There are a lot of different techniques you can apply when playing Sudoku, but one trick you can use in particular is brute force. This method involves selecting one number and putting it into the square where you want it to go. It will take some practice but will pay off in the long run. Read on to discover some great strategies and tricks. We’ll cover everything from Cross-hatching to Forced chains and more.

Cross-hatching

The concept of cross-hatching when playing Sudoku is not new, but it is not widely known. Cross-hatching is a way to solve a puzzle by figuring out what cannot be put into each square. In other words, you write down potential numbers in a square and cross them out. This way, you increase the chances of placing a different number in the same square.

While solving Sudoku, you should look for opportunities for cross-hatching. When solving Sudoku, cross-hatching can help you solve sections faster. To cross-hatch, select a digit placed more than once, then draw imaginary lines from this cell to the adjacent ones. Then, mark the cells with the digit you are trying to place and exclude the cells with another digit.

Naked triples

If you’ve played Sudoku before, you’ve likely run into the “Naked Triple” at some point. This pattern is created when the middle cell has two candidates, who are both 5, 6, and 9. You can remove the redundant options from these cells to reveal the naked pair and a hidden single. This strategy is also effective in other sudoku puzzles where you want to eliminate only a single candidate. The good news is that you can use this strategy in almost any Sudoku puzzle.

There are a few different types of naked triples in Sudoku techniques. The most obvious is the Naked Triple. These are the ones that are not filled in with any other numbers. These are the easiest to find because they have the highest probability of appearing as candidates. In contrast, hidden triples can only contain the same number twice. It’s also easier to spot these puzzles if you have the right intuition and know how to find them.

Naked pairs

When you play Sudoku, you may encounter a situation where there are two possible answers to a square with a pair of numbers. These pairs are known as Naked Pairs. These pairs are the most difficult to solve and often involve a process of elimination to get the correct answer. Therefore, the first step in solving a Sudoku puzzle involving Naked Pairs is determining which cells have the pair of numbers.

When you find one, you must remove the other. You can also eliminate the pair from the board. This technique requires removing a candidate from the cell containing the pair. However, you should remember that this method only works if two candidates of the same number are in a single unit. This is one of the most common ways of solving Sudoku. The other solution is to look for the naked pairs in adjacent cells.

Forced chains

For some people, forcing chains in Sudoku is a necessary evil. Unfortunately, they’re in bad form and may make solving the puzzle much more difficult. Forced chains only occur when the board is largely made up of doubles. In a forced chain, you must pick a value and place it in another square. This way, cells in both chains will have the same value. 

Looking at the cell in question, you can also see a forcing chain. The first “u” in a forcing chain should be in the top row. The next row should be in the middle. When you’re playing Sudoku, you can also see the force in the chain by looking at the number on the right side of the board. Forcing chains is the first problem you’ll encounter when playing Sudoku.

Visually break up the grid.

If you’re new to Sudoku, a simple strategy for solving the puzzle is to break up the grid visually. In an NYTimes Sudoku puzzle, for example, the grid is divided into three rows and three columns, with three identical numbers. You can use this strategy to identify the available spaces on the puzzle and eliminate any possibilities that don’t match. It’s also a great way to help you avoid making mistakes.

The scan method leaves one cell un-eliminated, but there aren’t enough clues in it to help you find all fours. You can’t see the fives, eights, or twos you’re missing. In the scan method, you scan the grid, finding all four but leaving one cell blank. Without a clue, this method will not yield any solutions for a five or an eight.

Picking one number at a time

When playing Sudoku, you should try to pick one number at a time rather than randomly picking every single square. Doing so will make the puzzle much easier. Choosing one number at a time is not the same as guessing; guessing will not solve the puzzle, but it is a good strategy. Choosing one number at a time can also save time and frustration. Here’s how to pick one number at a time:

To find a twin, you can use the hidden-twin rule. The hidden-twin rule requires you to consider other squares in the group to determine if there are any possibilities in those squares. In addition, you can try picking one number at a time if you’re unsure if you’ve picked a number already in the group. The rule of two also extends to quadruplets.