TIPS ON SOLVING 1Sudoku PUZZLES These tips are extracted from the following guide books:

1. 1Sudoku. Centerpiece 1 by Lim Teck Guan 2. Art of Sudoku #2. Solving the ultimate puzzle by TeeGee
Rule of 45 It is to be noted that the sum of all the numbers in the squares in a Row or a Column or a Block of a Sudoku Grid is 45 given by (9+8+7+6+5+4+3+2+1). Extra Arising from the Rule of 45, we develop the concept of Extra (E). An extra is formed when we get a square protruding from the cages within a Row or a Column or a Block. Refer to FIG.1,

FIG.1 Example of an Extra Observe the shaded cages in the top Row. We note the extra protrusion into Row 2. This protrusion is called an Extra (E). Summing up all the shaded cages, we have 14+9+18+12=53. Applying the rule of 45, we can deduce that E=53 -45=8. Shortie The converse is a Shortie(S). In this case, the answer to a square is needed to complete the rule of 45 within a Row, Column or Block. Refer to FIG.2

FIG.2 Example of a Shortie Observe the shaded cages in the top Row. We note the unshaded square in the same Row. This unshaded square is called a Shortie (S). Summing up all the shaded cages, we have 14+7+8+7=36. Applying the rule of 45, we can deduce that S=45 -36=9. Now, we do not only solve the shortie but also determine a component of cage 28.

Note. *When only one square extra is formed the solution to the extra is unique. *When two or more square extras are formed then the extras are combinations of possibilities. *When an extra is formed from cages in one Row, Column or Block then 45 is to be deducted from the total of the relevant cages. *When the extra is formed from two Rows, Columns or Blocks, then 90 is to be deducted and if three Rows, Columns or Blocks are involved then 135 is to be deducted. *The same principle applies to the Shorties. Combination of Extra and Shortie FIG.3 gives an example of a combination of an Extra(S) and a Shortie(S).

FIG.3 Extra and Shortie Combination Analysing the Block with shaded cages, we observe an Extra formed by cage10 and a Shortie (unshaded) within the Block. To get the relationship between S and E we apply the rule S-E = 45 - summation In this example S-E=45-(16+13+10+9) = -3 Therefore S=E-3. Locked digits When a total is given by one and only one combination of numbers, the combination of numbers are called locked digits.

FIG.4 Examples of locked digits

Two-square cage: In a two square cage, the total number 17 has locked digits of 9 and 8 (there can be no other combinations of 2 numbers to give the total of 17); the total number 16 has locked digits 9 and 7; the total number 4 has locked digits 3 and 1 and the total number 3 has locked digits 2 and 1. In FIG.4, examples of such locked digits are cage4 and cage16 in Block9. Three-square cage: In a three square cage, the total number 24 has locked digits 9,8,7; the total number 23 has locked digits 9,8,6; the total number 7 has locked digits 4,2,1 and the total number 6 has locked digits 3,2,1. In FIG.4, cage24 in Block4 and cage7 in Block8 are locked 3 digits. For a complete list of locked digits, please refer to APPENDIX 1. Property of locked triplets and twins The concept of locked twins and locked triplets are important. As in classical Sudoku, when twins or triplets occur in a Row, or Column or Block, no other squares in the Row or Column or Block, as the case may be, can have any of the component numbers that make up the twins or triplets. We will call this a property of locked twins or locked triplets

FIG. 5 Locked twins and locked triplet FIG.5 shows locked twins 3,1 and 9,7 in Block9 and locked twin 4,2 in Row9. Locked triplet 8,5,3 exists in Block7. Triplet 9,8,7 was formed by the concept of locked digit but it is not a locked triplet in this instance as one of the triplet resides in another Block and one component number, 8 is already locked out by locked triplet 8,5,3. It can then be logically determined that R6C1 = 8, leaving twin 9,7 to remain in Block7 as shown in FIG.6 below. Note. All locked twins or locked triplets are locked digits but not all locked digits are locked twins or locked triplets.

FIG.6 Property of locked triplet Slicing Technique This technique is commonly applied in classical Sudoku. This is the term used to describe the action of targeting a number and drawing an imaginary line across the grid either horizontally or vertically through that targeted number. Squares can be solved by a single slice or 2 slices up to a maximum of 4 slices, each slice passing through the targeted number in the different Blocks. With the necessary number of slices executed, only 1 empty square is left in the Block. Then that particular square can be filled with the targeted number. If more than 1 empty square remain in the Block , the targeted number cannot be used just yet.

