Sudoku Puzzles #181, #182, #183, & #184
Here is hoping that your first couple of weeks of 2024 have met your expectations!
Speaking of expectations, you can count on 48 challenging puzzles this year. (Editor says... WOW and great news.)
Clueless?
We start with a Sudoku puzzle in progress, where it appears that there are no more obvious or not-so-obvious clues. Can you find the hidden clue in Puzzle #181? (I missed this clue the first time trying to solve the puzzle and the puzzle was not very cooperative. I studied the puzzle as per below, and finding the clue, the puzzle was relatively easy to solve.)
PUZZLE #181
(The answer follows the conclusion of Puzzle #184, the feature puzzle for this month)
Simply a Logic Puzzle
Difficult rating … 8.5/10
(Rating based on puzzles not requiring advanced techniques)
This puzzle can be a bit tricky. Keep your eyes open for pairs, triplets, and quads as you solve the puzzle.
Impossible to solve?
Impossible? No. Difficult? Extremely. Puzzle #183 may be a challenge for you. Advanced Techniques (Steps 6 and/or 7) are required. Difficult rating 9/10.
Feature Puzzle
Difficult rating … 4/10
(Rating based on puzzles requiring advanced techniques)
(hint … If you need a refresher on Step 6, please click the April 2023 issue)
May the gentle winds of Sudoku be at your back,
Dan LeKander
Clue for Puzzle #181 … did you find the clue? If not, read on.
Focus on row 7. We see that only two unsolved cells can have options 5 & 8. You can assign these options to C3R7 & C5R7. Now you can see that C6R7=6.
Note: PUZZLE PREPARATION
Prior to utilizing techniques 1-8, complete the 5 Steps of Puzzle Preparation …
- FILL IN DATA FROM OBSERVATIONS
- FILL IN OBVIOUS ANSWERS
- FILL IN NOT-SO-OBVIOUS ANSWERS
- MARK UNSOLVED CELLS WITH OPTIONS THAT CANNOT EXIST IN THOSE CELLS
- FILL IN THE OPTIONS FOR THE UNSOLVED CELLS
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Editor’s Note: Dan and I would like to hear more from his readers regarding questions, comments and suggestions. Just e-mail us at this address …
info@thousandislandslife.com
How many Puzzles have you done?
Recently someone wrote to ask how to fill them out online. Unfortunately, you need to print them yourself, but that is easy to do and I know you will have just as much fun. Also you can use a grid sheet and copy numbers onto the grid.
And, if you have not already done so, I suggest you purchase Dan’s book: