Search results
People also ask
What are the rules of Sudoku?
How many digits can a Sudoku puzzle have?
Is Sudoku a math or arithmetical puzzle?
How many solutions can a Sudoku have?
How many clues are in a Sudoku?
How do you solve a Sudoku puzzle?
It depends on the difficulty level. If the number of clues is more than 20, most of the time it has only one solution (but no mathematical support is there). However, if the number of clues is less than 20 (for example: 12, 15, 17), multiple solutions may exist. Share.
Jun 25, 2023 · The objective is simple: fill the entire grid with numbers from 1 to 9, ensuring that no row, column, or region contains duplicate numbers. Remember, each number can only appear once in each region, row and column.
Mathematics can be used to study Sudoku puzzles to answer questions such as "How many filled Sudoku grids are there?", "What is the minimal number of clues in a valid puzzle?" and "In what ways can Sudoku grids be symmetric?" through the use of combinatorics and group theory.
You can't solve a standard sudoku with 6 numbers in it, that's not even one of each digit so you'd have at least three entirely ambiguous digits. I believe the minimum for a solvable sudoku is 17. I would imagine that the answer to your question depends entirely on the finished sudoku given.
- 286.7K
- Notation. Writing down possible numbers for each cell lets you see your options. Since numbers can only appear once in each row, column, and 3 x 3 box in the puzzle, the candidates you can put in the empty squares are limited.
- Sole candidate. If only one number fits in a cell, then it has to go there. After you fill in your notation, you might find some obvious cells to fill in that you missed earlier.
- Naked and hidden pairs. Cells with 2 numbers in the same row, column, or box limit other cells. Check for 2 cells in the same row, column, or box that can only contain the same 2 possible numbers, which is known as a “naked pair.”
- Naked and hidden triples. Triples have only 3 possible numbers that could fit into the 3 cells. All 3 cells have to be in the same row, column, or box.
Why limit yourself to one when sometimes two can do the job? In sudoku we can easily become blind to the obvious. You might look at a box and think there is no way of proving a number because it could go in more than one square, but there are times when the answer is staring you right in the face. Take the sudoku opposite. It’s an example
Point is, despite Sudoku being a number puzzle, there are many ways to solve Sudokus without needing any math or arithmetic. In fact, you could replace the numbers 1 to 9 with some other kind of symbol, such as letters, or even colors, and the fundamental logic of the Sudoku rules would still apply.
