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		keith
 
 
  Joined: 19 Sep 2005 Posts: 3355 Location: near Detroit, Michigan, USA
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				 Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 4:11 am    Post subject: Jan 28 VH | 
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				This may be the toughest "Very Hard" puzzle ever!
 
 
Keith | 
			 
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		Marty R.
 
 
  Joined: 12 Feb 2006 Posts: 5770 Location: Rochester, NY, USA
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				 Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 6:04 am    Post subject: Re: Jan 28 VH | 
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				 	  | keith wrote: | 	 		  This may be the toughest "Very Hard" puzzle ever!
 
 
Keith | 	  
 
No argument there. Very few freebies at the start and much more than the usual number of polyvalue cells. I must've missed some moves, since I used techniques that aren't required for these. But it took me:
 
 
ER
 
Finned X-Wing
 
X-Wing
 
Type 1 UR
 
XY-Wing
 
XY-Wing
 
 
There were a couple of potential W-Wings, but I couldn't see any connecting strong links.
 
 
Definitely a VH VH. | 
			 
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		nataraj
 
 
  Joined: 03 Aug 2007 Posts: 1048 Location: near Vienna, Austria
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				 Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 7:23 am    Post subject:  | 
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				Very tough, indeed!
 
 
coloring on 7 removedd 7 from r6c5 (don't know if that helped any)
 
xwing 8 that was the breaktrough (r69 c58)
 
but not done!
 
xy wing 57-78-58 removed 5 from r9c1
 
opens up another xy wing 15-14-45 removes 5 from r1c3
 
 
that's it.
 
 
There was another coloring on 7 removed 7 from r2c2 and r5c5 but I don't remember exactly when (before or after the xy wings?) or whether it was necessary or not.
 
 
Great puzzle | 
			 
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		storm_norm
 
 
  Joined: 18 Oct 2007 Posts: 1741
 
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				 Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 9:08 am    Post subject:  | 
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				there is one elimination on 7 via coloring before the x-wing on 8.
 
 
after the x-wing on 8, get rid of some box eliminations and a naked pair {5,7} 
 
 
 
 
 	  | Code: | 	 		  2       1357    56      | 156     167     8       | 4       136     9
 
147     179     46      | 2       3       179     | 5       16      8
 
15      1359    8       | 1456    1469    159     | 2       136     7
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------
 
9       57      1       | 38      57      6       | 38      2       4
 
8       6       2       | 134     147     17      | 37      9       5
 
57      4       3       | 9       58      2       | 6       78      1
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------
 
3       58      7       | 568     69      59      | 1       4       2
 
6       158     9       | 158     2       4       | 78      57      3
 
145     2       45      | 7       18      3       | 9       58      6 | 	  
 
 
this grid is after the x-wing on 8 and after the box eliminations, the x-wing on 7 is in r14c25
 
 
but that doesn't solve it,  its the aforementioned {578} and {145} xy-wings that kill it.
  Last edited by storm_norm on Mon Jan 28, 2008 9:30 am; edited 3 times in total | 
			 
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		andras
 
 
  Joined: 31 Oct 2007 Posts: 56 Location: Mid Wales
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				 Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 9:24 am    Post subject:  | 
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				Hmm, I thought it was pretty straightforward, although it did keep going a bit!
 
 
An x-wing on 8, as already noted.
 
An xy on 5,7,8
 
And another xy on 1,4,5.
 
 
QED!
 
 
John | 
			 
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		Earl
 
 
  Joined: 30 May 2007 Posts: 677 Location: Victoria, KS
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				 Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 2:31 pm    Post subject: Jan 28 VH | 
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				Lots of x-wings, xy-wings, even a skyscraper.
 
A fun puzzle worthy of a VH rating.
 
