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		| keith 
 
 
 Joined: 19 Sep 2005
 Posts: 3355
 Location: near Detroit, Michigan, USA
 
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				|  Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2011 1:25 am    Post subject: Hard puzzles:  A new source? |   |  
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				| These have been showing up in the Detroit Free Press as "Universal Sudoku Puzzle", part of an ad for a hearing aid place.  My challenge is to do them on paper without pencil marks. 
 I anyone likes this one, I can post more.
 
  	  | Code: |  	  | Puzzle: AD111021 +-------+-------+-------+
 | . 5 . | 1 7 . | . 4 . |
 | 8 . . | . . 5 | 9 . 2 |
 | 2 . . | . . . | . . . |
 +-------+-------+-------+
 | . . 1 | 9 . . | . 6 . |
 | . . . | . . . | . . . |
 | . 7 . | . . 6 | 4 . . |
 +-------+-------+-------+
 | . . . | . . . | . . 5 |
 | 1 . 3 | 6 . . | . . 9 |
 | . 2 . | . 9 7 | . 3 . |
 +-------+-------+-------+
 | 
 Keith
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		| Marty R. 
 
 
 Joined: 12 Feb 2006
 Posts: 5770
 Location: Rochester, NY, USA
 
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				|  Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2011 4:32 am    Post subject: |   |  
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				| I never noticed your comment about pencil marks. I used them and it was basics only. |  | 
	
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		| Pat 
 
 
 Joined: 23 Feb 2010
 Posts: 207
 
 
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				|  Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 9:34 am    Post subject: |   |  
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thanks
 
 it's a 1-move puzzle
 -- the interesting thing is, it has 2 different solution-paths:
 
 c3 "hidden" duo {2,8}(4) c1\b4 this is my chance to ask,
 since the puzzle can be solved without the duo, does it qualify as Hard ?
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		| Marty R. 
 
 
 Joined: 12 Feb 2006
 Posts: 5770
 Location: Rochester, NY, USA
 
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				|  Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 3:55 pm    Post subject: |   |  
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				|  	  | Quote: |  	  | this is my chance to ask, since the puzzle can be solved without the duo, does it qualify as Hard ?
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 I interpret this not to be Hard in the abstract, but equivalent to puzzles on this site with the Hard rating, that do not require advanced moves.
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		| Pat 
 
 
 Joined: 23 Feb 2010
 Posts: 207
 
 
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				|  Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 12:02 pm    Post subject: |   |  
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				|  	  | keith wrote: |  	  | My challenge is to do them on paper without pencil marks. | 
 the textbook example of not using "pencilmarks"
 comes from gsf (2007.Jan.17) --
 
 74.3.9.51.2.....8.5...2...32..6.3..7.........1..2.5..66...3...2.3.....7.95.1.7.38
 
 
  	  | Code: |  	  | 7 4 . | 3 . 9 | . 5 1
 . 2 . | . . . | . 8 .
 5 . . | . 2 . | . . 3
 -------+-------+------
 2 . . | 6 . 3 | . . 7
 . . . | . . . | . . .
 1 . . | 2 . 5 | . . 6
 -------+-------+------
 6 . . | . 3 . | . . 2
 . 3 . | . . . | . 7 .
 9 5 . | 1 . 7 | . 3 8
 
 
 | 
 -- is this considered Medium ? or Hard ??
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		| arkietech 
 
 
 Joined: 31 Jul 2008
 Posts: 1834
 Location: Northwest Arkansas USA
 
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				|  Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 1:32 pm    Post subject: |   |  
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				|  	  | Pat wrote: |  	  | -- is this considered Medium ? or Hard ?? | 
 
 Since it has no sets required to solve it I would call it an Easy.
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		| Pat 
 
 
 Joined: 23 Feb 2010
 Posts: 207
 
 
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				|  Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 1:34 pm    Post subject: |   |  
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				|  	  | arkietech wrote: |  	  |  	  | Pat wrote: |  	  | -- is this considered Medium ? or Hard ?? | 
 Since it has no sets required to solve it I would call it an Easy.
 | 
 well Ruud would agree,
 he has suggested that box-to-line is as easy as "hidden singles"
  	  | Ruud (2006.May.27) wrote: |  	  | When I solve with pen and paper, I can mentally focus on each digit and---
 solve locked pairs [ = box-to-line ] and hidden singles in one sweep
 | 
 
 so i still don't know what Medium means here---
 
 Last edited by Pat on Mon Oct 24, 2011 2:35 pm; edited 1 time in total
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		| arkietech 
 
 
 Joined: 31 Jul 2008
 Posts: 1834
 Location: Northwest Arkansas USA
 
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				|  Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 2:11 pm    Post subject: |   |  
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				|  	  | Pat wrote: |  	  | so i still don't know what Medium means here--- | 
 Medium to me requires a pair or pairs but not triples or higher to solve the puzzle.
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		| Pat 
 
