How to Fill in that Sudoku Puzzle
Sudoku is an addicting logic-based puzzle game, but you might have to spend most of your day solving it. Today, it is played in most parts of the world, and Sudoku game designers produce Sudoku puzzles of different variations and complexities as well, making the game more exciting. However, Sudoku can be difficult and tricky as well, and that is why you need a lot of patience and determination in solving this puzzle game.
You will probably start your Sudoku game by staring at the puzzle for a few minutes. A Sudoku grid, is composed of 81 cells in a grid of 9 rows and 9 columns, with 9 3×3 subgrids. At the start of the game some cells are filled with numbers from 1 to 9, but most of the cells are blank.
The number of cells that are initially filled will affect the difficulty and complexity of the puzzle. However, there is no guarantee that with more cells filled, the puzzle is easier to solve, as difficulty ultimately depends on the placement of the numbers.
You need to place the numbers 1 to 9 into the remaining blank cells of the puzzle following the rule that “each digit must only appear once on each row, column, and subgrid”. For instance, if you have already placed the number 4 on the 8th row and 2nd column, that number should not appear twice on that particular row,column or subgrid. These rules make completing a Sudoku puzzle take some time.
How can you fill in the numbers the blank cells in your Sudoku grid?
Here are some of the basic strategies you can use:
- Always keep in mind the rule of the Sudoku puzzle game in order to have focus and direction in solving it. Since you know that a number can’t appear twice in a row, column or subgrid, you can use this as a hint in considering other numbers to be filled in.
- When solving a Sudoku puzzle, you should prioritize searching for possibilities. These are the numbers that might possibly be placed in the blank cells. If you make a note of the possibilities by marking up the cell, you will find it easier to figure out the correct number for each cell.
- Start working with the numners 1 to 9. Since there are already numbers in some cells, can use thess as a clue in your search for other missing numbers.
- If you get confused, go back and check each number you have already filled in. This will give you a hint whether you have missed a number or made an error.
You can find Sudoku puzzles in the newspaper and on the internet. You can either play Sudoku online or download and print it. Whichever you choose, make sure that you have strategies to fill those blank cells and you will not be disappointed.
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