| View previous topic :: View next topic   | 
	
	
	
		| Author | 
		Message | 
	
	
		roaa
 
 
  Joined: 18 Apr 2009 Posts: 112 Location: Sweden
  | 
		
			
				 Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 8:58 am    Post subject: Mar 25 VH | 
				     | 
			 
			
				
  | 
			 
			
				| Unusually few basic eliminations! But an XY-wing (278) forces r6c6=2, which is enough. | 
			 
		  | 
	
	
		| Back to top | 
		 | 
	
	
		  | 
	
	
		hughwill
 
 
  Joined: 05 Apr 2010 Posts: 424 Location: Birmingham UK
  | 
		
			
				 Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 9:31 am    Post subject: Mar 25 VH | 
				     | 
			 
			
				
  | 
			 
			
				After basics:
 
 	  | Code: | 	 		  
 
+-----------------+-------------+--------------+
 
| 12489 7    2469 | 138 1239 23 | 5    26 348  |
 
| 258   2356 256  | 38  7    4  | 9    26 1    |
 
| 12489 2349 249  | 5   1239 6  | 34   7  348  |
 
+-----------------+-------------+--------------+
 
| 7     8    246  | 36  236  9  | 1    5  24   |
 
| 3     245  245  | 7   258  1  | 248  9  6    |
 
| 59    569  1    | 4   56   28 | 28   3  7    |
 
+-----------------+-------------+--------------+
 
| 49    1    7    | 2   346  5  | 36   8  39   |
 
| 6     245  3    | 9   48   78 | 27   1  25   |
 
| 259   259  8    | 136 136  37 | 2367 4  2359 |
 
+-----------------+-------------+--------------+
 
 | 	  
 
Play this puzzle online at the Daily Sudoku site
 
 
 
Felt like more basics after the advanced move than before...... | 
			 
		  | 
	
	
		| Back to top | 
		 | 
	
	
		  | 
	
	
		rmireland
 
 
  Joined: 21 Sep 2013 Posts: 33 Location: New Orleans
  | 
		
			
				 Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2014 12:51 pm    Post subject: Mar 25 VH | 
				     | 
			 
			
				
  | 
			 
			
				| Hi guys:  I manually copy the puzzles to my homemade excel program to solve.  When I did this one, I accidentally omitted the 3 from r6c8 and found the puzzle to be unsolvable (at least by me), so I figured the 3 might be essential rather than added only for symmetry.  I restored the 3 and solved with the one XY.  As an experiment I then tried omitting the symmetrical 8 in r4c2 and solved again.  This time I found the puzzle to be a great one:  several locked candidates, naked pairs, hidden pairs, two XY wings and a UR to finish.  I am wondering if this incident is unique, or whether the desire for symmetry is making our puzzles less challenging in general.  I don't know enough about creating the puzzles to know.  Is there a thread for this? | 
			 
		  | 
	
	
		| Back to top | 
		 | 
	
	
		  | 
	
	
		Marty R.
 
 
  Joined: 12 Feb 2006 Posts: 5770 Location: Rochester, NY, USA
  | 
		
			
				 Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2014 12:01 am    Post subject:  | 
				     | 
			 
			
				
  | 
			 
			
				 	  | Quote: | 	 		  |  As an experiment I then tried omitting the symmetrical 8 in r4c2 and solved again. This time I found the puzzle to be a great one: several locked candidates, naked pairs, hidden pairs, two XY wings and a UR to finish. I am wondering if this incident is unique, or whether the desire for symmetry is making our puzzles less challenging in general. I don't know enough about creating the puzzles to know. Is there a thread for this? | 	  
 
 
I think you lucked out here. That 8 was necessary and in the course of your pairs, wings and URs that cell probably got set to 8. 
 
 
I don't know anything about creating puzzles either, but I understand that asymmetrical puzzle offer a lot more opportunities. | 
			 
		  | 
	
	
		| Back to top | 
		 | 
	
	
		  | 
	
	
		Pat
 
 
  Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 207
 
  | 
		
			
				 Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2014 11:05 am    Post subject:  | 
				     | 
			 
			
				
  | 
			 
			
				 	  | Marty R. wrote: | 	 		   	  | Quote: | 	 		  | tried omitting the 8 in r4c2 | 	  
 
That 8 was necessary | 	  
 
yes,
 
dropping that 8 makes a
 
puzzle with 3 answers.
 
(and using "UR" is thus invalid!)
 
 
on the other hand,
 
each of these
 
can be dropped
 
(and still have one answer) —
 
  	  | Code: | 	 		  
 
.........
 
.........
 
.......7.
 
 
......1..
 
.....1...
 
...4.....
 
 
.........
 
...9.....
 
.........
 
 
 | 	  
 
required: either r4 1 or r8 9;
 
others can all be dropped.
 
 
here are the 2 puzzles with just 24 cells given —
 
— and yes, they are more challenging than the original puzzle | 
			 
		  | 
	
	
		| Back to top | 
		 | 
	
	
		  | 
	
	
		Marty R.
 