 
Earl | 
			 
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		Johan
 
 
  Joined: 25 Jun 2007 Posts: 206 Location: Bornem  Belgium
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				 Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:58 pm    Post subject:  | 
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				This one was indeed a VH rating, the advanced solving sequence I took is an ER on digit <7> in Box 2, takes out <7> in R6C5, then an x-wing <8> in R69C58, 
 
 
after that an M-wing with the [58] pair in R7C2 and R9C8, eliminating <8> in R8C7 was the final step. | 
			 
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		andras
 
 
  Joined: 31 Oct 2007 Posts: 56 Location: Mid Wales
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				 Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:38 pm    Post subject:  | 
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				 	  | Johan wrote: | 	 		  This one was indeed a VH rating, the advanced solving sequence I took is an ER on digit <7> in Box 2, takes out <7> in R6C5, then an x-wing <8> in R69C58, 
 
 
after that an M-wing with the [58] pair in R7C2 and R9C8, eliminating <8> in R8C7 was the final step. | 	  
 
 
M-wing? Don't think I've met one of those.      
 
 
John | 
			 
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		Marty R.
 
 
  Joined: 12 Feb 2006 Posts: 5770 Location: Rochester, NY, USA
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				 Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 6:03 pm    Post subject:  | 
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				 	  | andras wrote: | 	 		   	  | Johan wrote: | 	 		  This one was indeed a VH rating, the advanced solving sequence I took is an ER on digit <7> in Box 2, takes out <7> in R6C5, then an x-wing <8> in R69C58, 
 
 
after that an M-wing with the [58] pair in R7C2 and R9C8, eliminating <8> in R8C7 was the final step. | 	  
 
 
M-wing? Don't think I've met one of those.      
 
 
John | 	  
 
John,
 
 
Try the third post in this thread. Good luck.
 
 
Marty
 
 
http://www.dailysudoku.co.uk/sudoku/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2143 | 
			 
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		cgordon
 
 
  Joined: 04 May 2007 Posts: 769 Location: ontario, canada
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				 Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 6:22 pm    Post subject:  | 
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				 	  | Quote: | 	 		  | opens up another xy wing 15-14-45 removes 5 from r1c3 | 	  
 
 
Dead easy at the startl:  All I needed were one x-wing, two skyscrapers, one xyz-wing and an ER - but then it got difficult!!  In fact I had to resort to the Off-F method (get the answer Off the Forum).  Thanks Nataraj for that.  Perhaps we need a V VH category or some other new acronym.
  Last edited by cgordon on Mon Jan 28, 2008 11:32 pm; edited 1 time in total | 
			 
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		sdq_pete
 
 
  Joined: 30 Apr 2007 Posts: 119 Location: Rotterdam, NL
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				 Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 9:25 pm    Post subject:  | 
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				Found myself curiously error-prone with this one, twice reaching an illogical position following the saved state after basic moves and thinking I must have made a mistake at that stage. Still, on following through carefully enough I got there with the following:
 
 	  | Code: | 	 		  X   8   R69
 
XY  578 R6C8   (eliminating 5 in R9C1), and
 
XY  145 R9C1 | 	  
 
 
Peter | 
			 
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		nataraj
 
 
  Joined: 03 Aug 2007 Posts: 1048 Location: near Vienna, Austria
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				 Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 9:36 pm    Post subject:  | 
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				 	  | cgordon wrote: | 	 		  | but then it got difficult!! ... Thanks Nataraj for that.  Perhaps we need a VVH category or some other new acronym. | 	  
 
 
You're welcome - and as you made it to the last hurdle, I'm sure it would have been only a matter of time...    
 
 
The new category - how about "RH" real hard. Hm. What about "vh" then. UNreal hard? Nah, no good. "VrH" very-ER hard? aaarrrggghh!
 
"XH" ? and then ? XXH? 
 
 
Actually, I'm quite happy with "vh" as it is. Simply says naked pairs and box/line are not enough. Could do with a little variety sometimes, like vh not solvable by xwing and/or xyz wing, maybe throw in a swordfish or required w-wing at times but come on let's not get picky: we've waited long enough for a "vh" and we were rewarded. | 
			 
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		eddieg
 
 
  Joined: 12 Jan 2006 Posts: 47 Location: San Diego, CA USA
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				 Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 10:57 pm    Post subject: Has anybody solved without coloring? | 
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				| Looking for different solution. | 
			 
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		sheryl
 
 
  Joined: 24 Sep 2007 Posts: 64 Location: New York
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				 Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 11:58 pm    Post subject: 1/28 VH | 
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				| can you tell me where the xy wing on the 14 45 15 is.  i have the 14 and the 45 but the only possible 15 that i see that  would eliminate the 5 in r1c3 is the 145 in r1c1.  if this is a 15 not a 145 can you tell me how you eliminated the 4.  thanks a bunch. | 
			 
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		Marty R.
 
