We watched the whole thing, Simon. That's exactly what we want. A ridiculously hard puzzle and Simon solving it in almost 3 hours. That's one of the best videos on the channel.
To help appreciate the truly impressive duration of Simon's epic sudoku solve, I thought I'd compare against a similar epic: The Lord of the Rings. [SPOILER WARNING FOR THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING] 1:08:09 Simon gets his first digit. At this point in Lord of the Rings, Frodo was just grievously wounded by a Ringwraith that stabbed him with a Morgulblade on the hill of Weathertop on the way to Rivendell, and it would be another 10 or so seconds before the arrival of Arwen. 1:36:59 Simon completely finishes his first clump. At this point in Lord of the Rings, the Fellowship is on their way to cross the Misty Mountains via the mountain pass of Caradhras, and Gimli has just tried to persuade Gandalf to instead take the fellowship through the Mines of Moria. 2:17:25 Simon completely finishes his first 3x3 box. At this point in Lord of the Rings, Gandalf has fallen into the abyss with the Balrog, and the rest of the fellowship has fled to the Elven realm of Lothlorien. In this moment Boromir is feeling homesick as he describes the White Tower of Ecthelion to Aragorn. 2:39:18 Simon completely finishes the puzzle. At this point in Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship have been attacked by Uruk-hai. During the attack, Merry and Pippen distract the orcs, allowing Frodo to escape. Boromir then rushed to their aid, and in this moment has just been struck for a second time by an arrow from the Uruk commander, Lurtz. And so, Simon has successfully finished the puzzle "Crux by Jay Dyer" 11 minutes and 24 seconds faster than the entire runtime of "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring".
Starting at 1:12:57, Simon is musing on the idea that there is some unifying theory of the universe, that if only he could see that idea he would know... before abandoning the thought and declaring, 'well, we know this is 42.' So tantalising close...!
The fact that they even remember that they did a video from such or such constructor with a certain twist to it is beyond me. So they remember so much from past puzzles, I guess they will remember their top 10 hardest!
Dear Simon, Please never ever apologize for bringing us content. You could release a 10 hour video and I'd call in to work to watch the whole thing in one sitting. Any opportunity to witness your mind at work is a blessing. If I achieve even half your level of brilliance in my lifetime I'd count myself lucky. Thank you.
You said in today's video no one would want to watch such a long video, but I actually paused that one to run over here because I love the epic ones! :)
I subscribed to patreon finally just to watch this, should have supported the channel long ago, sorry Simon and Mark, but thank you for all you do, and now you have a new subscriber based on teasing a 2:45 video!
I can't *always* watch a 3-hour Cracking the Cryptic video, but sometimes when I wake up with a cold and can't leave the house on a Sunday, I'm glad to have them there as an option. Simon and Mark are both just such joyful delights to watch that it made me forget all about my nausea.
i find it fascinating how well simon is able to articulate his logic, so much so that i as a viewer can see the fruits of his labor more easily than he can. i suspect at least some of what's going on is how much brain power he is using is either making the consequences foggy, or he just has the most insane tunnel vision, but either way it's just insanity. simon, you too have a remarkable brain, and your ability to solve puzzles as monstrous as this on you own, on camera, while explaining things, and without taking any shortcuts is truly a sight to behold.
i believe one of them - i think mark? - has mentioned before that simon "fixates"/ can get that crazy tunnel vision in other contexts too, and simon has definitely said a few times he's faster when off camera + using typical speed solving shortcuts, so it's a bit of both!
I always feel so great when I see even one deduction before Simon does! In this one, though, I think I only found two or three useful things before he did, and only once was he actually stuck when I found it - the other times, he was going down paths that really looked like they might bear fruit. I loved watching this solve!
Some of it is probably that lt takes effort to articulate logic, on top of coming up with the logic. The viewer just needs to understand it, which is often less work than figuring out how to clearly articulate it.
Simon: "Nobody is going to watch this". Everyone: "But... This is what we come to see. Every minute of it." Well done, Simon. That was a puzzle from another dimension entirely.
