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2 solutions to the same puzzle????

 
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helen elford



Joined: 29 Oct 2014
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Sun Nov 02, 2014 1:11 am    Post subject: 2 solutions to the same puzzle???? Reply with quote

the Australian Puzzler Issue 117 puzzle 55 and possibly 56 has two solutions to the same puzzle. I checked on my sudoku computer and both appear right. Has anyone else come across this. A scientist was asked the question once and said the probability of two solutions to the same puzzle was astronomical. I would love to hear from others two have experienced what I have in this regard. helen. Exclamation Question
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azoundria



Joined: 09 Nov 2014
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 3:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes. Some puzzles would have multiple solutions.

An empty puzzle has all possible placements of the numbers as solutions.

If you add a single number, there is now a smaller subset of solutions.

Each additional number reduces the possibilities.

You could eventually reduce that number to just one solution, or you could leave the puzzle in such a way that multiple solutions are correct. Puzzles with multiple solutions are harder because at some point you have to do a bit of guesswork to reach one of the solutions.
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keith



Joined: 19 Sep 2005
Posts: 3355
Location: near Detroit, Michigan, USA

PostPosted: Sun Nov 16, 2014 9:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you post the puzzle we can comment. Multiple solutions are quite common, but published puzzles should be screened so they only have a single solution.

Keith
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