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If you follow these steps, you can solve even the most diabolical Sudoku puzzle.
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Sudoku puzzles may seem almost impossible at first glance. The rules, which are simple, do not always produce a
simple puzzle.
First, each of the 9 rows must contain every number from 1 through 9 with no repeats. Second, each of the
9 columns must also contain every number from 1 through 9 with no repeats and then each of the nine 3 x 3 grids must ALSO
contain each number from 1 through 9 with no repeats. This is where it gets tricky.
You could try with a pencil and a really good eraser and if you knew my techniques (which I'll be showing you), you'd
get it solved eventually.
But to take it to the next level, we'll use Microsoft Excel. Excel lets us set up a gridwork to match our Sudoku
puzzle and lets us do a little very simple math on the lines, columns and 3 x 3 grids that the puzzle contains. Every
line, column and 3 x 3 grid will add up to 45 when it is correct. If you were to get the whole thing filled in and some
of the totals didn't add up, you would know positively that you had an error somewhere.
| Here is a very basic Excel Sudoku Grid |
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Personally, I found it easier to visualize the Sudoku "Three Dimensional" concept when I added colors to the grids, added
in a "formula" at the end of each row, the end of each column and then added in a "block total" segment below. The "block
total" segments match the colors of each 3 x 3 block and total those blocks accordingly.
| This is my basic Sudoku "Template" |
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Using this form, which I saved as a "Template", I have solved a puzzle here. Note that each total comes out to
45. Also note that I have the "clue" numbers in bold and the numbers I detected are plain text. The template process is
used by Excel, Word and other Microsoft Office programs to save your "form" documents so that you can pull up blank ones when
needed without overwriting your original. To create a Template in any of these programs, simply create the form, click
SAVE AS and change "Save As Type" to "Document Template". Be sure to exit the form after that so that you don't overwrite
it. From that point on, all you have to do is click on FILE and NEW and you'll be able to to use this template (form)
over and over again.
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Be sure to read and understand the "Basics" page before you attempt to solve a puzzle. Whether you use Excel or
a simple pencil with eraser, you will need to understand the basic logical concepts.
Kathy's step-by-step solution to Sudoku. An EXCELlent method of working
it out.
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