Tough Sudoku for 11/August/2010

I decided to peak into the future at today's puzzle. I have a new blog page regarding some techniques that present themselves well inside today's puzzle. Although the solutions they gravitate towards are probably not the most efficient, they are certainly useful. IMO, research into the patterns/ techniques I present today are a good method to help to devise a plan of attack on many puzzles, including today's puzzle.

The link should appear in the upper right hand column under "check out the sudoku blog".

Thank-you for your forbearance regarding this verbose and lengthy post!

Looks like a beautiful day of reflection on the lake.

A different view of Lake Argyle. The Argyle Diamond Mine isn't too far away!!

Spooky trees

maen all! the trout love to feed at those inlets...nymphs and worms wash in nicely. not too hard today.

1. Basic techniques to UP = 33.
2. (6)g8 = (6-3)g3 = h3 - (3=29)h79 => g8 <> 2, 9 => NP(36)g38 => g56 <> 3
3. loop: (2=5)f8 - e89 = e6 - (5=241)cfg6 - (1=8)f3 - (8=7)b3 - (7=2)b8 =>
acei8 <> 2 ; ei6 <> 2, 4 ; f1 <> 1 ; b1 <> 7 ; then basic techniques to completion.

(About 18:00) Maen! Easier than my time would indicate... Looks swampy!

19:57

A long path:
1)Start at 23,SSTS to UP=33
2)YWS: (6)i8=g8-(6=3)g3-h3=(3)h79,=>i8<>3
3)YWS:(9)d2=d9-h9=(9-6)i8=(6)i2,=>d2<>6,i2< >9.UP=35
4)(3=25)ac9-(2)b8=(2-8)b1=(8-4)f1=f56-(4=3)d5,=>d9<>3.UP=38
5)Loop:(1)e6=f6-( 1=8)g3-(8=7)b3-(7=2)b8-(2=5)f8-f56=(6)e6
=>f1<>1,b1<>7,acei8<>2,e6<>15
6)(12=7)ac2-(7=9)h2-h9=(9-6)i8=(6)i2,=>i2<>2.UP=81

Typo:5)=>e6=15

Step 5 to read:
5)Loop:(1)e6=f6-(1=8)f3-(8=7)b3-(7=2)b8-(2=5)f8-f56=(5)e6,
=>f1<>1,b1<>7,acei 8<>2,e6=15

same as sotir thru step 3, UP=35
4.Kraken Cell(279)h2 => ef8<>2, UP=81.
(2)h2-h7=e7
||
(7)h2-ac2=b13-(7=2)b8
||
(9)h2-(49=2)g12-b1=b8.

note - solved w/o loops.

sotir: you can achieve your step 4 with the simpler:
(3=2)e7-(2=5)f8-e89=e6 => e6<>3.

UP=33
6 X-Wing (de24) => i2<>6 UP=81
There were a lot of moves in this puzzle bu all I needed was one.

just noticed step 3 unecessary:
1.UP=33
2.(6)i8=g8-(6=3)g3-h3=(3)h79 => i8<>3
3.Kraken Cell(279)h2 => ef8<>2, UP=81.
(2)h2-h7=e7
||
(7)h2-ac2=b13-(7=2)b8
||
(9)h2-(49=2)g12-b1=b8.

Bud: that isn't an X-Wing because of (6)e3.

I went back a tried to resolve it and the X-Wing wasn't there. I had thrown out a bunch of moves the first time and that's probably why the error occured. Sorry

Thanks farpointer.
Regards,Sotir

(just read Steve's blog and was amazed to find my kraken covering almost the same ground)

11:49

rwm:
I enjoyed reading your continuous loop step. I think that the (5)e89 ..==..(1)f6 relationship is the type of one that is frequently missed.

1.Given UP=23. UPs at b9, i9, b7, c7, a6, b6, a4, h4, g2 & a1. UP=33.
2. If d7-3, then e7=1, e6=3. h7=2, locked 5 at f56, f8=2=b1, f1=8, pairs 45 at f56 which leaves d5 blank. So d7<>3, but d7=1. UP=34.
3.If h7=3, then e7=2, g3=3, i2=6=g8=e3=d4, f8=5=e6, pairs 13 at fi6, f6=1, f5=2, f1=4 which leaves bottom right bock without 4.So h7<>3.
4. If h9=3, then h7=2, g=3, i2=6, b8=2, leavng 5 to fit both a9 and c9. So h9<>3. From this it follows that h3=3 and UP=81.

SE=8.4