Feedback and Questions

Hi Andrew!
Daily Sudoku of 9. November 2016, tough:
in this tough Sudoku I tried to find out the clue 49/81 by the xy-chain method. I was not shure if I did it correct. So I watched what the solver does.
It starts a xy-chain at B2 with 2 and 9 in this cell and it ends at G3 with 2 and 9 in this cell too. the solver then markes in A3 and H2 the 2's yellow. Both see the 2's in B2 and G3, once on once off. So the 2's in A3 and H2 are eliminated. Okay, that's what I understand.
But look at the 9 in H2: it can also see both 9's in B2 and G3. So it has to be eliminated too. > We have no more number in cell H2! Impossible.

What is wrong?

I tried to start with this xy-chain at A3 with 1 off / 2 on.
That brought me to impossible eliminations too.
Maybe you can check this and tell me what is the reason?
Thank you very much and best regards,
Roland

Hi Andrew,

Exocet strategy -- well done! If you remember, we exchanged emails in regards to exocets which started the ball rolling.

If you sent me an email after October 28th, I didn't receive it. As of late October, MuchoMail.com terminated its email service. If you go to MuchoMail.com website, you'll see a notice posted to all its members. (I should have known better. With a funny name like that, something bad was going to happen. Lost all my contacts and emails.)

Is the exocet strategy in beta format? The reason I'm asking is because Puzzle #207 is not an exocet but a double exocet. Your solver doesn't recognize certain kinds of DEs. The solver comes to the point where JC Van Hay has it and your solver says exocet. It's a "collapsed" DE. The first and the second X-Cycles collapses the DE to its bones (1,7,9). Now, if you uncheck Diabolical Strategies and 23 through to 37 -- so you have Basic, Tough Strategies and 22: Exocet checked, and start over, you have an "intact" DE (1,6,7,9). Again, your solver says exocet and not DE. See cenoman's posting which is an "intact" DE. The DE is in its basic form. Same with Puzzle #194. The first and second X-Cycles collapses the DE. Both #207 and #194 are solvable.

As I've stated in my last email, October 4th, about all your DE puzzles: "Many will be solved. All the double exocets for sure”.

Overall, well done Andrew. I'll soon be sending you an email (new address). I'm in transition.

The colour used to highlight the candidate 4 is too light. Could it
be made darker?

Ray

Why did you change the way numbers were hilighted?

I enjoyed the usage that would let me highlight numbers in the large grid that would show all 1's or all 8's. Now when I click on a number all I get is that number in a small square?

Oscarj

hi, if i solve sudoku the programs hangs in step 4: naked quads. i had it a few times. one example puzzle is below2

This is a text version of the board useful for posting on forums:
+----------------+----------------+--------------+
| 2469 2469 5 | 379 369 23679 | 236 8 1 |
| 7 1 26 | 4 36 8 | 9 5 236 |
| 3 269 8 | 5 1 269 | 4 7 26 |
+----------------+----------------+--------------+
| 69 8 369 | 1 7 39 | 5 2 4 |
| 149 49 379 | 6 2 5 | 17 39 8 |
| 12 5 27 | 39 8 4 | 17 6 39 |
+----------------+----------------+--------------+
| 269 269 1 | 8 5 369 | 236 4 7 |
| 8 7 4 | 2 369 1 | 36 39 5 |
| 5 3 269 | 79 4 679 | 8 1 269 |
+----------------+----------------+--------------+

Thanks for a fantastic resource!
I'm using Safari on a Mac. As of today, (Oct. 27/16) I can no longer return to pure edit mode after using the highlighter; the 'possibles' remain coloured. The visual impact is hugely distracting, especially if 1 to 9 have been explored in highlighter mode. How do I revert back to a colour-free edit board?

As for the highlighter itself: once a cell is 'coloured', it stays. By the time I have explored from 1 - 9, all coloured cells are highlighted simultaneously (nothing can be removed).

I have shut the browser, cleared cache and done a reboot. Not happening. I've been so happy with the solver until today ... Please advise.

Just did the required update and having pressed 'take a step' the new set up locks you into a loop where it won't let you do anything to solve it yourself??? I do love this site and it provides me with hours of fun but I would like to try to solve it myself. Anything you can do?

All strategies (esp. the advance ones like Swordfish ) for eliminating (and thereby fixing value in cells) presuppose that candidates in all/specific cells are pencilled in.
Are there any 'rules of thumb' for zeroing on a candidate value or two, in r/o which a pattern, a chain or a strategy which will help solve Sudoku, can be looked for?
The reason for my query is that, when stuck in solving a Sudoku printed on paper, I find the job of adding candidates in each unresolved cell rather tedious and feel that there could be a shortcut.i

Firstly, thank you for an outstanding teaching and learning tool for Sudoku.
I installed the Android app but had to uninstall it because the font is too tiny to see and cannot be adjusted. I did see some other comments to this effect but decided to give it a go anyway based on the photos. Alas, the numbers are nowhere near as big as the photos imply. Please can you make the font size adjustable or just make the numbers fill the boxes. I have low vision and could not even see the numbers but other users are having the same problem! The ability to make the numbers bold and high contrast would be very helpful - or just do this by default to improve everyone's experience!! Thanks for reading.

Hi
How are you doing? Thanks for the site.
I'm looking at your solution to a Kenken that I created. The step that I can't understand is as follows:
Killer Innies/Outies
DOG LEG (3): Removing 1/3 from C3
DOG LEG (3): Removing 1/3 from E2

How do you apply the indies/outliers to Kenken with -+/ and x involved? I can only find the reference to Sudoku.

Kind regards
Andrew