Sudoku is a logical puzzle game that doesn’t require any math skills. It’s a great brain teaser that can help you focus and relax.
But getting started can be a lot of work. If you’re new to sudoku, several tricks and techniques can help you solve it easier and faster.
1. Use a Pencil Instead of a Pen
You’ll be able to correct errors more quickly using a pencil rather than a pen. One of the tips on how to play sudoku is that you can use a finer lead, which is excellent for solving sudoku.
A pencil is made of a piece of wood, which has been coated with graphite at the core and occasionally some wax. It has an eraser on one end and is available in various sizes.
2. Start With the More Accessible Section
Sudoku is one of the most popular puzzles in the world. People play it online, in newspapers, or even on airplanes.
If you’re a beginner, start with the more accessible puzzle section first. It is a fantastic method for learning the game and advancing without getting discouraged.
It will also help you identify hidden pairs and naked singles more easily. When you understand the game’s operation, you can rapidly develop your scanning method and finish more sudoku puzzles.
3. Look for Numbers That Need to Be Included
Searching for numbers absent from the sudoku problem will significantly improve your chances of success. These numbers are often easy to place and can be clues to other possible solutions.
In a sudoku puzzle, each column, row, and 3×3 box (squares of nine cells) must have all the numbers from 1-9 exactly once in every space. It is called the “one rule.”
4. Scrutinize the Entire Grid and Sub-grids
Sudoku is a grid game that requires many strategies to solve. These include examining every open cell and filling in the correct numbers to complete the puzzle.
The basic game consists of an 81-cell grid subdivided into nine 3×3 blocks. The goal is to fill the grid’s empty cases so that every row, column, and 3×3 sub-grid contains each digit from 1 to 9 exactly once.
It is a logical game of trial and error that can be an excellent workout for your brain. Several studies have shown that people who play sudoku and other cognitive-based games have better memory and concentration.
5. Use the Cross-hatching Technique
Cross-hatching is a shading technique to create light and dark areas in a drawing. You can use it to draw simple shapes or complex subjects like people.
Before you start the cross-hatching process, consider the form and light source of your drawing. It will help you establish consistency in your cross-hatching technique.
If you’re new to cross-hatching, start with the lightest sections of your drawing and gradually build up your pencil marks to achieve a shaded look. Then, study your still life or reference photo to determine where to put your mid-tones.
6. Keep the Momentum of the Game Fluid
Keeping the momentum of the game fluid can make solving sudoku puzzles easier. It is because some areas of the grid will require you to place other digits elsewhere before they can be resolved.
Finding rows, columns, or 3×3 blocks with a lot of the provided digits already there is one technique to accomplish this. It will give you a head start and make it easy to spot the numbers missing from the rest of the puzzle.
7. Look for Naked Pairs and Singles
Naked pairs are a basic Sudoku strategy to help you solve the puzzle faster. It occurs when precisely two cells in a row, column, or 3×3 block have only the same digits pencil marked in them.
The digits in the naked pair cannot be used anywhere else within the group of cells. It makes eliminating the numbers as candidates for other cells in that same group or row easier.
8. Scrutinize the Entire Grid and Sub-grids
Sudoku is a fun and challenging puzzle based on logic. It is played on a 9×9 grid of small squares that must be filled with numbers from 1-9.
It also involves nine 3×3 sub-grids (called “regions”), where some cells already contain numbers called ‘givens.’ The goal is to fill in all empty cells so that every row, column, and region contains the numbers 1-9 exactly once.
In most variants, no digit occurs twice in any row, column, or 3×3 sub-grid. It is the one rule that makes sudoku an excellent game for adults.
9. Start With the More Accessible Section
When first learning to play sudoku, it is vital to start with the more accessible section of the puzzle. It will help you develop your strategy and improve your skills as a sudoku player.
To solve a sudoku, the 9×9 grid must be completed so that each row and each column contain the digits 1-9 exactly once.
Using the process of elimination and looking for the least congested areas is the simplest method to accomplish this. It will help you eliminate possibilities and quickly fill in the missing cells in the grid.
10. Look for Numbers That Are Missing
Many sudoku puzzles can become challenging and only possible if a player makes the right guess. It happens because a number is supposed to be unique in every cell of the puzzle.
To avoid this, players should only place numbers in the grid once they have gone through a process of elimination. They should also not put a number in a cell that already has another number in it.