Want To Know How To Play Sudoku? I will show you how!

My easy to understand illustrated techniques teach you how to play Sudoku puzzles. In several articles, (just too much to show in one article) I will share with you how Sudoku puzzles are solved. In this article you will learn the basic techniques on how to play Sudoku puzzles and games. When the challenge gets tougher, read my article on Sudoku Tips. Apply advanced techniques such as X-Wing and Swordfish to break the logjam of the most difficult puzzles. Sudoku is solvable. A properly prepared puzzle only has one solution. There isn't any need to guess (although you will be tempted at times). Applying simple logic and eliminating candidates will provide the solution in every case. Math is not required to play Sudoku. You could play Sudoku using any nine symbols or colors. Numbers just happen to be easier. Sudoku In a Nutshell Traditional Sudoku is a 9x9 puzzle grid made up of nine 3x3 regions. Each region, row, and column contains nine cells each. See the example below. Sudoku Puzzle The numbers shown in the example are the "givens". These numbers can not be changed in any puzzle. You solve the puzzle by filling in the empty cells with a single number (from all the possible candidates) that doesn't violate Sudoku rules. There is only one correct number per cell. Scan the "givens" looking for the same number in different rows, columns, or regions. Eliminate cells for consideration by applying the Sudoku rules using these numbers. In cases where the solution isn't immediately obvious, you markup or pencil in a vacant cell the possible candidates for future reference. Consider using the blank Sudoku grid with candidates method to determine all the possible candidates. This can save you time in solving puzzles and prevent missing important candidates. It will also reveal answers that are not immediately obvious otherwise. After you have identified the possible candidates it is time to apply some logic. It is necessary to eliminate all candidates to arrive at a single answer for each cell. I'll cover this topic in more detail in related articles. The Sudoku Puzzle Challenge

Complete the Sudoku puzzle so that each and every row, column, and region contains the numbers one through nine only once. The puzzle above I would rate as very easy. I hand crafted this puzzle. It can be solved using simple logic and eliminating a few candidates. It is interesting to note that it is not the quantity of givens that make a Sudoku puzzle easy or hard. Rather, it is the location and combination of givens. How To Play Sudoku Sudoku Puzzle Scan For Ones In this example on how to play Sudoku, we begin playing Sudoku by scanning the puzzle. It doesn't matter where you start. I suggest looking for the number that has several "givens". The more givens of a particular number often means that it will be easier to solve. In this case you can see that there are three number ones (1). Applying the Sudoku rule, you know that a 1 can not go in any row, column, or region that already has a 1. Plus you know, that every row, column, and region must have a 1. The scans are marked with red arrows in this example. The two parallel scans from the two ones in the middle tier prevent any ones in the top two rows of the left most region. The vertical scan eliminates the middle cell of the bottom row from consideration. In this example, you can see that there is only one cell (marked with a black X) that can contain a 1 in the left most region in the middle tier. Enter a 1 in the cell marked with an X. Now that a cell is solved, you should look to see if it will help us solve another cell or two. In this case there aren't enough clues to solve for ones at this time. Likewise there aren't enough clues using this method for twos or threes at this time. Let's look at the fours for your next lesson on how to play Sudoku. Sudoku Puzzle Scan For Fours You can see a similar pattern in the fours as there was in the ones above. In the lower left region you can see that there is only one cell (marked with an X) that isn't eliminated using the scan method. Enter a 4 there. See if you can find the rest of the fours. You have enough clues. Now continue solving for fives through eights. Your grid will look like the next graphic in the center of your grid. Naked Nine Can you find a nine in the example at the left without using any other numbers to help?

Yes, you're right. A nine goes in the middle row to complete the row. It is the only missing number. That was simple! The Sudoku Solution So Far You are making great progress in learning how to play Sudoku. You should be able solve most cells using the scan method you learned so far. The image on the left was solved using just the scan method and entering the naked nine as mentioned earlier. Pencil In Candidates Let's say you are stuck. It's time to pencil in all the possible candidates for the remaining cells. The example on the left shows all the

possible candidates for the partially solved puzzle. You can quickly note that in the seventh column "naked" single numbers standing alone. The naked numbers are 1 and a 2. We also have a the same column.

are two

"hidden" 6 in

Since the 1 and 2 are already found, you can eliminate the 1 and 2 from the cell containing 1, 2 and 6. The 6 remains. Enter these numbers and you have quickly completed the column. Now that you have found a 1 in the seventh column, you can eliminate the 1 from the last cell in the bottom row. (left most region) A 3 remains. Enter the 3 and you have completed the bottom row. As you enter a found number, be sure to cross off that number in the row, column, and region that your found number is in. As you do, new "naked" numbers will appear. In the lower left region, when you entered a 3 solving the bottom row, enables you to now eliminate all threes in this region. Doing so reveals another "naked" 6 and a 1/6 pair. Enter the 6 where the "naked" 6 is. Now you can also remove the 6 from the last cell in this region. A "naked" 1 remains. Enter the 1 and you have solved this region. Congratulations! You now know how to play Sudoku (at least an easy one)! Try a harder game of Sudoku now. Be sure to read my other articles on how to play Sudoku

Sudoku Hints To Logically Solve Sudoku

Would you like better ways to solve Sudoku? Try these Sudoku hints. It is best to approach solving a Sudoku puzzle in a systematic way. Applying logical reasoning rather than guessing will assure you a solution with greater satisfaction. Guessing will most often lead you down the wrong road. You may get half way through a puzzle before you realize that a mistake was made somewhere. Usually you will end up with two identical numbers in a row, column, or region. This breaks the Sudoku rules rendering an unsolvable puzzle. Let's skip the guessing and learn to solve Sudoku by reason and logic.

