Successfully solving Sudoku puzzles requires patience, logical thinking and the application of various techniques.
How to solve Sudoku puzzles
Sudoku is a popular number-based logic puzzle played by millions of people around the world. There are several techniques that can help you solve Sudoku puzzles efficiently and successfully.
- Scan: The first step in any Sudoku puzzle should be scanning. This is where you search the grid for obvious gaps that you can easily fill in. Look at rows, columns and sub-squares to find out where certain numbers are still missing.
- Exclusion procedure: This technique consists of eliminating possibilities step by step. If a number already appears in a certain sub-square, row or column, it cannot appear again in those areas. By eliminating certain positions, you can eventually deduce the correct placement of a number.
- Pen and paper method: If you are unsure about certain cells, you can write down possible candidate numbers in a corner of each cell. This method helps you keep possible solutions in mind and systematically eliminate them. As you progress further in the puzzle, some candidates may eliminate themselves until only one valid option remains.
- Block and line method: This strategy focuses on the interaction between blocks and lines. If you find that a certain number can only be placed in one row or column of a sub-square, you can use this information to rule out other cells in that grid. This method is especially useful if you get stuck at an advanced stage of the puzzle.
- Advanced techniques: If you play Sudoku regularly and venture into more advanced puzzles, there are additional strategies such as the X-Wing, Swordfish or Y-Wing technique. However, these require a higher level of practice and understanding as they are based on the principle of analyzing and eliminating multiple possibilities across the entire grid. You can slowly work your way up to these difficult techniques once you have mastered the basic methods.
- If you get stuck, it's better not to guess a number. Even if you have a 50:50 chance, one wrong number can make the whole Sudoku unsolvable.
The basics of Sudoku
The name Sudoku stands for “Suji wa dokushin ni kagiru”, which in English means “numbers may only appear once”. Despite the use of numbers, Sudoku has nothing to do with mathematics, but requires logical thinking and patience.
- A typical Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9×9 grid divided into nine 3×3 sub-squares.
- The challenge is to complete the grid so that each number from 1 to 9 appears exactly once in each row, column and sub-square.
- In a normal Sudoku puzzle, some of the squares are already filled with numbers, while the remaining squares remain empty and must be filled in by you.
- Although the goal is clearly defined, the solution can be tricky. To successfully solve a Sudoku puzzle, it is important to understand and apply different strategies and techniques.
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