 
  Joined: 12 Feb 2006 Posts: 5770 Location: Rochester, NY, USA
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				 Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 12:59 am    Post subject: Re: 1/28 VH | 
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				 	  | sheryl wrote: | 	 		  | can you tell me where the xy wing on the 14 45 15 is.  i have the 14 and the 45 but the only possible 15 that i see that  would eliminate the 5 in r1c3 is the 145 in r1c1.  if this is a 15 not a 145 can you tell me how you eliminated the 4.  thanks a bunch. | 	  
 
 
Sheryl, this is the grid from Norm's post. 
 
 
 	  | Code: | 	 		  2       1357    56      | 156     167     8       | 4       136     9
 
147     179     46      | 2       3       179     | 5       16      8
 
15      1359    8       | 1456    1469    159     | 2       136     7
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------
 
9       57      1       | 38      57      6       | 38      2       4
 
8       6       2       | 134     147     17      | 37      9       5
 
57      4       3       | 9       58      2       | 6       78      1
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------
 
3       58      7       | 568     69      59      | 1       4       2
 
6       158     9       | 158     2       4       | 78      57      3
 
145     2       45      | 7       18      3       | 9       58      6 | 	  
 
 
First, play the XY-Wing on 78-58-57 that's pivoted in r6c8. That gets rid of the 5 in r9c1. That cell now becomes the pivot for a 14-45-15 XY-Wing. | 
			 
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		sheryl
 
 
  Joined: 24 Sep 2007 Posts: 64 Location: New York
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				 Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 1:04 am    Post subject: today's vh | 
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				marty,
 
 
i can't read the grid-- it's all squirrily.  i don't see how you got rid of the 4 in r3c1(if indeed it's gone).  can you explain. | 
			 
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		Marty R.
 
 
  Joined: 12 Feb 2006 Posts: 5770 Location: Rochester, NY, USA
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				 Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 1:22 am    Post subject: Re: today's vh | 
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				 	  | sheryl wrote: | 	 		  marty,
 
 
i can't read the grid-- it's all squirrily.  i don't see how you got rid of the 4 in r3c1(if indeed it's gone).  can you explain. | 	  
 
Sheryl, 
 
 
I deeply apologize, but I don't know what a squirrily grid looks like.     It's aligned properly as I look at it.
 
 
I also don't remember how I did the puzzle. But looking at Norm's grid, the only possibilities for 4 in row two are in box 1. Therefore, no 4s can exist in box 1 in rows 1 and 3.
 
 
Hope that helps.
  Last edited by Marty R. on Tue Jan 29, 2008 2:03 am; edited 1 time in total | 
			 
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		sheryl
 
 
  Joined: 24 Sep 2007 Posts: 64 Location: New York
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				 Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 1:27 am    Post subject: today's vh | 
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				marty,
 
 
sorry, i just didn't see it.  but now i do see the elimination of the 4 in r3c1.  and that finally solved it for me.  
 
 
thanks for posting all the info.  it indeed was a very hard VH! | 
			 
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		sheryl
 
 
  Joined: 24 Sep 2007 Posts: 64 Location: New York
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				 Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 1:46 am    Post subject: today's vh | 
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				marty,
 
 
when i see norm's grid, row 1 is on 2 lines, row 2 is on 2 lines, etc. etc.  therefore to me it looks all "squirrelly" and makes it hard to read. If it looks right to you, any ideas why mine would look different? | 
			 
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		Marty R.
 
 
  Joined: 12 Feb 2006 Posts: 5770 Location: Rochester, NY, USA
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				 Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 4:46 am    Post subject: Re: today's vh | 
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				 	  | sheryl wrote: | 	 		  marty,
 
 
when i see norm's grid, row 1 is on 2 lines, row 2 is on 2 lines, etc. etc.  therefore to me it looks all "squirrelly" and makes it hard to read. If it looks right to you, any ideas why mine would look different? | 	  
 
No idea. Does it happen with all the grids or just this one? However, if you answer that I wouldn't know what to say anyways. | 
			 
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