Why are some Sudoku puzzles harder than others?

It is the number of logic decisions, their redundancy and their complexity which determines how hard the puzzle is going to be.

What determines the difficulty of a Sudoku puzzle?

The scores for each puzzle are determined not just by how many cells there are to fill in, but also how many different techniques it takes to complete them, and how many times each one is used.

What are the different levels of Sudoku puzzles?

Each column, row, and region must contain the numbers 1 to 9 exactly once. Below there are sudoku puzzles for all levels—easy, medium, hard, and extra hard—so both kids and adults will find something to work on.

Which Sudoku is the hardest?

Expert Sudoku is a game for experienced Sudoku players with a very high level of difficulty. This hardest Sudoku puzzle is characterized by the fact that only a few numbers are shown in the Sudoku square, which consists of 9 small squares, where the cells are located 3x3.

Are there unsolvable Sudoku puzzles?

Realistically, no! There are 6,670,903,752,021,072,936,960 possible solvable Sudoku grids that yield a unique result (that's 6 sextillion, 670 quintillion, 903 quadrillion, 752 trillion, 21 billion, 72 million, 936 thousand, 960 in case you were wondering). That's way more than the number of stars in the universe.

Techniques for Hard Sudoku

What is an evil Sudoku puzzle?

What is Sudoku Evil? Sudoku evil is a 9×9 grid sudoku puzzle with the highest possible level of difficulty. It's an advanced level only for experienced sudoku solvers.

Is Sudoku a brain puzzle?

Taking a stab at Sudoku is another working-memory training activity. It's like chess — while you're making a move, you have to think three or four steps ahead to your next move. And that's good exercise for the brain.

Is Sudoku high IQ?

From this case study it can be concluded that an individual who is skilled at solving Sudoku puzzles likely has a high general IQ. The results of the weak correlation between Sudoku scores and the WAIT test indicates that in some cases a high Sudoku doesn't necessarily mean a high general IQ.

What is the 45 rule in Sudoku?

The 45 rule is a basic solving-technique in Killer Sudoku. Each house (row, column, nonet) must add to 45 (the sum of the digits 1 through 9).

What kind of person is good at Sudoku?

Orderly, Methodical Mind

The best Sudoku players know how to cut through the visual clutter of a Sudoku grid and start scanning immediately for the most valuable clues and information that they need – they know how to apply a process to the Sudoku grid where they can see which places are the most promising.

What is the rule of 3 Sudoku?

If three candidates can be found in only the same three Cells of a region (Row, Column or Square), then one of these candidates is the solution for the first of these Cells, a second one is the solution for the second Cell and the last candidate is the solution for the third Cell.

What is the hidden triple rule in Sudoku?

"Hidden triples" applies when three cells in a row, column, or 3x3 block contain the same three Notes. These three cells also contain other candidates, which may be removed from them.

What is the best order to solve Sudoku?

The easiest way starting a Sudoku puzzle is to scan rows and columns within each triple-box area, eliminating numbers or squares and finding situations where only a single number can fit into a single square. The scanning technique is fast and usually sufficient to solve easy puzzles all the way to the end.

How long does it take the average person to solve a Sudoku puzzle?

It is believed that the average Sudoku player spends approximately 20 minutes solving a typical Sudoku puzzle. For very hard puzzles, that number can be much higher. While the game itself can be challenging and complex, several strategies can be used successfully to find the solution.

How long does it take the average person to solve a hard Sudoku puzzle?

The average person takes more than a few minutes to solve a Sudoku. It requires patience, time, and attention. If you're not very patient by nature, you will likely find yourself very disappointed and annoyed with the game.

What is the average time to solve a hard Sudoku?

Normally it takes 4–6 minutes, but the really hard ones sometimes take 15 minutes to be solved.

What is Sudoku rule of 1?

Rule 1 - Each row must contain the numbers from 1 to 9, without repetitions. The player must focus on filling each row of the grid while ensuring there are no duplicated numbers. The placement order of the digits is irrelevant. Every puzzle, regardless of the difficulty level, begins with allocated numbers on the grid.

Is 6 minutes good for Sudoku?

5 minutes is more than enough time to jump start your brain, re-evaluate your Sudoku strategy, and develop a new perspective on how to view the Sudoku grid. So “take 5” and give yourself a new chance at solving Sudoku puzzles!

What is the rule of two in Sudoku?

The game of Sudoku consists of a grid of nine rows and nine columns subdivided into nine 3x3 subgrids. It has two basic rules: Each column, each row, and each box (3x3 subgrid) must have the numbers 1 to 9. No column, row or box can have two squares with the same number.

What will happen if I play Sudoku everyday?

Sudoku keeps your brain active and reduces the risk of Alzheimer's, a most common cause of dementia that affects a person's thinking and behavioural skills. Stimulates your mind: The game works on your logical thinking process as you are absorbed in solving a puzzle and eventually improve your number skills.

What is the smartest way to play Sudoku?

Does Sudoku help with memory?

Sudoku is a great game to help improve memory. Why? It's because Sudoku normally works with a set of numbers that go in certain places. Once you learn where the numbers go and how to work them in it is a matter of remembering what you need to do in order to win.

Is there math behind Sudoku?

To solve a Sudoku puzzle, one needs to use a combination of logic and trial-and-error. More math is involved behind the scenes: combinatorics used in counting valid Sudoku grids, group theory used to describe ideas of when two grids are equivalent, and computational complexity with regards to solving Sudokus.

Does Sudoku prevent dementia?

“Just sitting down and doing Sudoku isn't probably going to be the one key thing that's going to prevent you from developing Alzheimer's disease,” she said. Moreover, doing only one type of puzzle or another is not the key either. The brain needs to be exercised, just like any other muscle in the body.