......14.......42.......95.......36.......78..   ED=9.3/1.2/1.2 

[1to9only]

There are not many pearls.

Code: Select all

....129.....4.91....6..58...3...74.......16.......83.......65.......42.......37.. ED=9.2/9.2/2.8
....837.....4.51....6..73...1...92.......14.......86.......65.......29.......48.. ED=7.8/7.8/2.8
....123.....6.51....4..78...4...96.......34.......12.......65.......49.......87.. ED=6.6/6.6/2.8
....628.....4.51....5..72...8...97.......14.......83.......36.......49.......65.. ED=2.9/2.9/2.8