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  Easiest Sudoku Competition

Just for fun and kudos, I am holding a competition for the 'easiest sudoku puzzle'. Many people like to try their hand at creating Sudoku puzzles - and it's a fun process. But sometimes when you are searching for a difficult puzzle a dead easy one pops out. Now, instead of throwing it away, perhaps it can find a little glory on this page.

The rules are simple: The puzzle must have
1) a single solution and
2) a maximum of 32 clues
3) beat the Sudoku Solver's 'Easiest Sudoku" - which scores 8. The grading must occur before you press "Take Step".
To be the current winner your puzzle must demonstrate a smaller grade (although I'd be happy to list equal winners). UPDATE: . Since 2 is concievably the lowest score, new winners will have to have less clues that than the current winner.

I'm very pleased to start this competition with an entry from Eric Cole in Oregon, USA, which scores 7. I have recieved excellent contributions from Will Gibson, David Filmer and Mats Anderbok. You can load their puzzles by clicking on them:

Winner 25th October 2009, (Score 2, 31 clues), David Filmer

8...62.5.
539.8.7..
....3.14.
621.....3
.7....4..
..5....9.
...9..872
248..1...
3...5.6..


Winner 10th October 2009, (Score 2), Mats Anderbok

4..2..95.
83..6.7..
.6.1....2
7.5..8.2.
...432...
.....9168
6.....391
24.5...8.
.1..7....


Winner 5th June 2009, (Score 3), Will Gibson

7......98
.9162..74
.4..3....
.3..9....
.123.456.
....6..2.
....7..4.
37..4561.
85......9


Winner 29th May 2009, (Score 3), Tobias Santschi

...967..1
.4.3...8.
.2.....7.
173....9.
...8.35.6
5...1....
..4..51..
9.5...2.7
83.621..4



Winner 18th May 2009, (Score 4), Will Gibson

1234.....
5..8..26.
8..7..91.
4371.....
.........
.....6489
.12..3..7
.86..5..2
.....7896



First Winner (Score 7), Eric Cole , 6th May 2009

3..967..1
.4.3.2.8.
.2.....7.
.7.....9.
...873...
5...1...3
..47.51..
9.5...2.7
8..621..4

Send your entries to me via the Feedback form.

Best of luck!

Andrew Stuart

breakline

Comments...

Saturday 26-Sep-2009

... by: David Filmer

In your introduction to this competition you say "I'd be happy to list equal winners".
May I therefore submit the following, which also has a grade of 3.
.1.34.56.....2..14.675.........5...767.41.3.583...9........8....91.7..4225....9.6
Will Gibson's entry solves in 4 rounds when you click on "Take Step". In turn, the 4 steps solve 14, 11, 18 and 6 cells.
If you do the same for my entry, the 4 steps solve 14, 22, 12 and 1 cell in turn, so in that respect, I think that mine is easier although the grade is the same. I have produced a Sudoku which grades 2, but it has 33 clues, so breaks the rules. I am still struggling to find a Grade 2 Sudoku with 32 clues!
David Filmer


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Article created on 9-May-2009. Views: 2780
This page was last modified on 29-October-2009, at 08:08.
All text is copyright and for personal use only but may be reproduced with the permission of the author.
Copyright Andrew Stuart @ Scanraid Ltd, 2009