confirming before next move?

DETurbine · Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 3:17 pm Post subject: confirming before next move?

I am some what of a bigginer when it comes to sudoku's and don't have to much trouble with any of them, but there is one that has got me confused and is very difficult.

My question to you is that, to beat a sudoku, you are suppose to CONFIRM that a box is that exact number correct?...I mean for example, if a box has the numbers 6 and 8 as the two possibilities and you can't confirm any other box down to one possibility, you are never suppose to have a puzzle where you have to guess between a 6 and an 8 and go from there are you?

I was always just under the impression that you have to confirm every box down to it's one possiblity number to finish the buzzle rather then guessing between two numbers and hope you picked the right number and solve it from there.

would be dissapointed if that's the case.

wapati · Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 3:28 pm Post subject:

Guessing is not a respected technique.

The vast majority of puzzles can be solved by any of 3 major solving methods.

Coloring is one preference, I use patterns (fish etc.) and the third method is chains.

Of these chains can do the most. There is only a very tiny number of puzzles that chains cannot crack.

Further, new methods are being found all the time. It is reasonable to assume that all puzzles can be done by humans using logical methods, never a guess.

Pat · Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 6:56 am Post subject: