Comments on: Meet the algorithm that’s way better than you at Sudoku

By: Joel

Joel — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 19:10:03 +0000

Like an apostrophe + “re”?

By: Alex

Alex — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 23:19:16 +0000

I did exactly as jfkliberal did. I did so many Sudoku puzzles that I realized the algorithm in my head, then coded it up just as an exercise. After verifying it was correct, I Googled and found that lots of other people had already created automated Sudoku solvers. It wasn’t much of an accomplishment and it went into the bit bin quickly, but I still get to brag about it whenever a friend is doing a Sudoku.

By: Derrick Harris

Derrick Harris — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 19:21:00 +0000

That’s a good point, although I would argue most casual Sudoku puzzlers aren’t at that point yet. Simple rules work with easy puzzles, but not with the harder puzzles where there’s less data. I presume the real application of this will be in areas where we want to predict the behavior of more-complex, but rule-based systems.

By: Derrick Harris

Derrick Harris — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 19:14:18 +0000

Ha. Thanks for the comment.

By: Derrick Harris

Derrick Harris — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 19:13:34 +0000

Very cool. I suspect you’re right about the sophistication of this algorithm. Sudoku is a fine early proving ground, but hopefully its utility expands beyond just puzzles.

By: mbrunnig7716

mbrunnig7716 — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 15:57:37 +0000

It’s hardly novel to solve a puzzle without guessing. I built a program in excel using all the typical (and a number of rather atypical) logical techniques so that if I got stuck on a difficult puzzle it could highlight what I was doing wrong…solving the entire puzzle after that was merely a method of looping through the techniques. I’m sure this algorithm is significantly more advanced than mine was, buit’s still fun to now and then pull the program up and let it solve a puzzle while I watch.

By: mbrunnig7716

mbrunnig7716 — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 15:53:06 +0000

A computer using logic to solve sudoku puzzles is hardly novel…I built a program in excel that uses all the logical techniques to solve sudoku puzzles so that if I ever got stuck I could figure out what I was doing wrong…of course all I have to do is loop the various techniques together and I can watch excel solve the full puzzles…

By: jfkliberal

jfkliberal — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 13:34:55 +0000

I developed a computer program that can solve any Sudoku puzzle I have encountered. It just mimmicks the way I solve them, using logic–if this then that. It likely is not as sophisticated and ingenious and creative as the solver done by the team of researchers. I am ready to believe that their solution may lead to further technological advances in medicine and space travel. Mine? Once I proved to myself that it would work on any Sudoku puzzle, I left it on the trash heap of personal achievements that no one in the world gives a damn about and continued solving the puzzles by hand. For the life of me, I cannot imagine how people can solve the evil level puzzles in mere seconds. But someday I will figure it out.

By: Darrow Burket

Darrow Burket — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 13:23:35 +0000

You have this backwards: Researchers likely used existing methods to solve Sudoku. I was taught methods in 1975 at the University of Illinois that would make quick work of Sudoku puzzles. They’re for computers, though, and not feasible for humans to use.

By: nonenone

nonenone — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 06:12:09 +0000

As an everyday sudoku solver I have to agree with Matt, if you have to guess your missing something.