 
 Joined: 23 Feb 2010
 Posts: 207
 
 
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				|  Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 3:30 pm    Post subject: |   |  
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				|  	  | arkietech wrote: |  	  | Medium to me requires a pair or pairs but not triples or higher
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		| arkietech 
 
 
 Joined: 31 Jul 2008
 Posts: 1834
 Location: Northwest Arkansas USA
 
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				|  Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 4:01 pm    Post subject: |   |  
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				|  	  | Pat wrote: |  	  | like these ? 
 [/list]
 | 
 
 Yes on the first. The second has at least a triple and I would classify it as a Hard.
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		| arkietech 
 
 
 Joined: 31 Jul 2008
 Posts: 1834
 Location: Northwest Arkansas USA
 
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				|  Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 8:37 pm    Post subject: |   |  
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				|  	  | Code: |  	  | *-----------* |1..|...|2..|
 |...|3..|.4.|
 |...|.2.|5.6|
 |---+---+---|
 |.3.|4..|...|
 |5..|.7.|1..|
 |..6|..3|.8.|
 |---+---+---|
 |..4|2..|...|
 |.8.|..6|...|
 |7..|.1.|..2|
 *-----------*
 *--------------------------------------------------------------------*
 | 1      56     3578   | 569    4      589    | 2      379    3789   |
 | 68     2      578    | 3      5689   1589   | 789    4      1789   |
 | 4      9      38     | 7      2      18     | 5      13     6      |
 |----------------------+----------------------+----------------------|
 | 89     3      1      | 4      5689   2589   | 679    25679  579    |
 | 5      4      89     | 69     7      289    | 1      2369   39     |
 | 2      7      6      | 1      59     3      | 49     8      459    |
 |----------------------+----------------------+----------------------|
 | 369    1      4      | 2      359    7      | 689    569    589    |
 |*39     8      2      |*59    *359    6      | 479    1579   14579  |
 | 7      56     59     | 8      1      4      | 3      69     2      |
 *--------------------------------------------------------------------*
 What is the next move? other than a triple? (359) is one
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		| keith 
 
 
 Joined: 19 Sep 2005
 Posts: 3355
 Location: near Detroit, Michigan, USA
 
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				|  Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 9:49 pm    Post subject: |   |  
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				| I ran a few of this site's puzzle through Sudoku Susser: 
 EASY:  Naked singles only.
 
 MEDIUM:  Hidden (pinned) singles, box-line intersections.
 
 HARD:  Naked or hidden sets.
 
 I did find a medium that had naked singles only.
 
 October 19 looks to be a pretty good "hard".
 
 Keith
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		| keith 
 
 
 Joined: 19 Sep 2005
 Posts: 3355
 Location: near Detroit, Michigan, USA
 
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				|  Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 12:33 am    Post subject: |   |  
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				|  	  | arkietech wrote: |  	  |  	  | Code: |  	  | *-----------* |1..|...|2..|
 |...|3..|.4.|
 |...|.2.|5.6|
 |---+---+---|
 |.3.|4..|...|
 |5..|.7.|1..|
 |..6|..3|.8.|
 |---+---+---|
 |..4|2..|...|
 |.8.|..6|...|
 |7..|.1.|..2|
 *-----------*
 *--------------------------------------------------------------------*
 | 1      56     3578   | 569    4      589    | 2      379    3789   |
 | 68     2      578    | 3      5689   1589   | 789    4      1789   |
 | 4      9      38     | 7      2      18     | 5      13     6      |
 |----------------------+----------------------+----------------------|
 | 89     3      1      | 4      5689   2589   | 679    25679  579    |
 | 5      4      89     | 69     7      289    | 1      2369   39     |
 | 2      7      6      | 1      59     3      | 49     8      459    |
 |----------------------+----------------------+----------------------|
 | 369    1      4      | 2      359    7      | 689    569    589    |
 |*39     8      2      |*59    *359    6      | 479    1579   14579  |
 | 7      56     59     | 8      1      4      | 3      69     2      |
 *--------------------------------------------------------------------*
 What is the next move? other than a triple? (359) is one
 | 
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 Hidden pair 68 in C5?
 
 Keith
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		| Marty R. 
 
