Tough Sudoku for 15/July/2010

SER 9.0 for today's tough. IMO, today's puzzle difficulty is slightly overestimated by Sudoku Explainer. Nevertheless, I peaked into the future and could not resist analyzing a puzzle with such a lofty rating.

Since I went through that trouble, it seemed natural to create a blog page about today's tough puzzle. The link should appear close to the top of the right-hand column on this page. Look directly under the admonishment: "Check out the Sudoku Blog" if you wish to peruse my meandering thoughts on today's puzzle.

If you only want to know a solution path, I have two possible paths listed at the end of the new blog page.

Riders of the Purple Sage ...

It doesn't look as if it's rushin' anywhere to me.

A beautiful landscape plant. Like the irises planted against the same wall (yesterday's photo), also very easy to grow in dry soil. The leaves are very resinous and they smell like "Christmas" to me.

Well todays tough was to9o tough for me this time of night... I'm off to bed.

my go, w/o trying to simplify and before peeking at Steve's blog (agree 9.0 rating too high) UP=26

1.(5)c8=b8-(5=7)b5-(7=6)e5-(678=2)e9f78 => c8<>2 UP=33
2.(5)b5=h5-h12=(378)g2h12-(7)c2=c3-HP(29)c39=(9)c8-(5)c8=b8 loop
=> b16h4<>5 h39i1c3<>3 g1c8<>8
3.XYZ chain: (7)g7*=[(7=126)g13h1-(1)g7*=(8)g7*-(48=9)gh8-c8=HP(29)c39-(7)c3=(7)gh3] => g2<>7 UP=39
4.(2=357)a23c2-(7)c3=g3 => g3<>2 UP=81

typo in step 3. (looks simpler as kraken diagram)

3.Kraken Cell(178)g7 => g2<>7
(1)g7 -(126)gh3g1 = (7)gh3
||
(8)g7 -(489=5)cgh8 - (9)c8 = HP(29)c39 - (7)c3 = (7)gh3.

19:44 in order

1.UP=26 w/o quads or other errors
2.(5)c8 = b8 - (5=7)b5 - (7=6)e5 - (678=2)e9f78 => c8<>2 UP=33
3.(5)b5 = h5 - (5=378)g2h12 - (7)c2 = c3 - HP(29)c39 = (9)c8 - (5)c8 = b8 loop
=> b16h4<>5 h39i1c3<>3 g1c8<>8
4.(5)b5 = b8 - (5=9)c8 - c3 = (9-8)b1 = (359)bfh1 => h5<>5 UP=38
5.UR(35)ah12 => a1=8 UP=81

in my first attempt, i mistakenly eliminated (8)c7 instead of (8)c8 from the loop - off course from there. the final solution uses no complicated steps and only 3 chains - max depth 5 for the loop. certainly not a 9.0 puzzle!

mea culpa: solution requires (uses) the kraken after the loop (too much rum last night).

13:47

my last entry here (promise) using only simple steps. UP=26
2.(5)c8 = b8 - (5=7)b5 - (7=6)e5 - (678=2)e9f78 => c8<>2 UP=33
3.(5)b5 = h5 - (5=378)g2h12 - (7)c2 = c3 - HP(29)c39 = (9)c8 - (5)c8 = b8 loop
=> b16h4<>5 h39i1c3<>3 g1c8<>8
4.(267=3)agh3 - (3=578)acg2 => h2<>7
5.(8)g2 = HP(38)h12 - (5)h12 = h5 - b5 = b8 - (8)b8 = gh8 => g7<>8
6.(7=1)g7 - (1=267)gh3g1 => g2<>7 UP=38
7.UR(35)ah12 => a1=8 UP=81

note: steps 6, 7 replace Steve's finned swordfish step; otherwise almost the same.

So pretty against the fence.

SE=9.0