Nutter said:
Would you consider this a puzzle:
x + y = 4, where x and y are integers
???
If so, it has multiple solutions, known in math as a "solution set".
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Sudoku
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Would you consider this a puzzle:
x + y = 4, where x and y are integers
???
If so, it has multiple solutions, known in math as a "solution set".
In Scotland you get a free newspaper (called Metro) at train stations etc. I usually get a Metro paper (which has a SuDuKu puzzle (easy on a Monday, progressing to much harder on a Friday)) when I'm on my way to Uni (Irvine to Glasgow) which takes around 35 minutes and I try and solve the SuDuKu puzzles in that time frame.
I haven't done one in a while though, but I enjoy them. I like the fact that they are such an easy idea (simply a grid with numbers) and no matter how impossible it looks it is just a matter of finding the solution. With a crossword for example, you either know the answer or you don't.
I haven't done one in a while though, but I enjoy them. I like the fact that they are such an easy idea (simply a grid with numbers) and no matter how impossible it looks it is just a matter of finding the solution. With a crossword for example, you either know the answer or you don't.
This thread is now a year old, so I thought I'd wake it up.
I still love doing Sudoku puzzles, and I've solved every one in the Los Angeles Times since last June, including all of those that piled up while I was on my trip to Japan last fall. There are 8 of them in our newspaper each week because they publish 2 on Sundays.
I also have 4 paperback books full of Suzoku puzzles, so if I'm not near a computer or newspaper I can take some along.
With the tougher puzzles, I make marks in or around the puzzle, such as noting that a 3 must be in one of two squares or that a 2 must be in the middle column of a particular square. If the puzzle is rated easy/gentle, I make it a bit harder by not allowing myself to write any of those marks. I'm only allowed to write in a number when I'm sure where it goes.
Are the rest of you still enjoying Sudoku puzzles?
I still love doing Sudoku puzzles, and I've solved every one in the Los Angeles Times since last June, including all of those that piled up while I was on my trip to Japan last fall. There are 8 of them in our newspaper each week because they publish 2 on Sundays.
I also have 4 paperback books full of Suzoku puzzles, so if I'm not near a computer or newspaper I can take some along.
With the tougher puzzles, I make marks in or around the puzzle, such as noting that a 3 must be in one of two squares or that a 2 must be in the middle column of a particular square. If the puzzle is rated easy/gentle, I make it a bit harder by not allowing myself to write any of those marks. I'm only allowed to write in a number when I'm sure where it goes.
Are the rest of you still enjoying Sudoku puzzles?
Yup. I bought a paperback book for my boyfriend's landlady. She loves board games and such-- she's sucked in now! Every time I see her, she starts talking about sudoku.Doctor Q said:
I'm too poor to buy myself a book.
Gonna need one for the long family vacation to Greece this summer, though.
I usually do the ones in the paper, on the tram on the way home from uni. I also employ Doctor Q's method of writing things on the side - helps to keep track of things. Lately I've started doing the ones which have several puzzles connected to each other.
I have Sudoku on my phone now and I play it probably once a day on "Extreme" or whatever... I never pencil things in though because I'm lazy. I also have Brain Age for the DS which has Sudoku and I've completed all the beginner and intermediate ones... now onto expert... I haven't done expert yet mainly due to time but I'll get there... I find them fun but thus far I haven't really found them to be very hard... I'd say on average they take about 15 minutes max to solve.
I also bought a book on how to program a Sudoku game in Visual Basic. I'm going to try to make a Mac version of it... I know there are already some on the Mac but it's more just for personal learning.
I also bought a book on how to program a Sudoku game in Visual Basic. I'm going to try to make a Mac version of it... I know there are already some on the Mac but it's more just for personal learning.
This thread just popped up to the top, so maybe these were mentioned, but www.printsudoku.com has some cool free printable PDF puzzle books for free, with solutions, in 3 or 4 difficulty levels. Also, www.websudoku.com will generate a "random" puzzle of a level of your choice and let you print it out. No solution included, but you can look that puzzle up and plug your answer in if you want to verify it.devilot said:Yup. I bought a paperback book for my boyfriend's landlady. She loves board games and such-- she's sucked in now! Every time I see her, she starts talking about sudoku.
I'm too poor to buy myself a book.
Both great sites, and you could easily put together a nice little book for your trip for free.
EDIT: For the record, I am fairly quick with the puzzles, being pretty new to them... I actually mark possible numbers all around the edges of each square and then write in a big number when I figure it out. A bit slower than other methods, but I can play at work in little 60 seconds intervals that way and not lose my place.
Oooh! That's an awesome site! Bookmarked, thanks! (Hee, I think I have it bookmarked on my iBook but not my iMac.mrgreen4242 said:...www.printsudoku.com has some cool free printable PDF puzzle books for free, with solutions, in 3 or 4 difficulty levels.
Both great sites, and you could easily put together a nice little book for your trip for free.
)
I've done a few and liked them, but if I did them regularly, I'd write a program to solve them for me. I'm shocked that, as a fellow programmer, you wouldn't do the same.Doctor Q said:
My uncle & I have speed Sudoku competitions when I visit him in Aberdeen. It annoys my aunt no end, b/c we're both abysmal with money (she's a financial executive) but we can do difficult sudoku puzzles in a few minutes.
www.websudoku.com is pretty good. Lets you play 4 different levels and even has a "newspaper" option where you can put in numbers when you have narrowed it down to 2 squares or such.
You may unshock. I did write a Sudoku-solver program, just for the fun of it. But when it's time to solve the daily puzzle, I grab a pencil instead.jsw said:I've done a few and liked them, but if I did them regularly, I'd write a program to solve them for me. I'm shocked that, as a fellow programmer, you wouldn't do the same.
Sudoku anyone?
http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/games/sudokuwidget.html
What do you think about the game?
What is your fastest time?
Do you prefer paper over dashboard?
http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/games/sudokuwidget.html
What do you think about the game?
What is your fastest time?
Do you prefer paper over dashboard?
The woman is freaking obsessed with Sudoku. She has this Sudoku book and just pencils things in for what seems like forever.
Give me Scrabble, thanks.
Give me Scrabble, thanks.
Hmmm well I searched for Sudoku and didn't find any in OSX Applications... I'll have to take a look.
I'm a newbie and enjoy the 9x9s!
I'm a newbie and enjoy the 9x9s!
thedude110 said:The woman is freaking obsessed with Sudoku. She has this Sudoku book and just pencils things in for what seems like forever.
Give me Scrabble, thanks.
This woman?
celebrian23 said:
Hahaha. Too many squares! I enjoy it though when I'm on a roll.
Listening to Jimi Hendrix tends to help (?)
Im completly obsessed with Sudoku. I play it on Brain Age all the time, nearly have all the puzzles done. I think the fastest ive done one is just under 5 minutes. Sometimes i forget the 3 rules and screw up a whole game. but its cool.