Brilliantly done. I did the puzzle but it took me over 29 minutes. My blind spot was exactly the area you solved first after identifying the 145 triple in box 6. I could not believe my eyes when I saw the entire column 8, surrender. Very good lesson, thanks.
Great video. My short term memory is good so solving without notation is what I prefer. Right away you were using techniques I didn't know and I look forward to studying your methods until I see patterns that become automatic.
Finally a video on TH-cam that doesn't show someone using markers to solve sudoku. That's the equivalent of solving a chess problem by moving the pieces. It takes away at least half the fun. Thanks for sharing your thought process. I've got a question. Have you ever come across a sudoku you could not solve without making marks?
I'm glad you like these videos! The entire channel is dedicated to solving sudoku without writing candidates. That's the way I like to solve them too. There are puzzles that I can't solve without candidates. Some require advanced techniques that rely on candidates - like AICs. But I can solve most of them this way. Thanks for your comment.
@@wordoku Thanks for the quick reply. Yeah, I suscribed already and am going through some of your videos. Some of the techniques I already sort of knew by intuition, others have been new to me and very illustrationg. Thanks for that. What are AIC's by the way?
Many thanks Harold. Just found your channel and appreciate your teaching the methodology. I much prefer the zero notation method and enjoyed solving along with you by slowing the playback speed down to .75
i find i need some pencil marks so save from thinking the same things through over and over again.. like once i decide there is a pair or a triplet, write it down, dont figure it out again.. i am trying to improve my memory, but.... getting frustrated is not good!
you are very good at teaching, and you really know sudoku.. but, i think i need to write out the puzzles to make it sink in better.. i can follow along then pause to really think it through
Thanks for your comment. I appreciate your request. I have had others request this too. I have been doing sudoku puzzles without writing candidates for several years. I find that you look at the puzzle differently when you don't write candidates. None of my videos (except a couple that show "trial & error" and the "what if" scenario) have pencil marks. I understand your request, but I decided to solve puzzles and teach how to solve them without candidates. So please stick with me - it takes practice but I have confidence that you will appreciate puzzles without pencil marks.
@@wordoku i am sorry.. i only meant to write the sudoku puzzle myself, not to write the candidates.. you are very good teaching.. i am trying to improve my memory as well.. but i need follow along on paper to work through what you say sorry for the misunderstanding.. i have always been a more hands on learner and want the puzzle itself in my hands..
One step further is a game I like to play occasionally that doesn't even require a pencil! This is how many numbers can you fill in mentally while writing in nothing? I can often come up with between 10 to 16 numbers in a space of possibly 10 minutes. Just for a start on this one, the2 and 8 twin in block 7 is easy enough to find, placing the numbers 6 & 7 identifying a further twin, 3 and 5, the 5 placing itself in block 1 as a result. We do realise that the no marking method has limitations. I can find ways of uniqueness still, but to use, say a 'Y Wing' you need to keep a track of bi-value cells to see the 'bent triple' as to how it might work, and what is eliminated. That said, I haven't found a single one yet, though the 2 String Kite and Empty Rectangles have been useful at times.
I agree. I don't believe the toughest puzzles can be solved entirely without pencil marks. The diabolical puzzles usually shown on this channel aren't always very challenging. I've had to resort to pencil marks on occasion though.
I find I'm able to do the NYT hard puzzle without marks about 50% of the time. Today, 20 March, had a particularly interesting twist to it. Would love to see you do it on TH-cam.
I can't access the March 20th hard puzzle anymore. Can you send me the image or place the numbers for the puzzle here? You can email it to sudokuprimer@gmail.com or post it here.
I put my little game to 'Swami' once, and I think it did his head in. I can 'see' at least 10 placings here, including a UR on 2 & 8, even if it only reduces the cell those numbers can't go in to 2 remaining candidates.
