Comments on: An Index of Sudoku Strategies http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2005/09/an-index-of-sudoku-strategies/ Interactive art, experimental software toys, screensavers and games by Jim Bumgardner. Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:46:13 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: edgeswein http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2005/09/an-index-of-sudoku-strategies/comment-page-1/#comment-42448 edgeswein Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:10:02 +0000 http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2005/09/29/an-index-of-sudoku-strategies/#comment-42448 Katesisco mentions above on April 2007 a system of subtracting numbers that I don't understand. Can you please explain it. Thanks, Ed Katesisco mentions above on April 2007 a system of subtracting numbers that I don’t understand. Can you please explain it. Thanks, Ed

]]> By: peterrush http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2005/09/an-index-of-sudoku-strategies/comment-page-1/#comment-42345 peterrush Sun, 02 Nov 2008 21:27:44 +0000 http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2005/09/29/an-index-of-sudoku-strategies/#comment-42345 I am very new to Sukoku, but am already addicted, and have fairly quickly gotten to where intermediate puzzles are no huge challenge. I've been working on a hard one, and gradually have made headway, as I have begun trying to master some of the various techniques. But I got totally stumped just a few steps short of the point at which everything solves easily. I refuse to guess or try to play an extended option to see if it eventually causes a contradiction, because what's the fun or challenge of that? So, I was totally thrilled to stumbe on this website, with its link to the website for learning Golden Chains. I was at the point of a large number of the kind of cells with just two options remaining in each that the technique uses, and sure enough, I found one Golden Chain that unlocked one cell, and the puzzle was trivial from there. Thank you, that was just the technique I needed. I am very new to Sukoku, but am already addicted, and have fairly quickly gotten to where intermediate puzzles are no huge challenge. I’ve been working on a hard one, and gradually have made headway, as I have begun trying to master some of the various techniques. But I got totally stumped just a few steps short of the point at which everything solves easily. I refuse to guess or try to play an extended option to see if it eventually causes a contradiction, because what’s the fun or challenge of that? So, I was totally thrilled to stumbe on this website, with its link to the website for learning Golden Chains. I was at the point of a large number of the kind of cells with just two options remaining in each that the technique uses, and sure enough, I found one Golden Chain that unlocked one cell, and the puzzle was trivial from there. Thank you, that was just the technique I needed.

]]> By: catsaway9 http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2005/09/an-index-of-sudoku-strategies/comment-page-1/#comment-41508 catsaway9 Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:39:39 +0000 http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2005/09/29/an-index-of-sudoku-strategies/#comment-41508 For more strategies in one place, try http://www.sudoku-strategies.net. For more strategies in one place, try http://www.sudoku-strategies.net.

]]> By: jbum http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2005/09/an-index-of-sudoku-strategies/comment-page-1/#comment-8000 jbum Tue, 10 Apr 2007 18:21:16 +0000 http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2005/09/29/an-index-of-sudoku-strategies/#comment-8000 Some of the ones that you are currently solving using guessing don't require guessing - e.g. you can use XY Wing or other strategies instead of guessing. However, the insane ones on this site do require some guesswork. - Jim Some of the ones that you are currently solving using guessing don’t require guessing – e.g. you can use XY Wing or other strategies instead of guessing. However, the insane ones on this site do require some guesswork.

- Jim

]]> By: katesisco http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2005/09/an-index-of-sudoku-strategies/comment-page-1/#comment-7999 katesisco Tue, 10 Apr 2007 18:16:51 +0000 http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2005/09/29/an-index-of-sudoku-strategies/#comment-7999 At what point does reverse engineering fail? I just fill in all numbers missing from a 9-square, then further subtract numbers existing in rows across and then again down. This usually leaves you with at least one single number, and then you can begin subtracting again. Most (80%) puzzles solve this way. The ones that don't are the ones with two pairs which force you to choose one of the pair (guessing) and then go from there. You have a 50% chance of solving your first try. Then there are the really tough ones that don't even give you that option and I have not determined any way to solve these. I.e. the "insane" ones this blog site offers. What I would like is a simple way to solve these; any secrets or is it just guessing again? I will cross these off my list if it's just gessing; takes all the fun out of it. At what point does reverse engineering fail?

