SudokuSolver Forum • View topic - Christmas Tree Sudoku-X

View unanswered posts | View active topics

Board index » Puzzles and Solutions » Other Variants

All times are UTC

Christmas Tree Sudoku-X

Page 1 of 1

[ 7 posts ]

Print view

Previous topic | Next topic

Author

Message

Andrew

Post subject: Christmas Tree Sudoku-X

Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 12:45 am

Grand Master

Joined: Wed Apr 23, 2008 6:04 pm
Posts: 1895
Location: Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada

This puzzle was posted on a different forum by Ruud in December 2006. Nice diagram, Ruud!

Enjoy!

I'm finding it hard going but I'm not a very good "paper and pencil" solver; also I haven't had much experience of Samurai and other puzzles with overlapping cages.

If a solution gets posted for this puzzle, then I'll post Ruud's New Year 2007 and Easter puzzles; also overlapping Sudoku-X. I haven't (yet) tried them.

I've got an Excel worksheet of this puzzle with larger cells. If anybody wants a copy, in either .xls or .xlsx format, please send me a PM and provide an e-mail address.

Andrew

Top

enxio27

Post subject: Re: Christmas Tree Sudoku-X

Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 2:14 am

Grand Master

Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2008 4:27 pm
Posts: 791

I have this puzzle in my to-do pile (ever since Ruud originally posted it in 2006), but I suspect it's more difficult than I can manage just yet. Do any of you know the most difficult technique required? Another factor is that I will have to do my own pencil marks for this one, which I really don't like because I make too many mistakes before I ever get to the solving stage.

BTW, here are the code strings for that puzzle:

Code:

830000045009605100000000000200000008008000400790104062000050000000000000000000000
050000000980700000000000000800000000009000000000106500000000000000000000000000000
000000050000004061000000000000000008000000600006402000000000000000000000000000000
000000000490000000000000000004070000100000050070000000000000000000000000000000000
000508000000000000000090000970000026806173904000000000000000000000000000000000000
000000000000000071000000000000020600030000007000000080000000000000000000000000000
406000000008000000000000000061004080000800000000000029000000000000000000000900000
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
000000507000000800000000000050600490000007000890000000000000000000000000000008000
300640000000000000075001000000400900501000300700100000080200000000900000003800000
000000000000009000000400000400080000800000700000503002000000000000005000000000000
000000000000300000000004000000070003007000002800602000000000000000800000000000000
000079003000000000000200510008007000007000805000001007000005090000006000000004300
000060000000005000000000000000000000600000008800000030000004009004900000080000000
000010000000000000000020000103000906400000008000809000000000000000000000000000000
000020000000100000000000000000000000500000009090000006300800000000003100000000070
000000000000000000000000000903408102002000300007000900000000000000000000004070600

Top

enxio27

Post subject: Re: Christmas Tree Sudoku-X

Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2012 2:32 am

Grand Master

Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2008 4:27 pm
Posts: 791

Just FYI, I posted links to most all of Ruud's specialty puzzles, including this Christmas puzzle and the 2007 New Year's puzzle here:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=13

The puzzle image links are all good (because they are hosted on my own imageshack account now), but the links to the originals are mostly broken now (due to the demise of a number of sudoku forums and Web sites). I also have the puzzle images here (let me know if you can't access them):

https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=50AC2192 ... 9F3A3D!128

Top

enxio27

Post subject: Re: Christmas Tree Sudoku-X

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2012 4:22 am

Grand Master

Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2008 4:27 pm
Posts: 791

Still working through this puzzle. Not a lot of time to work on it, with getting everything ready for Christmas and house-guests. I had hoped to have it done by Christmas, but doesn't look like it's going to happen.

Top

enxio27

Post subject: Re: Christmas Tree Sudoku-X

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:58 pm

Grand Master

Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2008 4:27 pm
Posts: 791

Well, more than a month behind schedule, but I finally finished this puzzle last night. It's a long puzzle (as any 17-grid puzzle would be), but not difficult--nothing more advanced than a few X-wings.

Top

HATMAN

Post subject: Re: Christmas Tree Sudoku-X

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 11:19 am

Grand Master

Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2008 9:45 pm
Posts: 694
Location: Saudi Arabia

Well done

I got dragged away from the samauri - I'm at the stage of having an excessive set of givens that need to be whitled down - I hope to get back to it this weekend.

Top

Andrew

Post subject: Re: Christmas Tree Sudoku-X

Posted: Sun Dec 08, 2013 8:53 pm

Grand Master

Joined: Wed Apr 23, 2008 6:04 pm
Posts: 1895
Location: Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada

When I first tried this puzzle I made the mistake of trying to solve it as a "Paper and Pencil" puzzle and only managed to place about 20 candidates.

I've now tried it using elimination solving; it took me quite a long time and a lot of patience avoiding accidentally deleting the wrong candidates.

As enxio27 said, it's not too difficult. I only used one slightly tricky move to resolve a naked pair; that might not have been necessary if I'd searched for other ways to continue.

Here is my solution:

As promised when I first posted this puzzle, I'll now post Ruud's New Year Fireworks puzzle.

Top

Page 1 of 1

[ 7 posts ]

Board index » Puzzles and Solutions » Other Variants

All times are UTC

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 58 guests

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum