Monday, April 27, 2009

Sudoku Hints: The Secret to Solving the Sudoku

Samurai Sudoku PuzzleImage by wampyrii via Flickr

Are you tired of your boring routine? Do you want a challenging game that will really keep you busy for at least a whole day? Perhaps you want a pastime that will really test your logical skills. Then, why not play the Sudoku game.

For those people who still do not have an idea, Sudoku puzzles are number games of about completing a 9 x 9 grid with numbers. The puzzle also has a 3 x 3 block, which should contain numbers from 1 to 9. The numbers however, must appear only once and not more than that.

In a Sudoku puzzle, any number from 1 to 9 must occur once in each row, column and block. At the start of the puzzle, players are already provided with initial set of numbers. It would be great if there were more numbers already filled in. This is because the lesser numbers provided, the harder it is to start the puzzle and finish it.

A person can be a good player of Sudoku by playing and practicing the game correctly. Once a player familiarizes him/herself with the basics of the puzzle, it is expected that he or she can get advanced techniques and hints. These hints are helpful for the player since it can make the puzzle lighter and easier to do.

When Getting Started

As a player, you must ensure that a good Sudoku challenge is available in front of you – may it be a piece of software on your computer or any free Sudoku sites. The following are some of the best hints ever used in completing the Sudoku puzzle.

• Scanning the Puzzle

Look at each row, column or block which are already filled with numbers. Know which of the numbers are left to be filled in. You can see the numbers used for each line, column or row and eliminate them from the possibilities. See which numbers do no exist yet vertically and horizontally and you can eliminate the possibilities. As you go along, you can just interchange the choices.

• Mark Up your Place

If there are possible numbers remained to be placed in a cell, write them above the cell and return to it again when you have already placed in more numbers. Usually, when more boxes have already been filled in, you can remove other possible numbers in order to have the right number. Slowly but surely you can get the right numbers in. Just be patient, attentive and alert.

• Educated and Careful Guessing

Although in some instances, logic can really be a great help. However, in some point, there is nothing wrong with guessing. When you already have filled in all the possible numbers in the box, use the first two hints. In this way, you will have an idea about the possible numbers that you should put in the remaining empty cells.

Put a possible number in an empty cell and begin working on the other empty cells in the puzzle. In some point, you will know if your guess is correct (which is good for you!) or wrong (too bad, try again). However, you must be careful since you are getting close to completing the entire puzzle.

• Do Not Be Afraid to Ask Experts

It is known that most expert already know a whole lot about Sudoku – from the techniques, solutions, strategies and hints. Remember, they will not be an expert for no reason. This means that they had already solved different levels of the Sudoku game. Therefore, it will not be difficult for them to explain the hints they used every time they play the Sudoku puzzle.

If you want to look for the simpler hints, there are also books and guides that are being offered in the market. These books and guides are useful especially for the beginners who would want to experience the challenge of the Sudoku. Otherwise, you can always visit any Sudoku website and look for the best hints available.

The Sudoku hints given above are only some of the many hints usually used by most Sudoku players. By carefully following them, it is assured that you can start the game easily and end it successfully. As we exercise our body, we should also exercise our brains, Sudoku is a great way to do just that.

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