Original grid

10

9
13

6
12

7
9
7

7
1

10

16

11

16

12
5

12
8

15

14

10

11

13

13

1
4

12

7
8

16

11

16

1
11

10

13

Instructions and suggestions

1. Enter the given clues in the above grid. Don't change the formulas in columns T-W. Note that for any correct solution,
U, V, and W must be 136.

2. Click on the "Try your luck" button. This will solve some puzzles immediately. If this doesn't solve the puzzle complete
At any point, you can always click on "Try your luck" again.

3. Click on the "Add textboxes" button to add a textbox to the top of each blank cell. For each such cell, the textbox wi
a single number that could go in the cell, that number is entered, and the cell is colored yellow, just so that you can see t
disappears.

Instructions and suggestions

1. Enter the given clues in the above grid. Don't change the formulas in columns T-W. Note that for any correct solution,
U, V, and W must be 136.

2. Click on the "Try your luck" button. This will solve some puzzles immediately. If this doesn't solve the puzzle complete
At any point, you can always click on "Try your luck" again.

3. Click on the "Add textboxes" button to add a textbox to the top of each blank cell. For each such cell, the textbox wi
a single number that could go in the cell, that number is entered, and the cell is colored yellow, just so that you can see t
disappears.

4. Click on the "Create copy" button to copy the current contents of the grid to the grid on the right (that starts in colum
original grid, and if you mess anything up, you can click on the "Restore grid..." button to restore the original grid to the w
texbox in a blank cell indicates that either 2 or 4 must go in that cell. At this point, create a copy of the grid so that you ca
the puzzle can be solved from that point. If you run into an inconsistency, restore the grid and try the 4 instead (which mu

The puzzle shown here was taken from http://www.dailysudoku.co.uk/sudoku/archive.shtml?type=monster. Note that it u
with 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16, respectively. You should too. My VBA program searches through the numbers 1 to 16

12

13

3
1
10

Digit

# filled in

10

12

10

14

11

12

14

13

14

15

16

11

13

16

12

3
15
7
13

10
8

1
5

8
1

2
7
5
7
13

13
14
4

12
16

e that for any correct solution, all counts in column T must be 16, and all sums in columns

sn't solve the puzzle completely, try steps 3 and/or 4 below to fill in one or more blank cells.

each such cell, the textbox will include all numbers that could go in the cell. If there is only
llow, just so that you can see the progress. If you then click on "Try your luck", the yellow

e that for any correct solution, all counts in column T must be 16, and all sums in columns

sn't solve the puzzle completely, try steps 3 and/or 4 below to fill in one or more blank cells.

each such cell, the textbox will include all numbers that could go in the cell. If there is only
llow, just so that you can see the progress. If you then click on "Try your luck", the yellow

n the right (that starts in column Z). That way, you can experiment with changes in the
estore the original grid to the way it was when you copied it. For example, suppose a
copy of the grid so that you can backtrack if necessary. Then enter a 2 in the cell and see if
and try the 4 instead (which must be correct). This is efficient trial and error!

ml?type=monster. Note that it uses the symbols A, B, C, D, E, F, and 0. I've replaced these
es through the numbers 1 to 16. It wouldn't recognize the symbols A through F or 0.

Row sum Col sum Box sum

Copy of grid

60

56

39

10

67

11

54

44

79

65

66

46

79

25

63

42

57

82

44

16

43

34

51

50

49

38

56

56

49

12

65

26

61

46

73

37

31

57

51

47

53

62

47

64

69

73

29

59

63

62

40

13
7

15

14
13
1

2
11

16

7
8

16

3
6

10

6
12

12

10

13

11

10

13

10

13

12

10
8

13
9

12
1
11

11

16

15

16

12

11

5
5

13

13

14
4

14

12
16

8
9

12
14

13