| View previous topic :: View next topic | 
	
	
		| Author | Message | 
	
		| keith 
 
 
 Joined: 19 Sep 2005
 Posts: 3355
 Location: near Detroit, Michigan, USA
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 4:11 am    Post subject: Jan 28 VH |   |  
				| 
 |  
				| This may be the toughest "Very Hard" puzzle ever! 
 Keith
 |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		| Marty R. 
 
 
 Joined: 12 Feb 2006
 Posts: 5770
 Location: Rochester, NY, USA
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 6:04 am    Post subject: Re: Jan 28 VH |   |  
				| 
 |  
				|  	  | 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.
 |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		| nataraj 
 
 
 Joined: 03 Aug 2007
 Posts: 1048
 Location: near Vienna, Austria
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 7:23 am    Post subject: |   |  
				| 
 |  
				| 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
 |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		| storm_norm 
 
 
 Joined: 18 Oct 2007
 Posts: 1741
 
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 9:08 am    Post subject: |   |  
				| 
 |  
				| 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
 |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		| andras 
 
 
 Joined: 31 Oct 2007
 Posts: 56
 Location: Mid Wales
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 9:24 am    Post subject: |   |  
				| 
 |  
				| 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
 |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		| Earl 
 
 
 Joined: 30 May 2007
 Posts: 677
 Location: Victoria, KS
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 2:31 pm    Post subject: Jan 28 VH |   |  
				| 
 |  
				| Lots of x-wings, xy-wings, even a skyscraper. A fun puzzle worthy of a VH rating.
 
 Earl
 |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		| Johan 
 
 
 Joined: 25 Jun 2007
 Posts: 206
 Location: Bornem  Belgium
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:58 pm    Post subject: |   |  
				| 
 |  
				| 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.
 |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		| andras 
 
 
 Joined: 31 Oct 2007
 Posts: 56
 Location: Mid Wales
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:38 pm    Post subject: |   |  
				| 
 |  
				|  	  | 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
 |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		| Marty R. 
 
 
 Joined: 12 Feb 2006
 Posts: 5770
 Location: Rochester, NY, USA
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 6:03 pm    Post subject: |   |  
				| 
 |  
				|  	  | 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
 |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		| cgordon 
 
 
 Joined: 04 May 2007
 Posts: 769
 Location: ontario, canada
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 6:22 pm    Post subject: |   |  
				| 
 |  
				|  	  | 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
 |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		| sdq_pete 
 
 
 Joined: 30 Apr 2007
 Posts: 119
 Location: Rotterdam, NL
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 9:25 pm    Post subject: |   |  
				| 
 |  
				| 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
 |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		| nataraj 
 
 
 Joined: 03 Aug 2007
 Posts: 1048
 Location: near Vienna, Austria
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 9:36 pm    Post subject: |   |  
				| 
 |  
				|  	  | 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.
 |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		| eddieg 
 
 
 Joined: 12 Jan 2006
 Posts: 47
 Location: San Diego, CA USA
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 10:57 pm    Post subject: Has anybody solved without coloring? |   |  
				| 
 |  
				| Looking for different solution. |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		| sheryl 
 
 
 Joined: 24 Sep 2007
 Posts: 64
 Location: New York
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 11:58 pm    Post subject: 1/28 VH |   |  
				| 
 |  
				| 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. |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		| Marty R. 
 
 
 Joined: 12 Feb 2006
 Posts: 5770
 Location: Rochester, NY, USA
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 12:59 am    Post subject: Re: 1/28 VH |   |  
				| 
 |  
				|  	  | 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.
 |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		| sheryl 
 
 
 Joined: 24 Sep 2007
 Posts: 64
 Location: New York
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 1:04 am    Post subject: today's vh |   |  
				| 
 |  
				| 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.
 |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		| Marty R. 
 
 
 Joined: 12 Feb 2006
 Posts: 5770
 Location: Rochester, NY, USA
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 1:22 am    Post subject: Re: today's vh |   |  
				| 
 |  
				|  	  | 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
 |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		| sheryl 
 
 
 Joined: 24 Sep 2007
 Posts: 64
 Location: New York
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 1:27 am    Post subject: today's vh |   |  
				| 
 |  
				| 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!
 |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		| sheryl 
 
 
 Joined: 24 Sep 2007
 Posts: 64
 Location: New York
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 1:46 am    Post subject: today's vh |   |  
				| 
 |  
				| 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?
 |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		| Marty R. 
 
 
 Joined: 12 Feb 2006
 Posts: 5770
 Location: Rochester, NY, USA
 
 | 
			
				|  Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 4:46 am    Post subject: Re: today's vh |   |  
				| 
 |  
				|  	  | 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.
 |  | 
	
		| Back to top |  | 
	
		|  | 
	
		|  |