Hi, I would like to send you an extreme puzzle to solve on one of your vidieos. I would like to See what techniques you would use. I guessed to solve the puzzle but that's not the way to do it. Do you have an email to send this puzzle to you? Thanks, Ron
I would say it's a personal preference. I like the challenge of solving without them. Others like "Snyder Notation." If you're using software, pencil marks are easy and fast and don't clutter the grid. You are probably in the majority class - most people probably use some form of notation.
@@wordoku I've always found pencil marks confusing. There are a lot of sudoku videos on youtube, but because they use pencil marks it's so difficult to follow along. My ability to solve sudoku puzzled on maximum difficulty boils down to being difficult it is to comprehend videos, terminologies, and the tracer marks you see used in the videos. My skill level now on maximum difficulty is between 15-30 minutes depending on the number placements. I can recognize some of the methods you use but not the terms. Good job on your videos!
I was literally shocked when I first learned that people take notes. I tried it out and felt nothing approximating a sense of accomplishment. They definitely are out there “solving” way harder puzzles but for what?
I think notation free is doable for puzzles such as most of the hard NYT, but I would suggest that it would be near impossible for puzzles by Shye or jovial…
Thanks, I like watching you solve these puzzles without the notations. I can always pause and "rewind" the vid if I miss something that you have done.
Glad you like them!
Brilliantly done. I did the puzzle but it took me over 29 minutes. My blind spot was exactly the area you solved first after identifying the 145 triple in box 6. I could not believe my eyes when I saw the entire column 8, surrender. Very good lesson, thanks.
Glad it helped! Cheers!
Great video. My short term memory is good so solving without notation is what I prefer. Right away you were using techniques I didn't know and I look forward to studying your methods until I see patterns that become automatic.
Glad it was helpful! I'm glad you found this channel. Good luck!
Many people need candidates when solving puzzles , thanks H.N
You're welcome!
Finally a video on TH-cam that doesn't show someone using markers to solve sudoku. That's the equivalent of solving a chess problem by moving the pieces. It takes away at least half the fun. Thanks for sharing your thought process. I've got a question. Have you ever come across a sudoku you could not solve without making marks?
I'm glad you like these videos! The entire channel is dedicated to solving sudoku without writing candidates. That's the way I like to solve them too.
There are puzzles that I can't solve without candidates. Some require advanced techniques that rely on candidates - like AICs. But I can solve most of them this way.
Thanks for your comment.
@@wordoku Thanks for the quick reply. Yeah, I suscribed already and am going through some of your videos. Some of the techniques I already sort of knew by intuition, others have been new to me and very illustrationg. Thanks for that. What are AIC's by the way?
I was just looking for a technique like yours, thanks!
Great! Welcome. And happy solving!
Love your thought process. Very logical. I love to solve these without notations and use only a pen, no pencil.
I'm glad you like it! We think the same.
Many thanks Harold. Just found your channel and appreciate your teaching the methodology. I much prefer the zero notation method and enjoyed solving along with you by slowing the playback speed down to .75
Thanks for your nice comment. I'm glad you found these videos!
Excellent work Sir
Thank you!
Bravo. Salutations on your memory; I'm in awe, but a pencil is my "best" friend.
Thank you! Cheers!
i find i need some pencil marks so save from thinking the same things through over and over again.. like once i decide there is a pair or a triplet, write it down, dont figure it out again.. i am trying to improve my memory, but.... getting frustrated is not good!
@@frinoffrobis I understand the frustration and everything but if you're trying to improve your memory, using a pencil is definitely not helping.
you are very good at teaching, and you really know sudoku.. but, i think i need to write out the puzzles to make it sink in better.. i can follow along then pause to really think it through
Thanks for your comment. I appreciate your request. I have had others request this too.
I have been doing sudoku puzzles without writing candidates for several years. I find that you look at the puzzle differently when you don't write candidates. None of my videos (except a couple that show "trial & error" and the "what if" scenario) have pencil marks. I understand your request, but I decided to solve puzzles and teach how to solve them without candidates. So please stick with me - it takes practice but I have confidence that you will appreciate puzzles without pencil marks.