 
 Joined: 12 Feb 2006
 Posts: 5770
 Location: Rochester, NY, USA
 
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				|  Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 1:18 am    Post subject: |   |  
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				|  	  | keith wrote: |  	  |  	  | arkietech wrote: |  	  |  	  | Code: |  	  | *-----------* |1..|...|2..|
 |...|3..|.4.|
 |...|.2.|5.6|
 |---+---+---|
 |.3.|4..|...|
 |5..|.7.|1..|
 |..6|..3|.8.|
 |---+---+---|
 |..4|2..|...|
 |.8.|..6|...|
 |7..|.1.|..2|
 *-----------*
 *--------------------------------------------------------------------*
 | 1      56     3578   | 569    4      589    | 2      379    3789   |
 | 68     2      578    | 3      5689   1589   | 789    4      1789   |
 | 4      9      38     | 7      2      18     | 5      13     6      |
 |----------------------+----------------------+----------------------|
 | 89     3      1      | 4      5689   2589   | 679    25679  579    |
 | 5      4      89     | 69     7      289    | 1      2369   39     |
 | 2      7      6      | 1      59     3      | 49     8      459    |
 |----------------------+----------------------+----------------------|
 | 369    1      4      | 2      359    7      | 689    569    589    |
 |*39     8      2      |*59    *359    6      | 479    1579   14579  |
 | 7      56     59     | 8      1      4      | 3      69     2      |
 *--------------------------------------------------------------------*
 What is the next move? other than a triple? (359) is one
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 Hidden pair 68 in C5?
 
 Keith
 | 
 Unless I'm missing the point here, that's not an answer to Dan's question since your 68 HP is the complement to Dan's 359 triple.
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		| keith 
 
 
 Joined: 19 Sep 2005
 Posts: 3355
 Location: near Detroit, Michigan, USA
 
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				|  Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 5:17 am    Post subject: |   |  
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				| I thought Dan was pointing out the triple in R8, not in C5. 
 If you want to exclude the triples in R8 and C5, there is an X-wing 8 in R35, and another in C15.
 
 Keith
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		| Pat 
 
 
 Joined: 23 Feb 2010
 Posts: 207
 
 
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				|  Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 11:03 am    Post subject: |   |  
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				|  	  | keith wrote: |  	  | Hidden pair {6,8} in c5 | 
 yes
 
 my NQS post is meant to illustrate the trickiest puzzles at that level
 ( box\line, line\box, "hidden" duo, "naked" duo ),
 and that's why i included joel64's puzzle ( 126 # 110 )
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		| Pat 
 
 
 Joined: 23 Feb 2010
 Posts: 207
 
 
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				|  Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 11:30 am    Post subject: |   |  
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				|  	  | keith wrote: |  	  | October 19 looks to be a pretty good Hard 
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 sorry i don't see the puzzle,
 could you post it ?
 
 sounds like the level of puzzle i'd enjoy
 
 
 
 i got the impression that the
experts on this forum
 only care for extra-tough puzzles
 needing "forcing chains" or "forcing nets";
 
 are there any like me,
 who'd enjoy a tricky puzzle
 even if it is only Medium or Hard ?
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		| keith 
 
 
 Joined: 19 Sep 2005
 Posts: 3355
 Location: near Detroit, Michigan, USA
 
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				|  Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 1:15 pm    Post subject: |   |  
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				| Pat, go here: 
 http://www.dailysudoku.com/sudoku/index.shtml
 
 Click on "SuDoku Archive", then select any "Hard" from the "Classic" column.
 
 
  	  | Code: |  	  | Daily Sudoku: Wed 19-Oct-2011 Hard +-------+-------+-------+
 | 9 1 . | 3 4 . | . . . |
 | . . 5 | 8 . . | 3 . . |
 | . . . | 7 . . | . 4 . |
 +-------+-------+-------+
 | 2 . . | . 8 . | . . . |
 | 7 . 6 | . . . | 5 . 4 |
 | . . . | . 9 . | . . 8 |
 +-------+-------+-------+
 | . 9 . | . . 8 | . . . |
 | . . 8 | . . 3 | 1 . . |
 | . . . | . 7 1 | . 8 2 |
 +-------+-------+-------+
 
 | 
 Play this puzzle online at the Daily Sudoku site
 
 Keith
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		| arkietech 
 
 
 Joined: 31 Jul 2008
 Posts: 1834
 Location: Northwest Arkansas USA
 
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				|  Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:00 pm    Post subject: |   |  
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				|  	  | keith wrote: |  	  | I thought Dan was pointing out the triple in R8, not in C5. 
 If you want to exclude the triples in R8 and C5, there is an X-wing 8 in R35, and another in C15.
 | 
 I was just strying to show the puzzle was more than a Medium.
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		| Pat 
 
 
 Joined: 23 Feb 2010
 Posts: 207
 
 
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				|  Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 12:59 pm    Post subject: re: 2011.Oct.19 Hard |   |  
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				|  	  | keith wrote: |  	  | Daily Sudoku: Wed 19-Oct-2011 Hard 
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 thanks, yes, that i can find -- sorry, where you had earlier said i took it to refer to your opening post ( Detroit Free Press ). 	  | Quote: |  	  | I ran a few of this site's puzzles---October 19 looks to be a pretty good "hard" | 
 as for the 2011.Oct.19 Hard -- again i'm confused,
 why is this called Hard ?
 solved with 1 move, b7 "hidden" duo {2,7} -- triple not needed
 
 Last edited by Pat on Wed Oct 26, 2011 2:06 pm; edited 1 time in total
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