| View previous topic :: View next topic | 
	
	
		| Author | Message | 
	
		| Earl 
 
 
 Joined: 30 May 2007
 Posts: 677
 Location: Victoria, KS
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 12:20 pm    Post subject: May 9 DB |   |  
				| 
 |  
				| The May 9 DB is cute.  Two critical steps, both within in a four cell box, using only three numbers! 
 Solution:  w-wing (48) followed by an xy-wing (348).
 
 
 Earl
 
 
 
  	  | Code: |  	  | +-------+-------+-------+
 | . 9 7 | . . . | . . 6 |
 | 2 . . | . . 3 | 1 . . |
 | . 6 . | . . . | 7 5 . |
 +-------+-------+-------+
 | . 1 . | . 4 7 | 6 . . |
 | . . . | 9 . 6 | . . . |
 | . . 6 | 2 5 . | . 4 . |
 +-------+-------+-------+
 | . 4 5 | . . . | . 3 . |
 | . . 9 | 1 . . | . . 8 |
 | 8 . . | . . . | 5 7 . |
 +-------+-------+-------+
 
 | 
 Play this puzzle online at the Daily Sudoku site
 
 Last edited by Earl on Sat May 09, 2009 4:55 pm; edited 1 time in total
 |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		| Louise56 
 
 
 Joined: 21 Sep 2005
 Posts: 94
 Location: El Cajon, California  USA
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 2:28 pm    Post subject: |   |  
				| 
 |  
				| I don't understand the w-wing.  Could someone explain it to me?  Thanks.  |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		| nataraj 
 
 
 Joined: 03 Aug 2007
 Posts: 1048
 Location: near Vienna, Austria
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 3:20 pm    Post subject: |   |  
				| 
 |  
				| in this position 
 
  	  | Code: |  	  | +--------------------------+--------------------------+--------------------------+
 | 134     9       7        | 5       128     248      | 238     28      6        |
 | 2       5       48*      | 67      67      3        | 1       89      49#      |
 | 134     6       34-8     | 48*     1289    2489     | 7       5       234#     |
 +--------------------------+--------------------------+--------------------------+
 | 359     1       23       | 38      4       7        | 6       289     2359     |
 | 3457    378     234      | 9       38      6        | 238     1       2357     |
 | 379     378     6        | 2       5       1        | 389     4       379      |
 +--------------------------+--------------------------+--------------------------+
 | 6       4       5        | 78      2789    289      | 29      3       1        |
 | 37      237     9        | 1       23      5        | 4       6       8        |
 | 8       23      1        | 346     2369    249      | 5       7       29       |
 +--------------------------+--------------------------+--------------------------+
 
 | 
 
 The two ("pincer") cells r2c3 and r3c4  both have the same two candidates {4,8} AND each cells "sees" one end of a strong link (either (4)r2c9=r3c9 or (4)r1c1=r1c6) in one of the two candidates.
 
 The other candidate must be present in at least one of the two pincer cells and therefore ...
 
 Every cell that sees both pincers cannot contain the other candidate ("8").
 
 Why?
 
 Look at r2c3 (one of the pincers)
 If it is 8, the assertion (every cell that sees r2c3 cannot be 8 ) is true
 
 If it is not 8 (but 4), then r2c9 cannot be 4.
 The strong link in col 9 then says r3c9 must be 4
 But then .... r3c4 must be 8
 
 Hope this helps
 |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		| Louise56 
 
 
 Joined: 21 Sep 2005
 Posts: 94
 Location: El Cajon, California  USA
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 5:17 pm    Post subject: |   |  
				| 
 |  
				| Thanks nataraj for a detailed explanation.  I read it a couple of times to understand it.  Its helpful to understand a new technique when its on a puzzle I'm trying to solve. I will try to look for w-wings in the future. 
 How nice to get help all the way from Austria!
 
  |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		| nataraj 
 
 
 Joined: 03 Aug 2007
 Posts: 1048
 Location: near Vienna, Austria
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 7:21 pm    Post subject: |   |  
				| 
 |  
				| yw Louise, 
 indeed it is nice to meet people from across the globe here
   
 Looking for w-wings is easy: the two cells with the same two candidates are usually very obvious. All that remains to do is to look for the connecting strong link.
 
 take care,
 nataraj
 |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		|  |