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11 Mar 08 - 11:22 PM (#2285975) Subject: BS: Sudoku Victory From: TRUBRIT For the first time in the history of mankind -- I finished the Sudoku before my husband. Such a feeling of total pride. Now according to the paper, it was a level 1 but we both agreed it was mislabelled - it was at least a 2! Anyone else addicted to those things? -- when I get home from work after exchanging pleasantries with my husband we do the daily Sydoku (blown up so we can see the numbers and have back up blanks if we screw up)--silence until it is completed -- UNTIL TONIGHT, ALWAYS COMPLETED FIRST BY HIM.....Yahoo! Don't even start me on the Jumble or Crosswords..........they make life worth living. |
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11 Mar 08 - 11:28 PM (#2285979) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Big Mick Deb...... don't get me started. I can't even talk to anyone in the morning before I sit down, work the NY or LA Times crossword, and then do the Sudoku. Lives could hang in the balance, but I still gotta have them. Funny how that rating thing works. I have had Level 1 drive me mad, and had Level 5 that I ran through like shit through a goose. Go figure. Mick |
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12 Mar 08 - 01:00 AM (#2286019) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Stilly River Sage Will Shortz would be proud of you! |
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12 Mar 08 - 03:14 AM (#2286056) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Slag Congrats! I have one of the electronic Sudoku games with four levels. It has corresponding times for each level which I almost never get and I swear that level 2 is much harder for me than level 4! If I could ever figure out what the key element in logic is involved then I may go on and try tensors again! |
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12 Mar 08 - 05:03 AM (#2286092) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: GUEST,PMB Why do they (at least in UK newspapers) grade the sudokus easy, medium, hard? You'll find out soon enough. And why do they print the answer vthe next day? If you got it right, you know you did; if you didn't, the answer doesn't help to show where you went wrong, or what you missewd to get the next number. |
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12 Mar 08 - 06:21 AM (#2286123) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: John MacKenzie I love crosswords, and loathe Sudoku. Is it just me? G |
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12 Mar 08 - 06:42 AM (#2286137) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: BanjoRay I prefer Kakuro to Suduku. Anybody out there ever completed the Killer in the Guardian (UK) on Saturdays? If so, how the hell do you do it? Ray |
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12 Mar 08 - 07:55 AM (#2286171) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: ranger1 Congrats, Deb. I'm addicted to the damn things. I taught my 11 year old nephew how to do them last summer and so far, only he and I are the only ones in the family to understand how they work. |
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12 Mar 08 - 08:15 AM (#2286184) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: jacqui.c Well done Deb. I do them occasionally, usually last thing at night before sleeping. I must agree, the levels don't always seem to be right though. |
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12 Mar 08 - 08:50 AM (#2286215) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Newport Boy Ray - I manage about 1 in 4 of the Killer (I work on the original and if I screw up, I've lost - so I don't have a second try). Look for all the 2-cell totals that are unique (3, 4, 16, 17) Look for the 3-cells (6, 7, 23, 24) - if they're in line, it's easier. If you can find a 9-square where the dotted lines only give one cell in the adjacent 9-square, you can fill in that cell (total of numbers less 45). This sometimes works for 2 cells outside, if they total 3, 4, 16, 17. Then you're into normal Sudoku tactics, plus bits of other logic. Phil |
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12 Mar 08 - 08:58 AM (#2286223) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Rapparee My wife likes them and has gotten her uncle hooked. She's also designed and completed a patchwork quilt she calls "Samurai Sudoku". It looks quite nice and I'd explain it if I understood the puzzle. Basically, she views the puzzle as a quilt made up of nine-patches and from there her mathematician's and quilter's brains merge and just have a heckuva good time. |
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12 Mar 08 - 09:48 AM (#2286272) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Bee-dubya-ell I love crosswords, and loathe Sudoku. Is it just me? No, Giok, I feel the same. I find words to be more intriguing than numbers. I majored in literature at the university, but only covered the minimum requirement in mathematics. To me, numbers are strictly functional, not something I enjoy playing with, whereas words are an endless source of pleasure. |
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12 Mar 08 - 10:23 AM (#2286315) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Stilly River Sage I'm in the not-fond-of-Sudoku camp, for the same reason BWL gives. The words keep changing, the numbers remain the same 9 digits over and over. SRS |