Viewers begged you to upload this video and you finaly did it. Pathfinder by KNT is only 5 minutes shorter and when you uploaded that one viewers were so happy about it. Hopefully you have understood by now that people actually loves long videos.
I think people who are already watching are down for the three hour epics, the problem is introducing someone to the channel based on one, because if this was your first CtC video you have to feel twice as lost as Simon instead of the simpler hour long or shorter ones
We do love long videos, we just don't have enough time to watch them. Maybe one per month would be a good balance. I used my entire weekly CTC quota for this, but was worth it.
With my limited free time in the evening following work & personal obligations, I have to make a deliberate choice every day regarding how I derive my leisure. Every evening I start with this channel to watch Simon solve a puzzle. Y'all have lit a fire in me to improve my lateral thinking and deductive reasoning. I've purchased all of your Sudoku apps on Steam and have just finished the Classic Sudoku pack yesterday. I purchased Baba Is You and tried to play along with the videos (hoping y'all go back and play it again some time to finish it!) Instead of mindlessly browsing on my phone now, I spend the spare minutes of my day playing Sokoban. The value of your videos is not contingent on the briefness of the solves or the length of the runtimes! You add value to your audiences' lives by introducing new ways of conceptualizing problems and working through them. Very happy that you've chosen to upload this video. I have finished my Sunday chores, prepared lunch, and have settled into my chair to watch this feature length film with glee. Cheers from South Texas.
Bravo!!! Bravo Simon. What a patient, unrelenting and brilliant solve. And yes, I did watch the whole thing. By the way, Sunday mornings are a great ‘dumping ground’ for these long videos that you don’t think are suitable for the main channel schedule. Great way to spend a lazy Sunday morning, sipping coffee, etc.
Stunning setting and a marvellous solve. I'm a relatively new Patreon subscriber and this alone is worth the cost for this month. Please stop apologising for long videos - I love them!
I looove the long videos. I usually watch them four or five times, because I use them to help me fall asleep but I am also very interested in the solve. So I watch them as often as I have to until I have seen the whole video. The longer the video, the happier I am. Great solve, as usual, Simon.
Stunning interaction between the different rules there! There is actually some logic you can do outside of the grid. The "15 clumps" work exactly like invisible killer cages summing to 15, and there must be 27 of them (by maths 9 * 45 = 27 * 15), meaning for every 4-cell clump there has to be a 2-cell clump to keep the total count of 81 cells, and for every 12345 5-cell clump there have to be two 2-cell clumps (which have to be 69 and 78 to make up a full set of 1-9). And each digit has to appear exactly 9 times. So, for example, a 1239 clump needs there to be a 456 clump and a 78 clump somewhere else in the grid to make up a complete set of 1-9; and a 1347 clump has to be balanced by a 69 and a 256. Another way to see it is to think of the 9 digits in each row, column or box as a magic square, which you are trying to partition into sums of fifteen. Obviously these can be the three rows, or the three columns. But if you go through the five, you can't make another complete row or column from what's left of that magic square, so you have to partition the remaining digits as 2 + 4. And if you go through the four, you can partition the remaining digits as 3-3-3 or 2-3-4 in either the rows or the columns. 168 or 267 can only ever go with 249, 367 or 159, 348 respectively, because there is no way to partition the remaining digits as a pair and a quad summing to 15. And you have to do this whole thing nine times altogether. The full set of possible ways to partition the digits 1-9 into 15-clumps is: 159, 267, 348 168, 249, 357 1239, 456, 78 1248, 357, 69 1257, 348, 69 1347, 258, 69 1356, 249, 78 2346, 159, 78 12345, 67, 89 I hardly think making a list of all the possible ways to make 15 in 2, 3, 4 or 5 cells is any more like cheating than making pencil marks in the grid. I also think I'd sooner play a game of Cribbage against Simon than against Jay Dyer!
I could be wrong, but I got the impression that Simon spaced the requirement that digits not repeat in clumps when he was figuring out the center. He seemed to consider arrangements that repeated 1s or 2s. There could be a faster solve of the middle part if that were taken into account. Regardless, what an absolute behemoth of a puzzle, and what a wonderful use of my Sunday afternoon to follow along. Take a bow, Jay and Simon both.
