sudoku, puzzles, games

Mike Jason Rogers asked:




There are a range of tutorials that you may find online to be able to take you through different techniques that will help you in solving from the simplest to the most complex Sudoku puzzles and below are just some of these strategies described step by step:

1. The single number rule

One Sudoku strategy would be if there may be some instances that your puzzle will be leaving a remaining number option that is available, thus this will be the number that will go to the square that is empty. You may be able to conclude this by scanning through the different groups of numbers from each row, column or region.

2. The single option rule

In case you are looking at a single square that several times you will encounter one possibility for that square that this is called the single option. But the manner that the groups will be intersecting may have one or more unallocated cells that have one more possibility existing yet only a single option is existing for the cell, then there is no other option but for that number to be in that square.

3. The mere square/cell rule

There are several times that you will be able to encounter a group of squares/cells wherein the only a single square can take a certain number. For instance, if the group of square/cells have seven squares/cells allocated with mere two numbers to allocate, there are cases that there would be shared or intersecting groups that may not go in one of these two square/cells thus it must go to the other one. The player is left with just a mere square/cell where the number can be placed in.

4. Two out of three numbers rule

Another example of a Sudoku strategy involves a special scenario of the mere square/cell rule. Some experts of this game will be referring to this as the “slotting and slicing.” This is considered as a fast way for you to spot a square to solve it easy in your memory by scanning the grids of the puzzle. Most of the time, you will be able to search for a square or two squares that you can immediately give a solution to. The rule of this Sudoku strategy is scanning the rows and columns in threes to view if there would be anywhere else that that number can be allocated to. If you were able to find the place of the two numbers then the missing one can go in one of the remaining squares for you to allocate.

5. Exclusion of the sub-group of numbers rule

Although this is rarely required in Sudoku, this useful strategy states that instead that you force to allocate a number to a specific square, through logic you can exclude the possibilities first. If you exclude option for that cell then it may mean that another option may be assigned there as it is the mere other option for you.

6. The General Permutation Rule

There would be times that you may already identify from the permutation of the numbers 1 to 9 that is to be restricted to the same number of cells that you have. This is similar to the single option and single number rule.

7. The Swordfish and X-wing Rule

One of the complex Sudoku tactics is the X-Wing which is a kind of “Swordfish” Sudoku strategy. When a player looks for permutations or groups of numbers, then you can already restrict yourself to certain possibilities within one group. The strategy requires looking at the multiple groups at one time. It may be forming the corners of a certain box. The squares may be the only squares permitted for that number in that column (or row). In case that number spotted has occurred at the top left of your puzzle, then it must also occur at the bottom right of the box.

8. The Trial and Error or Backtracking rule.

If all of the other strategies have seemed to fail you then one Sudoku strategy is bound to work. It is just a matter of looking at the puzzle logically for all the other alternatives that each row, column or region should have. You may begin with a certain cell and choosing one number from the available possibilities.

With each Sudoku strategy mentioned above, definitely your quest of becoming that professional Sudoku player will become a painless one. As your quest continues and by using the eight strategies mentioned, by the single number or single option, the mere square, the two out of three, sub group exclusion, general permutation, swordfish and trial and error strategies, surely you will be able to allocate the numbers to their specific row, column or region.

Caden