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12 Mar 08 - 10:51 AM (#2286344) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Wesley S My wife is addicted to sudoku. I could care less - that's why they built guitars and mandolins - to keep my hands busy. This year I scored with her on Valentines day by giving her a hand held electronic version of the New York Times crossword puzzle. Over 500 games in it's memory. |
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12 Mar 08 - 10:54 AM (#2286352) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: bfdk Me, I love them, but I usually play them online. Rapaire, send your wife to this page, her matematician's and quilter's brain will just love it, I'm sure. For those not interested in (or even thoroughly opposed to) numbers, there are versions with letters or symbols instead. Enjoy! |
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12 Mar 08 - 12:06 PM (#2286444) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Rapparee I do sudoku with totally abstract concepts. No words, numbers, or symbols. I'm completely mental. |
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12 Mar 08 - 01:03 PM (#2286515) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Liz the Squeak I'm in the loathe 'em class... why do I have to play with numbers? The only numbers that interest me are the phone numbers of my friends and the ones in my bank account. LTS |
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12 Mar 08 - 04:34 PM (#2286727) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: PoppaGator I've long been a crossword addict. For a long time I didn't realize that Monday's crossword (in the newspaper, of course) is always easiest, and they get harder all week through Saturday, and then Sunday is another matter altogether. They don't print a "rating" with each crossword, but this has apparently been common practice forever, so the weekly easy-to-difficult setup for the Sudoku puzzles is not really anything new; it's the same way newspapers have been presenting crosswords for years. Coincidentally, Sudoku first came out in US newspapers very shortly after Katrina, when I was out of work, living in exile at my mama's house in NJ, and had time on my hands. I didn't get into it at first ~ had no idea how to start ~ but my 25-year-old son (living nearby in NYC) taught me the basics, and I've been hooked since. I do the Sudoku first each morning, then the crossword. In the evening, as often as not I'll look up the Guardian's daily sudoku online, print it out, and fill in my second puzzle for the day. My wife bought me a book of Killer Sudoku several months ago, not knowing what it was going to entail. The book started out with easy-ish "killer" puzzles, so I was able to learn the ropes. However, the Guardian's Saturday Killer puzzles are much more difficult and have been beyond me: no 2-box 3's or 17's, or 3-box 6's or 24's, nowhere to start. |
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12 Mar 08 - 04:58 PM (#2286752) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: SINSULL I have never finished one. I complete the NY Times crossword, cryptograms, everything really except Sudoku. My brain won't work that way. |
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12 Mar 08 - 05:21 PM (#2286771) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Herga Kitty Sudoku isn't about numbers - it's about patterns and logic. I became a cryptic crossword addict (and learnt the shortcut codes) at school when we could get the Times at half price, and had a syndicate to solve the crossword.... then I became a commuter on the London tube and did the Guardian and Independent crosswords on the way into work because there wasn't room to open and read the papers... Now I start with the Independent quick Sudoku, because it's on the back page, and work through the cryptic crossword on the previous page, then the Guardian cryptic crossword. Sometimes the crosswords last till the journey home so I get to do the Guardian2 and Independent Extra Sudokus It's a great life being a commuter on the London underground! Kitty |
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12 Mar 08 - 05:21 PM (#2286772) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Slag It is wrong to suppose that Sudokus are mathematical, per se. You can substitute other symbols and I have used a nine color scheme which proved to be very interesting (primaries, secondaries, black and white and brown and you have to keep in mind that the paper-white is NOT one of the givens!). I memorized the Greek alphabet as a kid by substituting those symbols for the American alphabet in doing crosswords. I tried that with the Hebrew but quickly gave it up as no vowels ( no one-to-one correspondence for numbered spaces)and right to left just didn't work! Have you ever tried making a Sudoku from scratch? Not an easy task at all. |
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12 Mar 08 - 05:32 PM (#2286789) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: PoppaGator For the beginning, I've been very intrigued with the question of how one makes a Sudoku. How do they know they have provided enough ~ and just barely enough ~ information in the filled-in squares? |
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12 Mar 08 - 05:56 PM (#2286805) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Bill D here's a tough one |
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12 Mar 08 - 06:39 PM (#2286837) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: ranger1 I love Sudoku and crosswords equally. I hate cryptic crosswords, though. My brain just doesn't wrap around the clues well (or at all). |
