I really, really, really struggled with this puzzle. Not only could I not solve it, I could only identify the numbers in 2 cells, I3 and I4. Try as I might, I couldn’t make any further inroads. I must have spent well over an hour today struggling with this puzzle, probably more like 3 or 4 hours, but who’s counting?
I’d welcome any insights from those of you who’ve solved it. How did you approach the puzzle and how did you get your hooks into it? I find I tend to struggle with Killer sudokus far more than I do with other puzzles and I’m struggling to understand why this is the case. Any insights anyone can provide would be extremely welcome and very much appreciated.
Thanks
Paul
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Just realised that this puzzle can still be submitted today, so I’m not looking for any hints until tomorrow. Maybe if I have a fresh look at it later today, I’ll figure out how to solve it.
subscriber
I found today’s Killer relatively straightforward, so maybe I was just having a bad day yesterday. I’ll have another go at yesterday’s puzzle later today.
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The Friday Killer Sudoku is supposed to be the most difficult one of the week,
but yes, yesterday's does seem a step up than what is usual on a Friday![[scared]](./images/smilies/msp_scared.gif "Scared")
but yes, yesterday's does seem a step up than what is usual on a Friday
subscriber
I’m surprised to see that it’s already been solved 240 times, which is not that far off the average number of solvers over the previous 4 Fridays. I must have some kind of a blind spot, but hopefully I’ll manage to get my head around it.pnm wrote:The Friday Killer Sudoku is supposed to be the most difficult one of the week,
but yes, yesterday's does seem a step up than what is usual on a Friday
![[namaste]](./images/smilies/msp_namaste.gif "Namaste"){kind=small}
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Solved it! ![[cool]](./images/smilies/msp_cool.gif "Cool")
![[biggrin]](./images/smilies/msp_biggrin.gif "BigGrin")
Once I managed to get started, it was tricky but not impossible.
Not wanting to include spoilers for those who haven’t done it yet, I will say that I managed to sort out a few of the cells in the 3 columns on the right hand side of the puzzle and this gave me the start I needed to work through it.
Once I managed to get started, it was tricky but not impossible. Not wanting to include spoilers for those who haven’t done it yet, I will say that I managed to sort out a few of the cells in the 3 columns on the right hand side of the puzzle and this gave me the start I needed to work through it.
subscriber
It has taken me probably 5 yrs of doing difficult KSs to feel comfortable with them.
The last two years it has been far easier for me to do KSs than when I first started. For me, lots of practice has made a difference. I know you have done all the books, but for others, solving the two KS books makes a difference in your ability do to the puzzles.
Like you, I sorted out columns on the right hand side.
After eliminating as many possibilities as I could analytically, I noticed that cells C4, D1, and F7 were affected each other, and only had two possibilities. That was where I started with trial & error.
The last two years it has been far easier for me to do KSs than when I first started. For me, lots of practice has made a difference. I know you have done all the books, but for others, solving the two KS books makes a difference in your ability do to the puzzles.
Like you, I sorted out columns on the right hand side.
After eliminating as many possibilities as I could analytically, I noticed that cells C4, D1, and F7 were affected each other, and only had two possibilities. That was where I started with trial & error.