Unsolvable sudoku? Simple helper/feature request...
slayer.faith
Join Date: 2007-12-10 Member: 63127Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
Join Date: 2007-12-10 Member: 63127Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
I found a 'HARD' sudoku problem in my local paper that I couldnt solve, so I entered it in Zen, hoping to learn some snazzy new logic rule, only to find that Zen wouldnt switch to the 'this is a complete puzzle' mode, even after I entered all the clues that I worked out.
Because it wont accept it as a puzzle, I cant ask for hints. Interestingly pressing 'space' to fill in all the pencil marks doesnt get as far as I did manually (I guess it only fills in the simple pencil marks and doesnt do any logic, and as I cant access the 'hint' button I cant get any further without guessing).
The puzzle is:
<div class='codetop'>CODE</div><div class='codemain' style='height:200px;white-space:pre;overflow:auto'>
_9_ 2_3 _4_ I worked it to _9_ 2_3 _4_
4_7 _9_ 8_2 I worked it to 437 196 852
_1_ ___ _9_ I worked it to 21_ _48 39_
3__ 6_5 __9 I worked it to 372 685 419
_4_ _1_ _2_ I worked it to _4_ 317 528
5__ 9_4 __3 I worked it to 581 924 763
_2_ ___ _8_ I worked it to _24 _31 _8_
1_3 _6_ 2_4 I worked it to 153 869 274
_6_ 4_2 _3_ I worked it to _6_ 4_2 _3_
</div>
Even entering the worked squares _still_ doesnt give me the 'complete puzzle' mode. So I guess I have to start guessing. I cant ask for hints because it isnt 'complete'. Once I start guessing the troublewill have to go back to a previous state by manually reentering the puzzle.
Easy feature request: save state/guess help
---------------------------------------------------
Can we get a way to 'save' state on a puzzle, so I can save the state now, start guessing and then restore back to this point if that guess didnt work? Even sexier would be to mark the first post save guess or allow a single line comment so that I can work out which option to remove if my guess didnt work.
Even just having <ctrl>-NUM save into state saves 1-9 would be great! With say <shift>-NUM to restore.
Popping up a comment box and remembering the first post save guess would be even better.
(And displaying that when I restore!).
Harder feature request: always allow a hint
--------------------------------------------------
Can you offer hints even when the puzzle isnt 'complete'? (Rather than no button at all in the top right).
I guess you might need to work though the logic of 'is this valid to do before we have a complete puzzle', but thinking about it, shouldnt the logical rules we use to solve them _always_ apply, even if we dont have a complete puzzle? Atleast then I can rule out any 'known' logic rules that I might have missed.
cheers,
cam
Because it wont accept it as a puzzle, I cant ask for hints. Interestingly pressing 'space' to fill in all the pencil marks doesnt get as far as I did manually (I guess it only fills in the simple pencil marks and doesnt do any logic, and as I cant access the 'hint' button I cant get any further without guessing).
The puzzle is:
<div class='codetop'>CODE</div><div class='codemain' style='height:200px;white-space:pre;overflow:auto'>
_9_ 2_3 _4_ I worked it to _9_ 2_3 _4_
4_7 _9_ 8_2 I worked it to 437 196 852
_1_ ___ _9_ I worked it to 21_ _48 39_
3__ 6_5 __9 I worked it to 372 685 419
_4_ _1_ _2_ I worked it to _4_ 317 528
5__ 9_4 __3 I worked it to 581 924 763
_2_ ___ _8_ I worked it to _24 _31 _8_
1_3 _6_ 2_4 I worked it to 153 869 274
_6_ 4_2 _3_ I worked it to _6_ 4_2 _3_
</div>
Even entering the worked squares _still_ doesnt give me the 'complete puzzle' mode. So I guess I have to start guessing. I cant ask for hints because it isnt 'complete'. Once I start guessing the troublewill have to go back to a previous state by manually reentering the puzzle.
Easy feature request: save state/guess help
---------------------------------------------------
Can we get a way to 'save' state on a puzzle, so I can save the state now, start guessing and then restore back to this point if that guess didnt work? Even sexier would be to mark the first post save guess or allow a single line comment so that I can work out which option to remove if my guess didnt work.
Even just having <ctrl>-NUM save into state saves 1-9 would be great! With say <shift>-NUM to restore.
Popping up a comment box and remembering the first post save guess would be even better.
(And displaying that when I restore!).
Harder feature request: always allow a hint
--------------------------------------------------
Can you offer hints even when the puzzle isnt 'complete'? (Rather than no button at all in the top right).
I guess you might need to work though the logic of 'is this valid to do before we have a complete puzzle', but thinking about it, shouldnt the logical rules we use to solve them _always_ apply, even if we dont have a complete puzzle? Atleast then I can rule out any 'known' logic rules that I might have missed.
cheers,
cam