OK, Sudoku mavens....

[SteveDallas]

I'm stuck here. Can anyone see a move?

8 7 3  _ 6 2  _ _ 5
9 1 _  _ 7 _  _ 8 _
4 2 _  _ 9 _  _ _ 3

5 9 7  _ 2 _  4 1 6
2 4 1  6 5 9  8 3 7
3 6 8  _ 1 _  5 2 9

7 8 2  _ 4 _  3 _ 1
1 3 _  _ 8 _  _ 5 _
6 5 _  2 3 1  _ _ 8

[classicman]

I love a good sudoku, and have come across more than one that was unfinishable.
According to my cheater program it is finishable, but it still may require a guess which I don't like. As I'm sure you are aware, thats not supposed to happen.

post the original and I'll see what I can do.

[TheMercenary]

I ve been working on it but I don't see anything yet either.

[monster]

I'd like to see the original too

[TheMercenary]

Original should be the bold numbers.

[Razzmatazz13]

I'll be of no help...this is the only sudoku I've ever been able to complete...

http://xkcd.com/74/

[monster]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Original should be the bold numbers.

that's an awful lot but maybe I'm not reading it right -the nold and not bold are not terribly distinct to me.

no matter. I really want to play Pirates (just watched Pirates of the carribean 3), so may pack it in in a minute

[classicman]

I can't tell which are bold at all, guess I need a new monitor

[monster]

third row eighth column is 7

...because it can either be 6 or 7, if it's 6 then r3c3 is 5, r3c6 is 8, r3c4 is 1, r1c4 is 4, r1 c8 is 9 which leaves no possibility for r7c8 (6 or 9)

[monster]

baby steps

[monster]

SPOILER rest of solution follows, I think



that means r7c8 is 6
r7c6 is 5, r7c4 is 9

r8c4 is 7, r6c4 is 4

r1c4 is 1, r1c7 is 9, r1c8 is 4, r9c8 is 9, r9c7 is 7, r9c3 is 4, r8c3 is 9, oh hell, i think it's done, wait a mo and I'll post the lot or at least what i got in grid form

[monster]

8 7 3 * 1 6 2 * 9 4 5
9 1 5 * 3 7 4 * 6 8 2
4 2 6 * 5 9 8 * 1 7 3
****************
5 9 7 * 8 2 3 * 4 1 6
2 4 1 * 6 5 9 * 8 3 7
3 6 8 * 4 1 7 * 5 2 9
****************
7 8 2 * 9 4 5 * 3 6 1
1 3 9 * 7 8 6 * 2 5 4
6 5 4 * 2 3 1 * 7 9 8




did i fuck up?

[classicman]

I thought you did, but closed the window I was working in and punted - sorry.
You're solution seems valid to me.

Ran it through again - You're a winner!!!!

[monster]

I so rock. I knew that brain would come in handy one day.

*happy dance*

[SteveDallas]

Originally Posted by monster

third row eighth column is 7

...because it can either be 6 or 7, if it's 6 then r3c3 is 5, r3c6 is 8, r3c4 is 1, r1c4 is 4, r1 c8 is 9 which leaves no possibility for r7c8 (6 or 9)

Very clever! I often just throw up my hands at this point.. it's too close to guessing. But my experience is once you're at this point, you usually only have to figure out one number and the rest of it will fall apart.

The original numbers are supposed to be bold. The difference doesn't show much though. Here is the original:

_ _ _  _ _ 2  _ _ 5
_ 1 _  _ 7 _  _ 8 _
4 _ _  _ 9 _  _ _ 3

5 _ _  _ _ _  4 _ _
2 _ _  6 _ _  _ _ 7
_ _ 8  _ 1 _  _ _ 9

7 _ _  _ 4 _  _ _ 1
_ 3 _  _ 8 _  _ 5 _
6 _ _  2 _ _  _ _ _

FYI this is from Numberz, a PalmOS Sudoku application. It is rated as "insane"--I usually do Expert, but they are right next to each other and I apparently clicked the wrong button this time!