 
  Joined: 12 Feb 2006 Posts: 5770 Location: Rochester, NY, USA
  | 
		
			
				 Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2014 11:29 pm    Post subject:  | 
				     | 
			 
			
				
  | 
			 
			
				Pat, I tried the first of your puzzles and am throwing in the towel. Too many cells with too many candidates. I didn't see anything productive and to continue would be a trial-and-error process of examining each cell to see if there was anything there.    
 
 
 	  | Code: | 	 		  
 
+-----------------+------------------+----------------+
 
| 1248 7     2469 | 138  12389  1238 | 5     26  348  |
 
| 258  2356  256  | 38   2378   4    | 9     267 1    |
 
| 1248 234   249  | 5    123789 6    | 348   27  348  |
 
+-----------------+------------------+----------------+
 
| 7    8     246  | 1346 1236   9    | 124   15  245  |
 
| 3    245   245  | 7    1258   128  | 1248  9   6    |
 
| 2459 24569 1    | 468  2568   28   | 248   3   7    |
 
+-----------------+------------------+----------------+
 
| 49   1     7    | 2    346    5    | 36    8   39   |
 
| 6    245   3    | 9    148    178  | 127   15  25   |
 
| 259  259   8    | 136  136    137  | 12367 4   2359 |
 
+-----------------+------------------+----------------+
 
 | 	  
 
Play this puzzle online at the Daily Sudoku site | 
			 
		  | 
	
	
		| Back to top | 
		 | 
	
	
		  | 
	
	
		arkietech
 
 
  Joined: 31 Jul 2008 Posts: 1834 Location: Northwest Arkansas USA
  | 
		
			
				 Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2014 11:47 pm    Post subject:  | 
				     | 
			 
			
				
  | 
			 
			
				 	  | Marty R. wrote: | 	 		  | Pat, I tried the first of your puzzles and am throwing in the towel.  | 	  
 
 
Good puzzle    
 
 
 	  | Code: | 	 		   *-----------*
 
 |.7.|...|5..|
 
 |...|..4|9.1|
 
 |...|5.6|...|
 
 |---+---+---|
 
 |78.|..9|...|
 
 |3..|7..|..6|
 
 |..1|...|.37|
 
 |---+---+---|
 
 |.1.|2.5|...|
 
 |6.3|9..|...|
 
 |..8|...|.4.|
 
 *-----------*
 
 *-----------------------------------------------------------------------------*
 
 | 1248    7       2469    | 138     12389  a1238    | 5       26      48-3    |
 
 | 258     2356    256     | 38      2378    4       | 9       267     1       |
 
 | 1248    234     249     | 5       12789-3 6       |b34      27      348     |
 
 |-------------------------+-------------------------+-------------------------|
 
 | 7       8       246     | 1346    1236    9       |b124     15      245     |
 
 | 3       245     245     | 7       1258   a128     |b1248    9       6       |
 
 | 2459    24569   1       | 468     2568   a28      |b248     3       7       |
 
 |-------------------------+-------------------------+-------------------------|
 
 | 49      1       7       | 2       346     5       | 36      8       39      |
 
 | 6       245     3       | 9       148    a178     |b127     15      25      |
 
 | 259     259     8       | 136     136     137     | 12367   4       2359    |
 
 *-----------------------------------------------------------------------------*
 
(3=7)r1568c6-(7=3)r34568c7 => -3r1c9,r3c5; lclste | 	 
  | 
			 
		  | 
	
	
		| Back to top | 
		 | 
	
	
		  | 
	
	
		keith
 
 
  Joined: 19 Sep 2005 Posts: 3355 Location: near Detroit, Michigan, USA
  | 
		
			
				 Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2014 10:31 am    Post subject: Re: Mar 25 VH | 
				     | 
			 
			
				
  | 
			 
			
				 	  | rmireland wrote: | 	 		  | Hi guys:  I manually copy the puzzles to my homemade excel program to solve.  When I did this one, I accidentally omitted the 3 from r6c8 and found the puzzle to be unsolvable (at least by me), so I figured the 3 might be essential rather than added only for symmetry.  I restored the 3 and solved with the one XY.  As an experiment I then tried omitting the symmetrical 8 in r4c2 and solved again.  This time I found the puzzle to be a great one:  several locked candidates, naked pairs, hidden pairs, two XY wings and a UR to finish.  I am wondering if this incident is unique, or whether the desire for symmetry is making our puzzles less challenging in general.  I don't know enough about creating the puzzles to know.  Is there a thread for this? | 	  
 
 
There are various techniques to create puzzles.  Do a search on 
 
sudoku programming
 
sudoku puzzle maker 
 
etc
 
 
Many of those sites have been lost.
 
 
Menneske generates "minimal" puzzles which are not symmetric.  Each given value is essential for a valid puzzle.  Adding clues to make the initial puzzle symmetric will almost always make the puzzle easier.
 
 
Keith | 
			 
		  | 
	
	
		| Back to top | 
		 | 
	
	
		  | 
	
	
		 |