FIG.7 Slicing Technique FIG.7 shows that by targeting no.2 and using two horizontal slices through Row8 and Row9, and a vertical slice through Column4.the only empty square in Block8, R7C5 can be filled by the number 2.

Extended slicing This is also a technique commonly used in classical Sudoku which is applicable to 1Sudoku. In the slicing technique, it was stated that if more than 1 empty square remained, then the targeted number cannot be used yet. However, in the extended slicing technique concept, this condition no longer applies. The targeted number can still be used if the 2 or 3 empty squares all lie in a Row or in a Column of a Block. The technique is to further slice through these empty squares to find a solution in the next Block. That is the reason to call it extended slicing. In FIG 8, for example, we have targeted no.7 and executed the slicing technique which results in 2 empty squares marked X in Row8 of Block8.

FIG.8 First Slicing of Extended slicing We now extend the slicing through the 2 Xs and find that there is 1 empty square (shaded), R9C7 in Block9 which enables us to fill it with the number 7 . See FIG.9 below.

FIG.9 Solution after extended slicing Determination of number combinations All total numbers for a cage except those with locked digits, as mentioned earlier, will have number combinations which need to be logically eliminated. APPENDIX 2 gives all the number combinations for the various totals for the different cages encompassing different numbers of squares.

In practice, it will be more beneficial if the reader does it mentally and jot down the alternatives before deciding on the elimination. The mental arithmetic is recommended for the two square and three square cages only. This is in keeping with the objective of Sudoku, which is to stimulate and exercise the brain. The approach that the author use is given in his guide book 1Sudoku. Centerpiece `1'. It will be a mental strain to figure out mentally the combinations for more than a three square cage.

APPENDIX 1. TABLE OF FIXED DIGITS

APPENDIX 2. TABLE OF COMBINATIONS Two Square Cage Total 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Combinations of digits 21 31 41 32 51 42 61 52 43 71 62 53 81 72 63 54 91 82 73 64 92 83 74 65 93 84 75 94 85 76 95 86 96 87 97 98

Note: The first and last 2 totals give locked digits. Three Square Cage Total 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Combinations of digits 321 421 521 431 621 531 432 721 631 541 532 821 731 641 632 542 921 831 741 651 732 931 841 751 832 742 941 851 761 932 842 951 861 942 852 762 961 871 952 862 943 971 962 872 953 863 981 972 963 873 954 982 973 964 874 865 983 974 965 875 984 975 876 985 976 986 987

642 652 752 843 853 854 864

543 643 743 653 753 654 763 754 764 765

Note: The first and last 2 totals give locked digits

Four Square Cage Total 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Combinations of digits 4321 5321 6321 5421 7321 6421 5431 8321 7421 6521 6431 9321 8421 7521 7431 9421 8521 7621 8431 9521 8621 9431 8531 9621 8721 9531 8631 9721 9631 8731 9541 9821 9731 9641 8741 9831 9741 9651 8751 9841 9751 8761 9832 9851 9761 9842 9752 9861 9852 9762 9843 9871 9862 9853 9763 9872 9863 9854 9764 9873 9864 9765 9874 9865 9875 9876

5432 6531 6432 7531 6541 7432 6532 7631 7541 8432 7532 6542 8541 7641 9432 8532 7632 7542 6543 8641 7651 9532 8632 8542 7642 7543 8651 9632 8732 9542 8642 7652 8543 7643 9732 9642 8742 8652 9543 8643 7653 9742 9652 8752 9643 8743 8653 7654 8762 9743 9653 8753 8654 9753 8763 9654 8754 9754 8764 8765

Five Square Cage Total 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Combinations of digits 54321 64321 74321 65321 84321 75321 65421 94321 85321 76321 75421 95321 86321 85421 76421 96321 87321 95421 86421 97321 96421 87421 86521 98321 97421 96521 87521 98421 97521 87621 97431 98521 97621 98431 97531 98621 98531 97631 97541 98721 98631 98541 97641 98731 98641 97651 98632 98741 98651 98732 98642 98751 98742 98652 98643 98761 98752 98743 98653 98762 98753 98654 98763 98754 98764 98765

65431 75431 65432 76521 85431 76431 75432 95431 86431 76531 85432 76432 96431 87431 86531 76541 95432 86432 76532 96531 87531 86541 96432 87432 86532 76542 87631 96541 87541 97432 96532 87532 86542 76543 87641 98432 97532 87632 96542 87542 86543 87651 98532 97632 97542 87642 96543 87543 98542 97642 87652 97543 87643 97652 98543 97643 87653 97653 87654 97654