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12 Mar 08 - 11:34 PM (#2287068) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: TRUBRIT Oh - I am so glad it isn't just me!!!!!!!!! I too majored in Literature and I think I am better at crosswords than I am at the numbers version -- I used to loathe them but slowly got hooked and now I find them irresistable -- But I don't often even attempt the level 4. Will Shortz is my hero!!!!!!! (anyone see his moved -- can't remember the title but it may have been Wordplay, GREAT flick. |
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13 Mar 08 - 12:42 AM (#2287102) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: TRUBRIT and I find Cryptogram absolutely impossible but my daughter, who has no aptitude with crosswords or the numbers gig can do Cryptograms -- I can't even start them....... |
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13 Mar 08 - 02:07 AM (#2287122) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Stilly River Sage Did you know that in addition to all of his NY Times puzzles and books and Sudoku and contests, that he's also a champion at table tennis? SRS |
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13 Mar 08 - 02:12 AM (#2287123) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: TRUBRIT I think I did know that and I think I chose to disregard it -- it is toooooo disgusting! Was the movie called Wordplay ? I can't remember but I know I loved it........... |
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13 Mar 08 - 02:20 AM (#2287127) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Stilly River Sage Ping pong is disgusting? |
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13 Mar 08 - 08:27 AM (#2287259) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: GUEST,LTs pretending to work It is if your Phillipino girlfriend has been doing tricks with the balls. LTS |
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13 Mar 08 - 02:59 PM (#2287602) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: TRUBRIT I think the concept of him being THAT talented was disgusting -- as opposed to ping pong which I am sure is a totally non disgusting pasttime! |
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13 Mar 08 - 05:07 PM (#2287709) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Stilly River Sage Yeah, I guess so. Smart, good-looking, multi-talented. It's a terrible thing to see in a man, isn't it? ;-D SRS |
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13 Mar 08 - 06:52 PM (#2287796) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: TRUBRIT True -- true!!!! But that is not what is important right now. What is REALLY important right now is that I just completed my FIRST EVER LEVEL 3 Sudoku!!!!!!!!!! OHMIGOD!!!!! And I was so sure I would not get so much as one number on it ----- I didn't even photocopy it so am deprived of the pleasure of knowing if my husband could do it or not......! Of course, he might divorce me for not photo-ing it. What's that you say -- buy ANOTHER newspaper.....? Well now there's a thought...!! |
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20 Mar 08 - 01:53 AM (#2293295) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: TRUBRIT Curses---beaten into a bloody pulp by a crappy level 2 -- and I tried it about 8 different times and met myself coming every time.... |
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20 Mar 08 - 02:22 AM (#2293301) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Slag As I said before, the Sudoku (Su Doku) is not mathematical. It IS logical though. You can use other symbols to differentiate the blocks while the same rules apply. I believe that the least number of filled blocks necessary to complete a Sudoku is 17. Also there are Sudokus which have more that one possible solution, real hair pullers. I've created Sudokus from scratch and it took me a little over an hour but I'm slow. Building them is like solving them. The thing to keep in mind is that the corner blocks suffice for that symbol in two edge directions. In any three, nine block sequence you will have paired symbols that repeat like an in-line 5-2; next block over different line, a 2-5 and so the last block of nine has to have a 2-5 or 5-2 combination. You can have the same occur with triplets but these are pretty easy to make/solve. What is hard for me is knowing how much you can remove and still have the puzzle solvable. Since I got the little handheld electronic Sudoku generator I haven't really messed much with making my own. Lazy! I now, pretty much do them in bed as a means to going to sleep. |
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20 Mar 08 - 02:59 AM (#2293306) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: TRUBRIT Hand held electronic Sudoku generator???????????----do such wonders exist ? And do I want one -- wouldn't it take away from the glory of solving it......on those days when i can solve the bloody thing..... |
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20 Mar 08 - 06:31 AM (#2293388) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Slag No no! It generates the puzzles for you at 4 different levels and it has one separate level that allows you to load in one from an external source or create your own. $12 US! I've about worn the thing out and am thinking about getting a new one. |
