26 Nov 2006, 2 x 4 Deadly Pattern

Discuss the <a href="http://www.sudocue.net/daily.php">Daily Sudoku Nightmare</a> here
Post Reply
Ron Moore
Addict
Addict
Posts: 72
Joined: Sun Aug 13, 2006 3:34 am
Location: New Mexico

26 Nov 2006, 2 x 4 Deadly Pattern

Post by Ron Moore »

I found a 2-row by 4-column deadly pattern in the 26 Nov 2006 Nightmare. My solution path was fairly close to the Sudocue solver to this point:

Code: Select all

.---------------.---------------.---------------.
| 3458 39   2   | 1458 1479 5789| 6    349  3479|
| 1    45   49  | 2456 3    567 | 479  24   8   |
| 348  7    6   | 248  249  89  | 5    1    2349|
&#58;---------------+---------------+---------------&#58;
| 457  45   19  | 3    68   2   | 19   58   467 |
| 3457 2    34  | 9    68   1   | 47   58   467 |
| 6    19   8   | 7    5    4   | 2    39   139 |
&#58;---------------+---------------+---------------&#58;
| 9    36   134 | 248  247  378 | 14   246  5   |
| 24   8    5   | 1246 1249 69  | 3    7    1249|
| 234  136  7   | 1245 1249 359 | 8    2469 1249|
'---------------'---------------'---------------'
Here I continued with a grouped chain:

(4=5)r4c2 - (5=497)r2c237 - (7=4)r5c7 => r5c13 <> 4

Following this up, r5c3 solves as "3", r5c1 reduces to "57"; r7c3 reduces to "14" which forms a naked pair "14" with r7c7, which (among other reductions) eliminates "4" from r7c8. Then we have an XY chain (actually an XY ring):

(4=9)r2c3 - (9=3)r2c1 - (3=6)r7c2 - (6=2)r7c8 - (2=4)r2c8 => r2c2, r2c7 <> 4

Following this up, the grid becomes:

Code: Select all

.---------------.---------------.---------------.
| 348  39   2   | 1458 1479 5789| 6    349  3479|
| 1    5    49  | 246  3    67  | 79   24   8   |
| 348  7    6   | 248  249  89  | 5    1    2349|
&#58;---------------+---------------+---------------&#58;
|*57   4    19  | 3   *68   2   | 19  *58  *67  |
|*57   2    3   | 9   *68   1   | 47  *58  *67+4|
| 6    19   8   | 7    5    4   | 2    39   139 |
&#58;---------------+---------------+---------------&#58;
| 9    36   14  | 28   27   378 | 14   26   5   |
| 24   8    5   | 1246 1249 69  | 3    7    1249|
| 234  136  7   | 1245 1249 359 | 8    2469 1249|
'---------------'---------------'---------------'
In r45c1859 (marked with "*") we have a 75-58-86-67 deadly pattern looming, and r5c9 is the only cell with a surplus candidate, namely "4". So r5c9=4 ("unique corner"), and it's easy from there.
GreenLantern
Regular
Regular
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue May 30, 2006 8:07 pm

Post by GreenLantern »

Neat solution! I don't find such large deadly patterns that easily on my own, so I appreciate good examples of them. By the way, there were several other eliminations in your XY-ring in addition to r2c27<>4: r2c4<>4,r9c2<>3, and r9c8<>2.
Post Reply