Sudoku help for beginners
The basics:
First of all, this is NOT a numbers or math game. It is a game of logic. You’ll do much better if you can get past any phobia you have with numbers. (It would work just as well with letters of the alphabet or pictures of animals.)
1. The object of the game is to get the numbers 1-9 once in every column, row and 9-box grid (I will just refer to the latter as a grid in the future.)
2. You can either type a number in a box or click on it in the small grid at the left of the puzzle. (That grid also tells you how many times you still need to use that number.)
3. If you’re not sure of the number that goes in a box, you can “pencil in” the possibilities by holding down the Shift button and clicking the number in the overlay grid on that box. (Be sure the hand is pointing at the number you want or it won’t record it.) This keeps you from entering a number you’re not sure about and then having to backtrack and undo subsequent choices.
4. Clicking the timer will pause the game.
5. If you finish the puzzle but it doesn’t finish the game, you have an error. You can click on the cog button at the left bottom to get hints. If you use a hint your score will be reduced. My experience is that if you’ve used a hint and taken over 10 minutes to finish, it will reduce your score by half.
Playing the game
This is how I started playing the game originally. I think it will help the beginners. As you gain experience, you will probably change how you play.
1. Figure out which column, row, or grid needs the least number of entries to complete it.
2. Looking at the empty boxes in that column, row, or grid, see if you can place any numbers easily.
3. Once I’ve filled in all I can that way, I look at each set of 3 grids going across and down to see if there are numbers that are already used twice.
For example in the top set of grids going across the 8 is used twice–once in the top row of the last grid and once in the bottom row of the first grid. That means I need an 8 in the middle row of the middle grid. I can fill in the 8 because there is only one box open that meets those requirements.
This same principal works with the 3’s in the bottom set of grids going across except that now there are 2 boxes available in the middle row of the last grid. However, since there’s already a 3 in the second column of that grid, the 3 has to go in the last box on the second row of that set.
4. Once I’ve finished all I can that way, it’s time to start “penciling” in possibilities.
In #2 above, we determined that 4 and 5 need to go in the second and third empty boxes of the third column, so we can pencil in those 2. Make sure you’re on one of those boxes, hold down the shift key and click on the 4 and then on the 5. Go to the other box and do the same thing. (Be sure the hand is pointing at the number you want or it won’t record–it’s a little picky that way.)
5. As you’re doing #4, keep watch for things like only being able to use a number once in a row, column or grid. That way you know that’s the correct number. I also watch the small grid on the left for any numbers that only have 1 number left to enter. You should easily be able to find where that number belongs. Once you’ve used a number 9 times, the box for that number in the small grid will be grayed out.
You don’t have to erase your penciled in numbers. I usually leave them except when I’ve determined they can’t go there any more but still don’t know what does actually belong there. (To erase the penciled numbers do exactly the same thing you did to enter them. It’s like a toggle switch.) To delete “final” numbers you’ve input by mistake, be sure you’re on that box and just hit the delete button.
6. Don’t forget to review your possibilities anytime you figure out where a number goes. It will often help you figure out what goes in other boxes.
7. On the easy puzzles, you’re not likely to be faced with any dilemmas. If you are, I usually use the pencil numbers to test to see what happens if I do something. So, for example, in that third column, I might remove the penciled 5 from the second box and the penciled 4 from the third box. Then I look to see if I have 4 in the second box and 5 in the third box, can I determine what goes in other boxes?
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HI LIZZIE818!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THESE TIPS ON HOW TO PLAY THIS GAME I SIMPLY DREAD!!!!! I ABSOLUTELY STINK AT THIS GAME!!!! I WILL GIVE IT THE OLD COLLEGE TRY ONCE MORE…
PLEASE SEAN, TRY TO PICK A FUN GAME FOR US TO BEAT YOU AT PLAYING!!!! LOL!!!! AFTER ALL, GAME NIGHT IS SUPPOSE TO BE FUN!!!
NO HARD FEELINGS THOUGH…YOU ARE STILL HANDSOME!!! LOL!!!!!
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I do not like this game SUDOKU but after reading all the hints I’ll try it one time–no gurantees though.
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Thanks, Lizzie818. I could have used this before I played!!
I STINK AT SUDOKU!!
Good luck, everybody!
SD
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LIZZIE818….Thanks for your correct explanation. I have played thousands of games on paper, but it seems somewhat imtimidating on a computer screen. I’ll keep practicing, however. Thanks for the time you spent explaining the game so precisely!!!
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For gise!
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If I type in all the hint points I beat Sean everytime with a score of 1560. It’s not like really playing but this is not my idea of a fun game. After the hints are checked, start with the number 1 in a ramdom box. The boxes that need number ones will be highlighted. If you have a number one in a box you shouldn’t have, an X will appear through it. Backspace and it will disappear and you can move to another box. Use all the ones, then all the twos, then the threes, etc. I know this is not like really playing. And I don’t care if it reduces the score as long as it enters me in the drawing.
You have to click on the cog for the hints to appear each time you start, or I did. It doesn’t hold from game to game. It’s also very important to be sure you have clicked on the correct box before you enter or remove a number or it’ll enter over something you’ve already done and you get fuzzy headed after a while.
Lizzie, you did a great job, they should archieve your instructions somehwhere for future use.
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Thanks Lizzie….just tried the hints and it still does not give me any points. Thanks for trying to help me. I appreciate it. Can’t seem to figure out what is wrong. I guess I won’t be playing this game.
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Thanks for the tips. I am not able to get any points. I have played it about 5 times and have finished putting numbers in all grids and I still get 0 points..,playing on iPad….I can play all other games…just not Sudoku.
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Thanks Lizzie! You are the best!
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Posted in HSN Arcade
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06.11.16 4:39 AM
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