The minimum givens for Sudoku is 17, but most of them are actually very easy (there are a few in the list that are a bit harder). Number of givens is actually a very poor metric for difficulty and has minimal correlation until you get to a large number of givens. The hardest puzzles ever found actually are in the 21-24 given range!
Scroll down for spoilers Yup, this was a school dance, lots of pairs. Plus the naked (single? I never remember which is which) 9 cracked stack 1 for me. At one point I also used a triple (I think in row 5), but I didn't find the 6 in box 1 early.
I kind of like not having conflict checking, but it does speed up the solve. Great job, even with hard to recognize conflicts. 😂
14:57 to solve. Pleased with that time! Thanks Rangsk
My first ever solve of the New York Times hard sudoku!
Congrats!!
My solve was pretty similar, halting towards the end, and I even had conflict checker on!
7:31 for me. A new personal record!!
Nice time!
Took me 7:20😊
for the first time within ten minutes. (9.58) 😇
This is a relatively easy puzzle. The real hard one begins with less than 18 entries.
The minimum givens for Sudoku is 17, but most of them are actually very easy (there are a few in the list that are a bit harder). Number of givens is actually a very poor metric for difficulty and has minimal correlation until you get to a large number of givens. The hardest puzzles ever found actually are in the 21-24 given range!
Scroll down for spoilers
Yup, this was a school dance, lots of pairs. Plus the naked (single? I never remember which is which) 9 cracked stack 1 for me.
At one point I also used a triple (I think in row 5), but I didn't find the 6 in box 1 early.