Join the Smartie Party now 🥳to get EXCLUSIVE reward puzzle packs, ad free content, discord access, and so much more👉👉www.buymeacoffee.com/timberlakeB/membership Timestamps 0:00 Intro 00:29 It’s Solving Time 01:04 Puzzle Story 01:28 Snyder Restrictions 02:47 BONUS Strategy 04:48 Neat Naked Triple Trick 07:45 Solving The Green Cell 10:00 Advanced Strategy 13:50 Following The Snyder
I completed this puzzle in 33:28, and I'm happy with that result. I only had to click on the video once, to verify my suspicion which number was going to be the swordfish. I never found a naked triple (nothing new there) But I correctly worked through the swordfish and that got me through the rest of the puzzle. There is hope for me yet.
Brilliant demonstration, this was very instructive, thank you. Trying to stick to notation free and using somewhat of a crude approach with the help of the powerful 458 pointing from the right in row 2 towards block 1, I figured out that any combination of digits in col 3 of that block left no room for a 7 elsewhere than in row 2. The rest of the puzzle went well. It took me a long time though.
Can't remember exactly how I solved this, but I do remember starting a chain from 8@I1 and getting a contradiction as a result. Now, I don't like solving by contradiction. I used to have no problem with it, but there's a relatively small crowd of solvers who consider contradictions and URs to be bad form, and they partially won me over. (I will rely on a known UR as a "nuclear option" if I get stuck for a really long time). So I set about trying to disprove 8@I1 from another starting point, and stumbled into the green cell IV3 as a result, and the puzzle folded.
Thank you so much Timberlake, YES that was a wonderful Swordfish ! ☺ I have been improving thanks to your technic, it is clearer for me, especialy with paper SUDOKU, now that I first try to find as many cells and bivalue cells possible by really observing the grid, then fill the Snyper notations instead of rushing immediately to fill the cells with all the possible candidates. The brain must exercise its logic to understand the grid better by observation. Thank you very much and congratulations for your remarquable work ! I am very grateful 😊
Ah, the Swordfish 🎏. Always the Most Traditional Solving Strategy! Yet for me, it's sad but true... it's often not the go to or even thought of enough 😔. Thanks soo much for hightlighting it! Great job as always 👏🏼
I have yet to discover the amazing strategy. I used colours (59 = row 5 column 9): 59, 71, 78 (hidden pair in box), 86, 74, 21, 77, 72, 89, 82, 64, 53, 43 (colours from this cell)*, 23 (naked single), 36, 51, 11, 28, 87, 88, 52, 62, 24, 22, 39, 97, 99, 94, 65, 57, 17, 33, 32, 13, 38, 67, 56, 55, 96, 95, 46, 45, 16, 14, 15, 54, 44, 58, 48, 66, 18, 92, 93. * An 8 here leaves no place for an 8 in box 6. On closer inspection, I see a sea creature, but colours did the job just fine.
This took me a long time, as usual. After mostly filling out the grid, I found a two-string kite in 8s in column 1 and row 6, that eliminated 8 from R1C6. After filling the grid, I found a Sashimi finned X-wing in 2s that eliminated 2 from R1C3, then a finned X-wing in 8s that eliminated 8 from R5C6. Superfluous, all of them, I think. After a lof of searching, I finally hit on an alternate inference chain that cracked the puzzle. R1C1 was 89. If 9, then R2C2 was 2. If 8, 126 triple in row 1 block 2 forced 2 into R3C9. In either cases, row 3 block 1 couldn't have 2. The resulting 58 pair in column 2 cracked the puzzle. The rest was unraveling the pencilmarks. The green cell was 28 for a long time until the unraveling. 10:30 Sigh the swordfish in 8s does more damage than the kite and the finned X-wing. And it was visible in my grid while I searched 8s and found the other two strategies. And of course, the finned X-wing I found would have been the second swordfish if I'd noticed block 6's 8s.