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20 Mar 08 - 10:23 AM (#2293524) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Grab Yeah, Sudoku has nothing to do with numbers. Replace with the letters A-I or colours or breeds of dog, and it'd work just as well. The Killer sudoku OTOH does rely on maths as well as logic, and they're seriously hard! I've got an electronic one (a tie-in one from the Times) which Emma gave me, Xmas before last. I almost always solve them, even on top setting - I'm rarely stumped or get the logic wrong. The battle then is for times. I rarely bother with the "easy" and "mild" levels, because the time is more down to how fast you can navigate round the game screen than sudoku skill. Re your question, PoppaGator, apparently that was the big problem. It took him minutes to figure out the game, and then years to figure out the maths behind putting a rating on how hard they are (and whether they can be completed at all)! Graham. |
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20 Mar 08 - 10:34 AM (#2293542) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Bill D I tried sudoku...once....just as I briefly tried Rubic's Cube. I find that I can't get my head around puzzles & games with no 'content'. There needs to be some sort of imagery or story, or real words. But..different strokes... |
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20 Mar 08 - 05:18 PM (#2293975) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Donuel Joshua Redman wrote and performed a jazz piece called Sudoku. Its written in some kind of 10/4 time signature that has a pattern embedded that a Sudoku fanatic like yourself might comprehend. |
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20 Mar 08 - 08:43 PM (#2294139) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: TRUBRIT Bill - you have to try it more than once .....its addictive qualities sneak up behind you and bop you in the bum -- and then -- you are hooked!!! |
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21 Mar 08 - 08:00 PM (#2294864) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: the lemonade lady John 'Giok' MacKenzie: I love crosswords, and loathe Sudoku. Is it just me?... Nope I loathe and detest Sudoku. The wonderful guy with whom I now live, does all the Sudokus in the paper every day and how he does it, I really don't know. There are no workings down the sides, just neatly filled in squares! Somehow he does it from memory. hmmmm sal |
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21 Mar 08 - 11:18 PM (#2294959) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: TRUBRIT time to move on from him-- anyone who can do Sudokus with no jottings obviously does not deserve to live..... |
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29 Mar 08 - 02:51 PM (#2300492) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: the lemonade lady lol brilliant, i'll tell him! Actually if he's doing that, I can prattle on with this website! Sal |
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29 Mar 08 - 07:13 PM (#2300683) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Slag Flash! Important Sudoku News update! My little handheld Sudoku game DID die within about 12 hours of writing the above post! ESP or what!? I had a migraine that day but the very next I ran down to the drugstore and picked up a new one. Whew! Can't get to sleep without it anymore. Well, it's not really that bad but close! I was faced with two models to choose from (or "from which to choose" for sticklers). I picked a different one this time because of a larger LQ screen, better visibility. It has only 3 levels and the controls are configured differently and the cursor is not really user-friendly as it jumps over the given numbers. When I'm nearing completion the real challenge is to maneuver the cursor to the remaining empty spaces. |
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01 Apr 08 - 10:56 PM (#2304137) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: TRUBRIT You are tempting me -- I shall have to go and buy one...... |
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03 Apr 08 - 01:42 AM (#2305178) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: TRUBRIT I couldn't even finish a level 2 today -- just too damn tired I guess. |
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16 Apr 08 - 11:45 PM (#2317924) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: TRUBRIT Started 15 minutes after my husband (commonly known as 'brainy bonce' ) and finished ahead of him.....yahoo... |
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17 Apr 08 - 04:50 AM (#2318043) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: GUEST,PMB Kindly rephrase that- it sounds rather personal. |
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17 Apr 08 - 09:55 AM (#2318228) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Schantieman Well, Sally, I try not to put jottings in them but I find they're essential in the more difficult ones. I think I'm with Truebrit on that one :-) S |
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19 Apr 08 - 11:36 AM (#2320051) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: TRUBRIT Reading my posts, I do see your point Guest PMB -- sorry!!!! But I really WAS talking about doing puzzles...... |
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22 Apr 08 - 04:48 PM (#2322936) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: the lemonade lady I've been looking over his shoulder and yet again he's completed the difficult one with no jottings! Hmmmmm.... I can do Sudoku but just looking at them makes a very strange pain in my head. Seriously it does. Sal |
