How to Make a Sudoku Solver

When magazines and newspapers print sudoku puzzles, sometimes the answer key is overlooked or promised in a future edition. For those who are impatient and want to check their answers right away, software developers have created sudoku solvers. These complex programs create accurate solutions to just about every sudoku puzzle possible in seconds.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Puzzle
• Sudoku solver generator

1. Find a reliable site to download solver software from. There are many websites available to you, such as Sudoku Dragon and Sudoku XLS (see Resources below).
2. Make sure your computer is compatible with the software prior to download. Should you have special concerns, such as running a program on a Mac operating system, contact the website owner for further instructions.
3. Copy the puzzle you want to solve in the work pad space. This is simple when the puzzle is available online, and involves an easy copy and paste. For puzzles in a book or on another piece of paper, however, you'll need to fill in the boxes yourself.
4. Read the program instructions to find out how to make a sudoku solver. Some programs are fairly straightforward and have a "solve" button in plain sight. Others, however, require complex codes to be entered, or have unique names for the solve button.
5. Give the solver up to one minute to find an appropriate solution, especially for a challenging puzzle. While most generators are able to make a solver within seconds, some require extra time due to the complexity of the puzzle.

Tips & Warnings

• For those times when you don't want to make a solver for the entire puzzle, you can use your generator software to create hints to help you jumpstart your game.
• Consider making your own puzzles and solvers by using the puzzle generator function with your program. You can tailor your puzzle to fit your interests, whether you want an easy traditional game or a challenging 20-by-20 grid.
• Remember, the instant you make a sudoku solver you'll have access to the answer to the puzzle. If you'd like to use a solver to eventually cross-check your answers, but don't want to see the completed result, you may want to ask another person to generate the solution and print it out for you.