I would love to see someone solve this puzzle on paper, in real time, just to watch the way they scan the grid, mark the different possibilities for the advanced techniques (and erase the mess of the markings that didn't work out) to finally get to the solution... I know, it's difficult without the computer
Hello Timberlake. I have just redone this puzzle and it was so smooth, so easy and so fast because, after the initial technic to observe the grid and fill as many cells as possible and find as many bivalue cells as possible and write as many Snyder notations as possible, when I got stuck I KNEW ( by viewing your solving yesterday) THAT THERE WAS A SWORD FISH IN 8 so I evidently looked for it. But my question is : Sincerely Timberlake would you SO QUICKLY have found this Sword fish by yourself working on a paper Sudoku or did you find it because your computer marked evidently the Sword fish pattern pointing the 8 on your grid ? My comment is certainly not a reproach for using a computer but for understanding how I could improve my technic in solving the Sudoku on paper, is there a technic as for the Snynder notations to methodically review each number missing and drawing the shape of an eventual advanced technic ? I have already lurned a lot thanks to you, I feel very grateful and I thank you so very much. And I hope I am not troublesome because It is not my intention 😊 Looking forward to reading your answer. Best regards. Françoise
Great question Francoise. I do not find Swordfishes too quickly because I only look for them after exhausting Snyder notation. When looking at single candidate strategies with a solving app where you can color, spotting fish patterns is not too difficult. With paper and pencil, I find it takes more time and deliberate scanning. But it is possible. Another tip off of a swordfish is usually if the filled cells have a lattice look to them, which means several of the same rows or columns will be restricted. Hope that helps.
Join the Smartie Party now 🥳to get EXCLUSIVE reward puzzle packs, ad free content, discord access, and so much more👉👉www.buymeacoffee.com/timberlakeB/membership
Timestamps
0:00 Intro
00:29 It’s Solving Time
01:04 Puzzle Story
01:28 Snyder Restrictions
02:47 BONUS Strategy
04:48 Neat Naked Triple Trick
07:45 Solving The Green Cell
10:00 Advanced Strategy
13:50 Following The Snyder
I completed this puzzle in 33:28, and I'm happy with that result. I only had to click on the video once, to verify my suspicion which number was going to be the swordfish. I never found a naked triple (nothing new there) But I correctly worked through the swordfish and that got me through the rest of the puzzle. There is hope for me yet.
Awesome job Brad. I am glad to hear you found the swordfish.
Brilliant demonstration, this was very instructive, thank you. Trying to stick to notation free and using somewhat of a crude approach with the help of the powerful 458 pointing from the right in row 2 towards block 1, I figured out that any combination of digits in col 3 of that block left no room for a 7 elsewhere than in row 2. The rest of the puzzle went well. It took me a long time though.
Nice job, Georges!
Can't remember exactly how I solved this, but I do remember starting a chain from 8@I1 and getting a contradiction as a result. Now, I don't like solving by contradiction. I used to have no problem with it, but there's a relatively small crowd of solvers who consider contradictions and URs to be bad form, and they partially won me over. (I will rely on a known UR as a "nuclear option" if I get stuck for a really long time). So I set about trying to disprove 8@I1 from another starting point, and stumbled into the green cell IV3 as a result, and the puzzle folded.
Thank you so much Timberlake, YES that was a wonderful Swordfish ! ☺ I have been improving thanks to your technic, it is clearer for me, especialy with paper SUDOKU, now that I first try to find as many cells and bivalue cells possible by really observing the grid, then fill the Snyper notations instead of rushing immediately to fill the cells with all the possible candidates. The brain must exercise its logic to understand the grid better by observation. Thank you very much and congratulations for your remarquable work ! I am very grateful 😊
You are welcome. I have fun solving these viewer requested puzzles. I am so glad to hear how well you are progressing on your Sudoku journey.
Oh wow! I was so close to spotting the swordfish! Thanks for your help Timberlake and with that, I solved the puzzle in 16:45!
