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Wed Jan 25 2017 7 x 7 difficult (Subtraction only)
https://www.calcudoku.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=865
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Author:  eclipsegirl  [ Wed Jan 25, 2017 1:55 am ]
Post subject:  Wed Jan 25 2017 7 x 7 difficult (Subtraction only)

Wed Jan 25 2017
7 x 7. Difficult - Subtraction only

This puzzle seemed particularly easy for me.

I want other's opinions. Maybe I am getting better at this particular type of puzzle or maybe it was just an easier one?

Inquiring minds want to know. [tongue]

Thanks for your help

Author:  jaek  [ Wed Jan 25, 2017 7:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wed Jan 25 2017 7 x 7 difficult (Subtraction only)

I hate to say it but I think this was just a particularly easy puzzle.. I finished it much more quickly than normal with distractions in the background to boot.

While I find that most weeks I have to work through a couple or a few dependancies to figure out the pair of numbers in a given cell for this puzzle, this week there were several instances where the only available options were much closer to the surface.

I think of it as analogous to my best timed puzzle times - sometimes the numbers, and the formulas, just fall into place.

Author:  skeeter84  [ Wed Jan 25, 2017 7:40 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wed Jan 25 2017 7 x 7 difficult (Subtraction only)

I thought it was on the easier side myself; not that I'm complaining or anything! :-) A four cannot be placed into the 4- cages since you'd need either a 0 or 8 as the complementary number. But neither of those choices exist in this puzzle, so your options are 7-3, 6-2 or 5-1.

Author:  paulv66  [ Wed Jan 25, 2017 7:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wed Jan 25 2017 7 x 7 difficult (Subtraction only)

The subtraction only puzzles can be quite tricky, but this one fell into place relatively quickly. I don't know how long it usually takes me to solve the 7x7 difficult, but today's puzzle took me just over 7 minutes, which is probably less than usual.

Author:  jpoos  [ Wed Jan 25, 2017 4:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wed Jan 25 2017 7 x 7 difficult (Subtraction only)

Puzzles in certain categories can vary quite a bit. This type of puzzle generally takes me anywhere from 2 to 15 minutes, and todays puzzle indeed took me just over 2 minutes. At least the 10x10 is a bit more on the difficult side of the spectrum in my experience.

Author:  eclipsegirl  [ Wed Jan 25, 2017 4:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wed Jan 25 2017 7 x 7 difficult (Subtraction only)

Thanks for all of your opinions.

I felt the same, that there were reduced possibilities due to use of 4 - cages.

I just wanted to know that others felt the same.

@jpoos, the 10 x 10 did seem harder than others in the past.

Author:  pnm  [ Wed Jan 25, 2017 4:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wed Jan 25 2017 7 x 7 difficult (Subtraction only)

jpoos wrote:
Puzzles in certain categories can vary quite a bit.


I can control the difficulty range a bit, so I could make the "acceptance window" much tighter.

At the moment the window for the Killer Sudoku puzzles is pretty tight, for example.

Author:  paulv66  [ Wed Jan 25, 2017 7:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wed Jan 25 2017 7 x 7 difficult (Subtraction only)

pnm wrote:
jpoos wrote:
Puzzles in certain categories can vary quite a bit.


I can control the difficulty range a bit, so I could make the "acceptance window" much tighter.

At the moment the window for the Killer Sudoku puzzles is pretty tight, for example.


Variety is the spice of life! I don't see anything wrong with having a bit of variation in the difficulty level from one week to the next.

Jpoos, 2 minutes is amazing! Then again, you are super fast at the timed puzzles, so I guess that's only to be expected!

Author:  jaek  [ Wed Jan 25, 2017 7:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wed Jan 25 2017 7 x 7 difficult (Subtraction only)

paulv66 wrote:
Variety is the spice of life!

Seconded!

Author:  sjs34  [ Wed Jan 25, 2017 10:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wed Jan 25 2017 7 x 7 difficult (Subtraction only)

Another voice in favor of variability. But also it would be nice if you could post a pertinent variability window. That is, today's difficulty rating is 65.6. What is the rating window for the 7x7 subtractions in general? Finally, I assume you have fine tuned the difficulty rating to be as reflective of reality as possible. I find that it often is but sometimes isn't. Also, I gather that a difficulty rating for killer sudukos has not been possible.

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