31 March 2008

Sucked into Sudoku!

Last summer, while camping with all the family, my sister-in-laws introduced me to the wonderful world of Sudoku! They took mercy on me and let me borrow their Sudoku books to do a random puzzle poorly (they are so cool, they were doing them in pen!). I didn't have too much leisure time since I was a single parent that week (and yes, there were lots of people willing to help, but the Sita would scream if anyone other than her Grandpa or I would touch her) and sudoku isn't that easy to do by campfire. Or, more accurately, I'd rather be eating s'mores or those wicked croissant with melted chocolate and marshmallow confections (trust me, they're fifty times better than s'mores).

I got home and quickly got my own Sudoku book, but got rather frustrated with how slow I was at getting them done. While unearthing my bedroom floor, I found it again, and since Sudoku-ing is much more interesting than excavating, I've been trying to achieve Sudoku greatness!

I now share with you my Sudoku lore:

1)Starting with the number 1, fill in as many numbers as you can deduced from the given numbers - if you narrow it down to 2 squares within the smaller square of 9 squares, write the number in the top left corner of both squares.

2)Once you've gone thru the number 9 over the whole puzzle, then start focusing on the small groups of nine squares and fill in what you can.

3)After you've done all nine squares of nine, starting at the top row of 9, try to fill the numbers in by starting at one and going up to nine. Go down all the rows. If you can fill in a number, check to see if that can change anything else and then go back to the next number in that row. If you can narrow it down to 2 square in that row, write the number in the lower right hand corner of the squares.

4)After you've finished the rows, start on the columns. Again, if you narrow a number's potential position down to two sqaures, write the number in the lower left hand corner of the square.

5)If you've been writing the numbers in the corner after you've narrowed it down to 2 squares, you'll find that you hit a point where all you have to do is hop from square to square to finish the puzzle quickly! Plus, with all the corner writing, you won't get so frustrated about not being able to write a number in for a long time!

You are henceforth Sudoku masters! Go forth and enumerate!

7 comments:

the romgi said...

I'm so happy that my croiss'more made it onto your blog! they were pretty awesome there.

Tristen said...

Jena: It's amazing that you posted about sudoku because just this week I've picked up my old Sudoku books (haven't done them since in labor with Avery) and it's been a new fascination this week. Amen that Sudoku is much more fun than excavation. Both Ken and I have been doing them over Spring Break, now we take puzzles of the same difficulty and race. Amazingly I have won twice but the truth is that he's faster at them generally and can do the hard ones. I don't like to do the hard ones, I guess my brain is getting soft.

Recession Cone said...

One of my favorite things about 'spoza's Sudoku habit is annoying her by solving her Sudoku puzzles instantly with my Sudoku scripts. Available for all and sundry here.

Julie C said...

I had to read that last comment out loud ... I'm still hearing evil laughter from my other half over the "Sudoku scripts".

I really love Sudoku. Whether pen/pencil & paper, pocket PC, handheld electronic sudoku, www.websudoku.com, or the entertaining ones at www.killersudokuonline.com.

Sposita said...

romgi: those things are wicked, but you deserve credit for them!

tris: that is very funny. i don't think i'd ever try to compete with bryan (see his comment below!)

Recession Cone: spozo, i know you just do it to see my pouty face. it's amazing what lengths you will go thru to get it!

julie: i hear very similar evil laughter from my other half as well.

Cindy said...

So I'm assuming you haven't read the tips to solve them WITHOUT the corner writing?? I used to do it the slow way (a.k.a. corner writing) as well until Scott saw an airline magazine that changed our Sudoku lives. I don't feel like typing it all out here, but bring me your book and I'll show you!

Lady Steed said...

Sudoku?! PHPPPTTTTTTT!!!!

I'd much rather be attempting a crossword puzzle....sure I'm not very good at crossword but at least sometimes I discover that I actually know something. Which leaves me feeling good about myself instead of feeling like a total idiot after failing a Sudoku puzzle.