Awesome job Jon. I am sure you will spot it next time.
Ah, the Swordfish 🎏. Always the Most Traditional Solving Strategy! Yet for me, it's sad but true... it's often not the go to or even thought of enough 😔. Thanks soo much for hightlighting it! Great job as always 👏🏼
Thank you!!
I have yet to discover the amazing strategy. I used colours (59 = row 5 column 9):
59, 71, 78 (hidden pair in box),
86, 74, 21, 77, 72,
89, 82, 64, 53, 43 (colours from this cell)*,
23 (naked single),
36, 51, 11, 28, 87,
88, 52, 62, 24, 22,
39, 97, 99, 94, 65,
57, 17, 33, 32, 13,
38, 67, 56, 55, 96,
95, 46, 45, 16, 14,
15, 54, 44, 58, 48,
66, 18, 92, 93.
* An 8 here leaves no place for an 8 in box 6. On closer inspection, I see a sea creature, but colours did the job just fine.
Nice job with coloring Julian. Thank you for sharing.
This took me a long time, as usual. After mostly filling out the grid, I found a two-string kite in 8s in column 1 and row 6, that eliminated 8 from R1C6. After filling the grid, I found a Sashimi finned X-wing in 2s that eliminated 2 from R1C3, then a finned X-wing in 8s that eliminated 8 from R5C6. Superfluous, all of them, I think. After a lof of searching, I finally hit on an alternate inference chain that cracked the puzzle. R1C1 was 89. If 9, then R2C2 was 2. If 8, 126 triple in row 1 block 2 forced 2 into R3C9. In either cases, row 3 block 1 couldn't have 2. The resulting 58 pair in column 2 cracked the puzzle. The rest was unraveling the pencilmarks.
The green cell was 28 for a long time until the unraveling.
10:30 Sigh the swordfish in 8s does more damage than the kite and the finned X-wing. And it was visible in my grid while I searched 8s and found the other two strategies. And of course, the finned X-wing I found would have been the second swordfish if I'd noticed block 6's 8s.
Great job finding the other advanced strategies,
John. I knew there were other ways to approach this. Thank you for sharing yours.
#13 of 19
Awesome!!!
I would love to see someone solve this puzzle on paper, in real time, just to watch the way they scan the grid, mark the different possibilities for the advanced techniques (and erase the mess of the markings that didn't work out) to finally get to the solution... I know, it's difficult without the computer
That is a reasonable request. Do you often solve with paper and pencil?
Hello Timberlake. I have just redone this puzzle and it was so smooth, so easy and so fast because, after the initial technic to observe the grid and fill as many cells as possible and find as many bivalue cells as possible and write as many Snyder notations as possible, when I got stuck I KNEW ( by viewing your solving yesterday) THAT THERE WAS A SWORD FISH IN 8 so I evidently looked for it. But my question is : Sincerely Timberlake would you SO QUICKLY have found this Sword fish by yourself working on a paper Sudoku or did you find it because your computer marked evidently the Sword fish pattern pointing the 8 on your grid ? My comment is certainly not a reproach for using a computer but for understanding how I could improve my technic in solving the Sudoku on paper, is there a technic as for the Snynder notations to methodically review each number missing and drawing the shape of an eventual advanced technic ? I have already lurned a lot thanks to you, I feel very grateful and I thank you so very much. And I hope I am not troublesome because It is not my intention 😊
Looking forward to reading your answer. Best regards. Françoise
Great question Francoise. I do not find Swordfishes too quickly because I only look for them after exhausting Snyder notation. When looking at single candidate strategies with a solving app where you can color, spotting fish patterns is not too difficult. With paper and pencil, I find it takes more time and deliberate scanning. But it is possible. Another tip off of a swordfish is usually if the filled cells have a lattice look to them, which means several of the same rows or columns will be restricted. Hope that helps.
Thank you very much for your answer Timberlake !