dailysudoku.com

keith · Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 10:52 pm Post subject: A Scale for Classifying Puzzles

I don't want to go down the slippery slope of puzzle "difficulty", but I think it would be useful to have some kind of scale.

A: Basic methods. Singles, pairs, triples, etc.

B: Add X-wings, XY-wings, and XYZ-wings.

The "Very Hard" puzzles of this site, dailysudoku.com, are B. All others are A.

C. Add Simple Coloring, Swordfish, Skyscrapers, Kites, remote pairs, and W-wings.

D. Add M-wings, transport on the previous wings, multi-coloring, and ER's.

E. Add extended wings, generalized wings, Medusa coloring, and XY-chains not previously included.

F. Anything more.

For each of these levels, add:

#. Basic uniqueness techniques: UR 1-6, BUG+1.

##. Advanced Uniqueness techniques: Hidden UR's, BUG+n.

The basic idea is that we could classify entries in the "Other Puzzles" and the "daj" threads, without giving away the precise techniques needed.

I have the sense that some people are frustrated by puzzles that are too easy, or too difficult, or that require a technique they do not know.

What do you think?

Keith

Marty R. · Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 12:58 am Post subject:

keith · Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 2:55 am Post subject:

daj95376 · Joined: 23 Aug 2008 Posts: 3854

[Withdrawn]

Marty R. · Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 11:00 pm Post subject:

tlanglet · Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 9:27 pm Post subject:

My levels of difficulty are more influenced by the number of digits involved in the technique.

A: Basics

B: After basics, I consider single digit patterns to be the next level of difficulty; i.e., x-wings, ERs, simple coloring, skyscrapers,kites, etc. I do not know where swordfish should go, but Level B is probably the best.

C: The next level would be the bivalues such as xy-wing, w-wings, simple m-wings, remote pairs. I would probably include xyz-wings in this level also along with URs.

At this stage, scaling becomes more fuzzy, but I think simple pincer transport and multi-coloring should be part of Level "C".

D: extended wings, generalized wings, Medusa coloring, general xy-chains and all remaining techniques.

Ted

wapati · Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 4:02 am Post subject:

keith · Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2008 4:10 am Post subject:

keith · Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 3:07 am Post subject:

tlanglet · Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 4:09 am Post subject:

storm_norm · Joined: 18 Oct 2007 Posts: 1741

I totally agree with Keith for his A and B type puzzles especially when it comes to this particular forum.
The puzzles that can be solved with x,xy,xyz-wings have to be considered in the VH range...
BUT
once the puzzle stops and there isn't a x,xy,xyz-wing to advance the puzzle, then the interesting "other" techniques come into play.

I don't think there needs to be more than 4 classifications of puzzles when it comes to this forum and the regulars who read it.
following Keiths lead...

A. basics alone
B. A plus x,xy,xyz-wing solves it.
C. A and B plus Type 1,2,3,4 UR, w-wing, remote pair, m-wing, multicoloring (kite, skyscraper, 2-string kite, turbot fish)
D. A and B and C don't solve it...

the reason I stop there is because all of those techniques have been discussed at length in this forum and therefore constitute a base set of techniques with which to solve a puzzle. once these techniques fail to solve the puzzle then the puzzle has but one other category to go into. Smile

One can make the argument that transports can be included, but that still means that the "extra" step was taken. IMO, this still falls in the last category.