How to Use Sudoku Strategies
Since sudoku doesn't rely on mathematics or special formulas, the development of logical strategies is vital to the game. At the heart of every sudoku strategy lies one of the three basic puzzle-solving processes: scanning, marking or analysis. There is a direct and marked correlation between the difficulty of the puzzle and the complexity of the strategy.
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Instructions
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Use Basic Sudoku Strategies
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Begin by searching for what is known as "naked pairs." These are identical numbers found in two boxes in a single row or column. Logically, these numbers can only appear in these two boxes, which allows you to eliminate them as choices for any other empty boxes in the column or row.
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Use the naked strategy for triples and quads when you start to run out of steam with the pairs. By confining three or four boxes in a row, you may be able to reduce another empty box in the row to a single number.
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Try to find "hidden pairs" in two boxes of a row or column. These are identical pairs that may be sandwiched in between other numbers. They're basically the same as naked pairs, but can be masked by the presence of other numbers in the box.
Use Intermediate Sudoku Strategies
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Keep an eye out for "x-wings." This occurs when the same number occurs in four opposing corners of the puzzle, forming a rectangle. When you spot an x-wing, you can logically assume the number in question is going to appear in one of the boxes, which eliminates that occurrence in any other part of the column other than the x-wing boxes.
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5
Study the individual grids for identical numbers within the same row or column which can only be used in those two spaces. Should you find, for example, two 5's along the same row within a 3-by-3 grid, you can safely eliminate any potential 5's outside the grid that are in the same row.
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Tips & Warnings
Have patience while you're learning the various strategies for solving sudoku puzzles. There are several variations of each strategy, some of which are incredibly complex. You'll need adequate study time in order to become well versed in a given technique.
Although intermediate strategies can be complicated, understanding them may enable you to solve puzzles quicker and easier. Basic strategies will only take you so far, especially on more advanced puzzles.
