Why can I never complete a simple soduku grid?

Question

I am not really stupid, usually get the numbers on 'Countdown' do loads of crosswords aand play chess. I cannot get to grips with soduko is there a secret?

Answer 1

I also find sudoku hard going and I consider myself quite numerate because I'm an accountant

I don't think it's about intelligence (cos it's only 1-9!) but it's more about the logic and patience. My logic is OK but the patience part sucked!

My conclusion when I see people play this on the train home in the evening, is that their day was not very hard, cos if it was, they wouldn't be punishing themselves with this puzzle.

I cannot believe that people find it very relaxing

Don't feel like a failure just because you can't do one - I certainly don't!

Answer 2

No 'secret' as such. The thing to remember is that math skills have nothing todo with it.

There are multiple ways of doing it, my prefered method is to scan the grid starting at 1 and working up, trying to place as many of a single number as I can before I go to the next number. Solving basic grids like that tends to take a little over 10 minutes for me.

Also, your question suggests you have access to UK television. At the moment BBC2 is showing a Sudoku based quizshow, Sudo-Q at 6pm weekdays, which may have one of the worst puns in history for the title, but the format of the show might help you pick up the basics of how to solve Sudoku.

If you can afford £3 per month, the BBC produce a magazine called MindGames which not only has a few pages of Sudoku in (ranging from 'easy' upwards), along with crosswords which you say you do loads of, but provides a short step by step guide to various strategies that can help getting started each month.

Alternatively, try Kakuro since you indicated you're decent at maths, and Kakuro is a fusion of maths and logic.

Answer 3

I think one of the first breakthroughs is to realise that each square belongs to a row, a column AND also a block of 9. So, if you look along a row, for example, and see it needs, say, a 1, then any block of nine with a 1 in already, can't supply the 1 in that row...

You are not stupid, things like this aren't easy at all. A lot of people (often those who did mathematics degrees) mistake knowing what other pepole have figured out with personal talent....

Answer 4

I t took me some time to get my brain round Soduku. I'm not bad at maths but I couldn't work out how to do it even after reading the various how to guides. I gave up for a while but then tried again and suddenly it all started making sense. I think my real breakthrough was getting a version on my PDA where I could find out answers if I got too frustrated. Once I lost the frustration I started being able to do it.

Answer 5

There isn't really a secret. One has to count in each square, in each row. It's hard to explain this way, but it's easy to show. I've learned to get better at it with practice. Some do seem to be rather tricky. Keep at it. Be patient with yourself. I did it faster when I played my free hour on sampling it on.line. Try that.

Answer 6

Yes, it's easy, but describing how is not so simple.
Yahoo used to have a help page for getting started in solving Sudoku...in the Games section.

Answer 7

Think about each individual number from1 to 9, and think about where they can be placed on the grid, knowing that each line and square contains each number from 1 to 9. Think about which numbers can possibly be in a certain square, There will be at least one square where only one number will be possible, especially in a simple sudoku. Good luck...!

Answer 8

If you look at the easiest lines first - there are only 2 or 3 possible numbers that will go in those squares - write the possibles in - in pencil and then continue until you can cross out the ones that are wrong. The one you have left is the right one.

Answer 9

Its easy, each square has the numbers 1 to 9 in it, as does each line across and down, you just need to make sure that no line or square has the same number twice. If you work with one number at a time it comes together quite quickly. I love them and so do my 13 yr old daughter and 8 yr old son.

Answer 10

it has nothing to do with math or numbers. It is just logic. DEvelop a strategy-here is what I do. First, go through each number and see if you can fill in any boxes. Do this twice. Second, got to each 9-squared box and see if you can fill in any of hte blanks - usually ones that have 5 or 6 or more numbers already in them are easier to figure out. Third-go line by line, both horizontal and vertical. At this point, you can go through number by number again to see if you can fill in anymore. If you get stuck, then you have to pick a single square and by the process of elimination figure out what number goes there. Keep going from box to box until you find one that you can fill in - usually this will allow you to fill in other numbers. Lastly-just keep trudging away until you are done!