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22 Apr 08 - 05:13 PM (#2322974) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Slag You can't really do notes, etc. on the electronic games, unless you take the time to transfer them to paper! I did the note thing for a couple of months until I began to realize there were patterns and immutable laws involved. Good bye notes, hello speed! My new handheld has the type with two possible correct solutions to several of the lines. On the "Beginner" level it only accepts ONE of the variations which, to my way of thinking would be confusing to a beginner. On the higher level it will accept either solution. Probably has to do with programming difficulties. A few days ago I picked up another handheld game which is back lighted and that helps in low light or dark situations. The only drawback is that it uses a stylus! I have really haven't done much with it yet but I will let you know how it works, soon. So far, the first one was the best! It is the one that is oriented horizontally, about $12 US. |
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22 Apr 08 - 06:07 PM (#2323062) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: PoppaGator I can't imagine solving a half-decent Sudoku without scribbling my notes and repeatedly erasing and rewriting little numbers in the little boxes until each entry is narrowed down to a single digit. I suppose I should feel inferior to those who can keep it all in their heads (actually, I do feel that way, but try not to dwell on it), but I enjoy using my current method, and I am able to solve 'em all in my fashion. Incidentally, 22-year-old basketball superstar Chris Paul is reportedly a serious sudoko addict. Another indication that he's the smartest player in the NBA. Go Hornets! |
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22 Apr 08 - 11:04 PM (#2323261) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: TRUBRIT Tom and I were BOTH bought low tonight by a level ONE!!!! We are composing a letter to the paper to ask them who the HELL rates these thngs........... |
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10 Jun 09 - 09:58 PM (#2653673) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: TRUBRIT Damn -- my husband sailed through a level 2 -- I have tried it 5 times -- he is downstairs photocopying it again for my 5th try............ |
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10 Jun 09 - 10:16 PM (#2653683) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: TRUBRIT But I succeeded on the 6th try......... |
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11 Jun 09 - 12:15 AM (#2653729) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Slag Glad to see this back in the current threads. Nowadays the highest difficulty level takes me approximately 30 minutes with gusts down to 12. On the lowest level, I have conquered it in 2 minutes, 12 seconds. OW! I think I just twisted my arm, patting myself on the back. My sister got a fancy Sudoku set for Christmas. It is made of wood and has little drawers in either side of a wood box with stacks of wooden number tiles. It also has smaller tile, a quarter the size of the larger ones to act as temporary guesses or non-eliminated numbers which corresponds to the paper and pencil solvers' dilemma. The top has the 81 squares with raised ridges to keep the tiles in place. Keep solving! |
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11 Jun 09 - 12:32 AM (#2653737) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: TRUBRIT Oh _ I want me one of those sets!!!!! My husband (curse his insides) can do up to level 3s with no little notes. I have time scores for the jumble and crossword puzzles but - although I can usually slaughter level 1s and 2s, - am not consistently good enough at 3s and 4s yet to time myself. |
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11 Jun 09 - 10:54 PM (#2654547) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: robomatic I hate sudoku but I do them, and I save them if I don't finish them or if I make a mistake. (I think it's a byproduct of OCD!) What I hate about 'em is I how can I tell if I've done it before? At least a Crossword brings together all the associations that come with verbage. |
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11 Jun 09 - 11:22 PM (#2654557) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Slag You're right robomatic. Certain patterns occur over and over again. After a while they become recognizable no matter which way the puzzle box is turned. The end is in sight. One of the patterns is that the potential boxes for a given number will run left, center; center right and all three open, all in one line of nine box squares. You can count on this. The orientation may be top, middle; bottom, middle and three open. The three open may be in a straight row or down up down , or up down up, etc. but it's always a stopper that means you have to go on do some other number and come back after you have eliminated one or two open boxes. My method is to start with 9 and quickly scan for obvious numbers then on to 8 and down to 1. Then I do it again. I will spend no more than 2 minutes at this. If it is particularly difficult I will take a third spin down the numbers then I will start with the most numerous number available, determined at a glance. I will scan a line in a three nine box series for the possibles. I keep my eye out for three in a row in any box and that means that a different number in one of the other two boxes has to go above or below that row and the third instance can only occupy the last three row space in the third box of nine.. I hope that make sense. If you've work with them for any time it should speak to you and really, it's kind of self evident. At any rate, my trick is not not linger over any one number as it will eventually become apparent on its own as you progress. |