I just fill in all numbers missing from a 9-square, then further subtract numbers existing in rows across and then again down. This usually leaves you with at least one single number, and then you can begin subtracting again. Most (80%) puzzles solve this way. The ones that don’t are the ones with two pairs which force you to choose one of the pair (guessing) and then go from there. You have a 50% chance of solving your first try. Then there are the really tough ones that don’t even give you that option and I have not determined any way to solve these. I.e. the “insane” ones this blog site offers.

What I would like is a simple way to solve these; any secrets or is it just guessing again? I will cross these off my list if it’s just gessing; takes all the fun out of it.

]]> By: geosibley http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2005/09/an-index-of-sudoku-strategies/comment-page-1/#comment-693 geosibley Tue, 11 Jul 2006 18:50:25 +0000 http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2005/09/29/an-index-of-sudoku-strategies/#comment-693 Maybe I just don't understand the definition of "buddies". In your example, you write that in figure 4, r1c1, r1c2, and r2c9 are "buddies" of the first and last cell of the Golden Chain. But, r1c2 contains a 9 as the correct answer. Please explain just what a "buddy" is. Thank you. Maybe I just don’t understand the definition of “buddies”. In your example, you write that in figure 4, r1c1, r1c2, and r2c9 are “buddies” of the first and last cell of the Golden Chain. But, r1c2 contains a 9 as the correct answer. Please explain just what a “buddy” is.

Thank you.

]]> By: lesudoku http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2005/09/an-index-of-sudoku-strategies/comment-page-1/#comment-63 lesudoku Tue, 21 Mar 2006 21:01:47 +0000 http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2005/09/29/an-index-of-sudoku-strategies/#comment-63 Thanks for this references. I will translate and update my own website with those techniques. Thanks for this references. I will translate and update my own website with those techniques.

]]> By: Parcival’s Blog » Solving Sudokus http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2005/09/an-index-of-sudoku-strategies/comment-page-1/#comment-55 Parcival’s Blog » Solving Sudokus Mon, 20 Feb 2006 19:43:17 +0000 http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2005/09/29/an-index-of-sudoku-strategies/#comment-55 [...] I am currently at a level where I can solve all easy and intermediate Sudokus, but I still have some problems doing the hard ones, so I was looking for Sudoku solving strategies on the web. KrazyDad happens to have a good overview. [...] [...] I am currently at a level where I can solve all easy and intermediate Sudokus, but I still have some problems doing the hard ones, so I was looking for Sudoku solving strategies on the web. KrazyDad happens to have a good overview. [...]

]]> By: KrazyDad » Blog Archive » Golden Chains http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2005/09/an-index-of-sudoku-strategies/comment-page-1/#comment-38 KrazyDad » Blog Archive » Golden Chains Fri, 13 Jan 2006 18:23:44 +0000 http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2005/09/29/an-index-of-sudoku-strategies/#comment-38 [...] The technique is a generalization of XY-Wing, and solves many (but not all) of the same puzzles that can be solved by other advanced techniques such as conjugate pairs, nishio and coloring. Unlike those techniques, Golden Chains is a pattern-matching technique (like XY-Wing), and does not feel so much like a fishing expedition, or guessing. [...] [...] The technique is a generalization of XY-Wing, and solves many (but not all) of the same puzzles that can be solved by other advanced techniques such as conjugate pairs, nishio and coloring. Unlike those techniques, Golden Chains is a pattern-matching technique (like XY-Wing), and does not feel so much like a fishing expedition, or guessing. [...]

]]> By: sudokushop http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2005/09/an-index-of-sudoku-strategies/comment-page-1/#comment-27 sudokushop Thu, 01 Dec 2005 15:05:31 +0000 http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2005/09/29/an-index-of-sudoku-strategies/#comment-27 Great guide to Sudoku! Well done! Great guide to Sudoku! Well done!

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