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Sudoku

When did it all start? In 1783 Leonhard Euler, a Swiss mathematician, devised agame called Latin Squares using only numbers. In the late 1970s an Americanpuzzle magazine produced Number Place based on Euler’s game. In the mid-1980s aJapanese publisher made some changes to the American version, renamed it Sudoku

and here we are …

Aims

Sudoku Classic9 x 9 grid, split into nine 3 x 3 boxesTo solve the puzzle, each 3 x 3 box, each row and each column must containthe numbers 1 – 9. Some numbers are given to start.Note: You are advised NOT to use guesswork, except in Devilish puzzleswhich are extremely hard!

Sudoku Eight8 x 8 grid, split into eight 4 x 2 boxes

Each 4 x 2 box, each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 - 8.Sudoku Mini

6 x 6 grid, split into six 3 x 2 boxesEach 3 x 2 box, each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 - 6.

Sudoku Junior4 x 4 grid, split into four 2 x 2 boxesEach 2 x 2 box, each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 – 4.

Help in using the cd-rom

An infinite number of puzzles can be created by YOU!

They can be printed out for completion by hand (using a pencil!), or solved onscreen using our interactive features.

To start playing, simply:

• Choose a Player Profile. You must do this to start playing Ultimate Sudoku.To enter a player(s) either click an ‘Empty’ profile, click Play, type in name,press Return and start playing, or click on a previously entered name. Tochange from one player to another click the ‘person’ icon, and select a newplayer. To delete a name from the list highlight the name, click the ‘person’icon and click Clear.

• Then select a puzzle type

•

Either select New Puzzle and difficulty level (Easy, Medium, Hard, Devilish),and click Play or select a previously-made puzzle from the list and click Play.Now either print out, or solve on screen as follows:

• To enter a number, select a square using the mouse or directional (cursor)keys and type in a number.



• Hover with the mouse over the buttons on the right to show availablefeatures. These include:

• Select a New Puzzle - gives you the option of saving your

current puzzle

• Reset Puzzle – clears the grid of all your entries

• Print – produces 2 printed worksheets, one containing 4identical grids to help with your working-out and the other giving thesolution

• Undo/Redo - a single step process

• 123/ABC – use this to toggle between numbers and letters

• Generate Pencil Marks Automatically – shows all the possiblenumbers (pencil marks) that could go in each square. To see pencilmark(s) for one square only, right-click the mouse on that square. PressDelete key to remove

• Display Complete Solution – fills in every square on the grid. If you

need just a little help, you can click to reveal one number on the grid• email a puzzle to a friend

• Highlight errors: On/Off - shows a highlighted red square(s)when there is a definite conflict with the same number elsewhere, basedon what you have just entered (e.g. two 8s on the same row). Inaddition, a mauve square(s) shows that this square has no possiblesolution based on your most recent entry. Delete your entry and tryagain. This feature highlights a mistake straightaway to save some

heartache later…

• Gives you the option of playing Ultimate Sudoku to music.

• Change your screen background with a click of the mouse.

• Start/Pause clock – try to beat the clock, or take things easyand pause it …

• Below the buttons are boxes showing Numbers Used. This helpful feature

shows how many times you have used each number on the whole grid; whenthere are no more slots for that number the box turns green.

Solving a puzzle

You don’t have to be good at arithmetic or math! With the exception of Devilish(which requires some guesswork), all Sudoku puzzles are solved purely by logic.

The diagrams below show good ways to start. We are showing mainly an exampleof a Sudoku Classic, but you may prefer to start with a smaller puzzle. The principlesare the same.

Remember, to solve the Sudoku Classic puzzle each row, each column andeach 3 x 3 box must contain the numbers 1 - 9.



Hints

Note: when we say ‘square’ we mean an individual cell on the grid.

Splitting the grid into manageable bitesIt helps to mentally split the grid into thirds, i.e. three blocks of three rows (asshown below) or three blocks of three columns, and work logically through each

third, remembering that each number can only be used once in each row,column and box. Then try the other direction.

5 6 9

7 6 4 1

4 5 6

8 6

9 6 6

6 7 3 9 5

9 7 2 3

1 7 9 7

8 6 2 4 7 1 4 9 1 4 5 3 1 4

In the example above, we can quickly see that the 6 for the top left 3 x 3 box mustbe in the second row. By then checking with columns 1,2 and 3 we can see there is

in fact only one possible square for it.Looking further down the puzzle, we can see there are two possible squares for 6 inthe middle right box. This should be left for now until there are further clues tospecify which square is the correct one.

Looking at each 3 x 3 box as a standalone unitLook at a 3 x 3 box with a small number of empty squares. Ask yourself which

numbers still need to go in the box. Then look for where they could go by checkingthe longer rows and columns.

Pencil marksIf you are already a Sudoku fan, you will know that pencil marks are useful. Thismeans making small notes within a square of the various number possibilities. With

Ultimate Sudoku, you can opt for the computer to insert pencil marks for you at anytime during solving a puzzle. To see pencil marks for one square only, right-click themouse on that square. To see pencil marks for the whole grid click the ‘GeneratePencil Marks Automatically’ button. You then need to look for:



Don’t panic!

If you are so addicted that you are doing this at work – and your boss appears roundthe corner - pressing F1 will minimize the screen in an instant! Phew!

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