SudokuSolver Forum

I just discovered Graeco-Latin sudokus in the current issue of MAA Forum (magazine). Does anyone know where I can find these, preferably on line? I found a few 5x5 ones, but I would prefer larger.

Combining two sets of symbols in one grid is nothing new. I briefly touched this idea last Christmas in this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=857

Tarek is particularly enthusiastic about this. Check out his thread which contains a handful of 16×16 puzzles:

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=908

You can also find some other links in the 2nd thread above. It seemed someone already explored this concept as early as June 2005!

Actually, I prefer those without the nonets or whatever-size squares. Those are harder to solve, I think.

Hershko

I have to disagree: the difficulty of a puzzle is largely down to the puzzle-maker. The size of the solution space plays a part but some very restrained* puzzles (e.g. Anti-kNight & kNight Non-Consecutive - AN&NNC) can give naturally very difficult puzzles.

I doubt that you will find the puzzles Simon mentions to be easy. On the other hand I find them rather complex and the Greaco-Latin formulation is easier to understand.

I agree that 5*5 is too small, I normally treat 7*7 latin square as being equivalent to 9*9 with nonets.

Maurice

*i.e. with restricted solution spaces

I must confess that I haven't seen regular Greco-Latin puzzles postings on the internet.

The puzzles' difficulty can be controlled by the puzzle designer. My sudoku^2 puzzles although being 16x16 puzzles, can be VERY straight forward & even paper solvable as demonstarted in thread "Sudoku^2". It is well known that with bigger puzzles & restrained puzzles you will RANDOMLY encounter more difficult puzzles than easy. The puzzle maker can change that by choosing only easier puzzles to present.

Difficulty & how to measure it as you know is a big debate. Time to solve, Most difficult technique required, ... etc are part of that debate.

tarek