How To Solve That Sudoku
When you first stare at a Sudoku grid, you will probably think that a billion of your brain cells must be activated in order to complete it. Why not, after all, its a game that has a total of only 81 cells that need to be filled up by the numbers 1 to 9. Having difficulty in staring it? Its much more difficult to actually solve it.
Although the aim is very simple, you will find that the rules make it hard. Many believe that the more numbers filled in on the grid, the easier it is to solve the puzzle. In fact, there are Sudoku puzzles designed to have as many as 35 cells initially filled in, that will still take you hours, or evn days to complete. Sounds unbelievable? But it is true.
In order to fill in the correct number to the blank Sudoku grid, you need to remember two simple yet very important things:
First, you need to keep in mind that Sudoku is not a bunch of trial and error tactics. You must have those logic skills in order to analyze how you will solve. If you just assign a number here and there, later on you’ll end up having to delete most of the numbers you have assigned into those blank cells.
Second, you need to remember the basic rules: a number must not appear twice on any row, column, and sub-grid. Always stick to that rule so that you will reduce the chance of having to check over and over again because you have placed a wrong number in one or more of the cells.
Keeping these points in mind, the next thing to do is to find all of the possible numbers that you can place in each row, column, or sub-grid. As mentioned earlier, before you start the game, some of the cells are already filled up with numbers. These pre-defined cells, or givens, will serve as your hints for placing the remaining numbers in the blank cells.
For instance, suppose the number 8 is initially assigned on the 7th row and the 2nd column before you start solving the game. Applying the rules, it must not appear again in the same row or column. Similarly, it must not appear twice in that sub-grid.
Given this analysis, you will now have a better idea of what numbers can be placed in the blank cells in that particular row, column and sub-grid. Since number 8 is already there, you can eliminate it from the list of possible numbers for those blank cells.
It may be difficult to follow, but it just needs careful analysis in order to complete a Sudoku puzzle in the least time possible. So, get your minds ready, and start filling up that Sudoku grid.
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