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11 Jun 09 - 11:52 PM (#2654571) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: frogprince An acquaintance told me awhile back that sudoku is easier than crosswords. Yeah...sure... I have yet to get one. I've had almost the whole damn thing working, and then found out that a lot of it couldn't be right. I think any idjit can do sudokus; it's just geniuses like Bill D. and me who can't. (Signed, some inflammotory troll pretending to be frogprince) |
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14 Jun 09 - 06:01 PM (#2656402) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: TRUBRIT well -- did the local crossword puzzle today but could not get beyond first base on a level 3-which is my husband's fault as he had started it without photocopying it (how dare he) and I took his numbers to be correct. But WERE THEY?????????????. Slag - I do it in the reverse order - start with the 1s and work through to the 9s...... And then there is/are the Jumbles (which I adore and can usually sail through) --- but I cannot do cryptoquicks....... |
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14 Jun 09 - 08:24 PM (#2656475) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Slag Yeah. The cryptoquizzes always use some weirdly worded quote that defies all normal random letter distribution. I think they have all won awards for the most verbose and awkwardly worded sentences in the English (sometimes) language. Here's a thought on Sudoku. If you take a correctly completed puzzle and break the nine boxes apart-cut them out with scissors if it's on paper and mix them up, how long will it take you to put it back in the correct order? Easy, huh? Come on, I mean without cheating! Well for any two boxes of nine you have 4 possible positions....! There are nine boxes with four possible positions with which to begin.... that's 4 to the 9th power or 262,144 possible positions to start. True, once you have put a couple together the odds greatly increase in your favor, However, you cannot know if it is in the correct sequence until you have three boxes of nine lined up! I haven't worked out ALL the odds but it looks intriguing! The thing I hate about crosswords puzzles is that the more difficult ones are almost always dishonest in some way, including making up words which do not exist anywhere else other than that particular puzzle. Throw in variants and obsolete terms from the Middles ages, fifteen or twenty French terms a few movie actors from the 50's and the composer's niece's middle name and then solve in the suggested one hour. Right. In the simpler puzzles there are relatively a small portion of the English/ American English vocabulary that have the ability to fit the matrix. I understand the British crosswords tend to not use the American matrix. That is, they have less contiguous squares and therefore use more real words. We seldom see that type puzzle in the US. As for the Jumbles, Yes! I love them and usually breeze through them but on occasion I'll hang on one and if it's six letters or more! WOW! Talk about your possibilities! Frustrating! Sometimes I'll figure out the final riddle or question and then work backwards. I would say all this stuff is really a waste of time (kinda like the Internet some days, you know?) but it does keep your mind active so maybe it's not a total waste. |
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15 Jun 09 - 05:37 AM (#2656727) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Brakn I'm afraid to say that I'm addicted to the Killer puzzle on both the Guardian(UK)- Saturdays and the Observer on Sundays and think I've completed every one. Some do take more time than others. They both have printable versions here. |
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15 Jun 09 - 06:45 AM (#2656758) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Nigel Parsons I like the competition in The Independent on Saturdays. A 16*16 grid divided into 16 4*4 blocks. Complete as per Sudoku but using hexadecimal digits (0-9 + A-F) It takes things a stage further! Cheers Nigel |
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15 Jun 09 - 06:54 AM (#2656765) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: Bainbo I heard the British comedian Sean Lock on the radio the other day, saying: "You know how sudokus are all graded - 'easy', 'medium', 'fiendish'? What they should say under all of them is just ... 'Pointless'." I agree with him. But I still can't stop doing them. |
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15 Jun 09 - 09:06 PM (#2657341) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: TRUBRIT All I can say is -- I am glad I am not alone!!!!! Slag - on the Jumbles it is wonderful if you can solve the riddle first because then ....... YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHICH LETTERS YOU NEED.....and if you only have certain letters in certain words -- then you know their placement.......then life is really good! |
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01 Sep 09 - 10:46 PM (#2714237) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: TRUBRIT So - who 'grades' these darn Sudoku things anyway!!! Just spent about an hour on a level 1 (which I finally solved I can proudly say.......) |
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08 Sep 09 - 10:28 PM (#2719475) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: TRUBRIT Blasted through a level 1 tonighy -- superb 1 |
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08 Sep 09 - 10:42 PM (#2719483) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: robomatic Bainbo. Your message said it all. |
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08 Sep 09 - 10:46 PM (#2719485) Subject: RE: BS: Sudoku Victory From: TRUBRIT As Bainbo said - s/he can't stop doing them............ |