@@wordoku i am sorry.. i only meant to write the sudoku puzzle myself, not to write the candidates..
you are very good teaching.. i am trying to improve my memory as well.. but i need follow along on paper to work through what you say
sorry for the misunderstanding.. i have always been a more hands on learner and want the puzzle itself in my hands..
@@frinoffrobis Thank you for clarifying. I hope my videos and website are helping you! And thanks for the nice comment.
Excellent sir, I am very happy to follow your explanation, thank you very much.
You are most welcome. Thanks for your comment!
One step further is a game I like to play occasionally that doesn't even require a pencil! This is how many numbers can you fill in mentally while writing in nothing? I can often come up with between 10 to 16 numbers in a space of possibly 10 minutes. Just for a start on this one, the2 and 8 twin in block 7 is easy enough to find, placing the numbers 6 & 7 identifying a further twin, 3 and 5, the 5 placing itself in block 1 as a result. We do realise that the no marking method has limitations. I can find ways of uniqueness still, but to use, say a 'Y Wing' you need to keep a track of bi-value cells to see the 'bent triple' as to how it might work, and what is eliminated. That said, I haven't found a single one yet, though the 2 String Kite and Empty Rectangles have been useful at times.
:)
I agree. I don't believe the toughest puzzles can be solved entirely without pencil marks. The diabolical puzzles usually shown on this channel aren't always very challenging. I've had to resort to pencil marks on occasion though.
@@NMalteC You're right. Try following AICs without candidates!
I find I'm able to do the NYT hard puzzle without marks about 50% of the time. Today, 20 March, had a particularly interesting twist to it. Would love to see you do it on TH-cam.
I can't access the March 20th hard puzzle anymore. Can you send me the image or place the numbers for the puzzle here? You can email it to sudokuprimer@gmail.com or post it here.
@@wordoku Maybe. There is a guy who usually does the NYT puzzle on TH-cam. I'll see if I can get a screen shot.
@@wordoku Just sent.
@@johnakm I got your email. I'll take a look at it.
I put my little game to 'Swami' once, and I think it did his head in. I can 'see' at least 10 placings here, including a UR on 2 & 8, even if it only reduces the cell those numbers can't go in to 2 remaining candidates.
Very good!
Hi, I would like to send you an extreme puzzle to solve on one of your vidieos. I would like to
See what techniques you would use. I guessed to solve the puzzle but that's not the way to do it.
Do you have an email to send this puzzle to you?
Thanks, Ron
sudokuprimer@gmail.com.
pen ? name
I use a Uniball Micro .5mm black pen.
I love pencil marks
I would say it's a personal preference. I like the challenge of solving without them. Others like "Snyder Notation." If you're using software, pencil marks are easy and fast and don't clutter the grid. You are probably in the majority class - most people probably use some form of notation.
@@wordoku I've always found pencil marks confusing. There are a lot of sudoku videos on youtube, but because they use pencil marks it's so difficult to follow along. My ability to solve sudoku puzzled on maximum difficulty boils down to being difficult it is to comprehend videos, terminologies, and the tracer marks you see used in the videos. My skill level now on maximum difficulty is between 15-30 minutes depending on the number placements.
I can recognize some of the methods you use but not the terms. Good job on your videos!
Thanks! There are sections on my website that cover the techniques and patterns I use. www.sudokuprimer.com.
Putting pencil marks takes away the fun...
I agree! I like the challenge of solving without them.
Good
Thanks
His channel also teaches that. youtube.com/@NMalteC
Ok good to know. He is relatively new.
i dont remember those.
What don't you remember? Do you mean candidates?
I was literally shocked when I first learned that people take notes. I tried it out and felt nothing approximating a sense of accomplishment. They definitely are out there “solving” way harder puzzles but for what?
There are techniques that require notes, but for the most part, I don't think they're needed.
I think notation free is doable for puzzles such as most of the hard NYT, but I would suggest that it would be near impossible for puzzles by Shye or jovial…
@@paulakeay4317 I agree with you. There are techniques that would be very difficult to use without candidates.