Sudoku Hints For Beginners

Look for the obvious. Is there a row, column, or region that has one cell unsolved? If there is you can quickly find the solution. Count from 1 to 9 locating each number in that row, column, or region. The missing number is the solution for that empty cell. What is the missing number in the graphic at the left? Where do you start? Most people I suspect just pick a spot at random to start. It is better to have a systematic approach to solving Sudoku. I like to start by first looking for a number that has the most "givens". The more the merrier. Use the scanning method Since we know that every row, column, and region can only have one instance of each number, you can logically use the scanning method I illustrated in my article "How To Play Sudoku" to find other cells that contain the same number. I won't repeat that technique here. It is essential to learn this technique because every Sudoku puzzle requires it's use. After you have solved (if possible) for the number(s) that had the most "givens", cycle through all the numbers 1 through 9, solving for each number as many as you can using the scanning method. Repeat again and again until you can no longer find a solution for any cell.

Sudoku Hints For Slightly Harder Puzzles

Look for the only possible choice. In the example at the left, I have identified the only possible positions for the number 7. The existing sevens prevent the number 7 from being in any other empty cells except for the ones circled in red.

Sometimes you will encounter the situation where there is only one place a number can possibly go. This is a classic example. At first glance one might think that it isn't possible to place a 7 in the top three regions. After all each region has two places a 7 can go. Upon closer scrutiny, you will see that cell (R2,C5) is the only place a 7 can go in row 2 even though there are other empty cells in that row. This is just another way to find a cell's solution using a little logic. Hints To Solve Solve Sudoku With Two Cells Missing. Here are two Sudoku hints that will help you solve a row or column where two cells are empty. Look at the graphic at the left. You will notice that in column 1 we are missing two numbers. They are circled in red. Counting from 1 to 9 you find that a 2 and a 4 are missing. But where do they go? To solve this column, look at row 8. You will notice that there is a 4 in (R8,C5). Since there can only be one 4 in row 8, the cell (R8,C1) must be a 2. Therefore the other empty cell (R2,C1) must be a 4. Simple, eh? Now let's look at row 5. Again you have two empty cells circled in red. Counting from 1 to 9 you will find that a 3 and a 4 are missing. This time you don't have a 3 or a 4 in column 2 or column 7 to help you solve the two empty cells in row 5. So how can you solve it? It's simple. If you look at the right - center region carefully, you will see that there is a 4 in cell (R6,C7). Since you cannot have two 4s in the same region, cell (R5,C8) must be a 3. If cell (R5,C8) is a 3, cell (R5,C2) must be a 4. There you have done it! You learned two new Sudoku hints that will help you solve two missing cells in a row or column. More Sudoku Hints Sometimes you will be in a situation where this Sudoku hint will work. If you look at the graphic at the left, let's try to find a 3 in the middle stack of three grids. I have circled in red the only possible positions a 3 can go in the middle stack. Check it out using the scanning method. When you look at column five you will notice that a 3 must go in that column in the middle region. There is no other place available in the middle region.

Since a 3 must go in column 5 in the middle region, it can not go in cells (R8,C5) or (R9,C5) of column 5. Therefore you can conclude that the only possible place a 3 can go is in cell (R8,C4) in the lower middle region. You probably won't use this hint often, but it is a nice one to add to your Sudoku solving tool chest.

Sudoku Hints For Harder Puzzles

Sudoku Hints To Solve For Multiple Missing Numbers Here is another neat trick to help you solve cells when there are multiple cells missing. This probably wouldn't happen often, but when it does you will want to know this hint. In the upper left region of the graphic at the left there are four cells vacant circled in red. You will notice that three of those cells make up column 3. Counting from 1 to 9, you find that 1, 3, 5 and 7 are missing in the upper left region. Again counting from 1 to 9 you will find that 1, 3 and 5 are the numbers missing from column 3. Since 1, 3 and 5 must go into column 3 somewhere, you can deduce that the 7 must go into cell (R2,C1). Write it in. Now let's try solving for the other three missing numbers 1, 3 and 5 from the upper left most region. Analyzing row 1, you can see that there already is a 3 and a 5 in that row. This means that a 3 and 5 can not go into cell (R1,C3). The only possible remaining candidate is a 1. Write it in. You are making great progress. Now you have two numbers 3 and 5 that are missing from the upper left most region. Examining row 2 you will notice a 5 in that row. Since the only two numbers left are 3 and 5, and a 5 is already in row 2, then you can conclude that cell (R2,C3) must be a 3. Write it in. The only remaining cell (R3,C3) has to be a 5. Great job! You just learned another great Sudoku hint. Now try solving the lower right region using the same technique.