I watched this front to back and am completely amazed! Please stop apologizing for doing what many of us could not! I am grateful to watch your genius get that first break-in. That you are willing to bare your soul and let us watch you struggle with this puzzle speaks volumes about who you are - you are a wonderful teacher as you talk us through your process. Thank you.
I don't know what it is with these videos. I am nearly always completely lost. The explanations mean next to nothing to me because I simply can't keep up with the logic but yet I am enthralled. I think it's the enthusiasm Simon has as he breaks the puzzle apart and solves small parts at a time
When I started watching the channel, I felt the same way - I loved the enthusiasm but couldn't possibly reproduce any of the logic myself. Now, I've started finishing a few of these on my own!
1:05:30 a much simpler reason for why you can't add more 1s and 2s is that you can't repeat digits within a clump, and you already have a 12 pair in it
Wow! I can't believe that didn't once occur to me :o I was also seeing "easier" arguments, thinking 'wow, why doesnt he notice' but holy shit I was also super blind 😂
I watched the whole thing, 8 months later! Several sessions needed but really a profound joy in taking part to your journey! Thank you Simon and thank you Jay
Yes i did watched it all ❤ Don’t ever say that your brain is not working. I am flabbergasted that you figured this out. What a wunderfull way to wind down on a Friday evening (when I watched it) Applauses and celebrations to you🎉🎉🎉
Indeed 😊 In his defense however, the puzzle has very little to do with sudoku at this point and is probably more resembling another puzzle type that Simon is used to, like fillomino or so.
42:00: With 4 at the top of the vetical column, the 4 is not required to join with the cell below it, because it can see the 12 square at the bottom of the column. While it's true that the 4 does join with the square below it, you didn't prove that rigorously. 1:07:00 you don't have to add the extra values to the red region. The reason why it doesn't work is that you can't have a single square in the horizontal row beween the 3 and the reg region.
I was kind of hoping it wouldn't work out and Simon would "break" the puzzle and have to backtrack. It happens to me all the time so it would be kind of reassuring to see someone competent make a mistake as well. Technically, it was still a "mistake" to assume it with without proving it, but it didn't matter in the end because it happened to be correct.
42:00 I'm not sure if he mentions for this particular proof but he does mention a single cell 4 is impossible for the vertical column. The 4 must be together with another vertical column to satisfy the 3 indicator. 1:07:00 I saw that too. But he did figure out this particular logic later but on a different section.
I really appreciate the fact that despite normally watching CtC videos at 1.75x speed, this is still going to take me over an hour and a half to watch!
I love it that this video has had nearly 3,000 views when it is still only available to Patreon members. I think that one of the things that sets CtC apart from any other sudoku channel on TH-cam that I am aware of (well, there may be one more, as I think of it) is that you and Mark do not do easy puzzles just to put up a video. You do whatever comes next, and you, in particular, Simon, intentionally attempt puzzles that you know will be more than an hour, even more than 90 minutes. There are other places that we can go to watch 15-minute or 25-minute sudoku solves. But you attempt the ultra-challenging puzzles with regularity and you astonish me and amaze me over and over. I watched the first 20 minutes of this the day it was released, but I did not have time to watch the whole thing. Tonight was a wide-open evening, so I watched the rest. I hung on your every word. Amazing.
I’m amazed by the fact that someone is able to solve such a tough puzzle. I’m more amazed by the fact that someone is able to set that thing. But the most amazing thing is that you would ever consider that people wouldn’t watch the whole thing. We live for this.
The rain is pouring down outside, the cat is on my lap with no inclination to move at all, and a 2.5 hr CtC video just droppped. Perfect! ... 2.5 hrs later: I feel silly applauding a video on TH-cam, but that's what I did (the cat didn't like it). Very entertaining, and you kept moving on steadily with one genius deduction after another, all the while explaining it so that I (think I) could follow along. Thanks for deciding to publish it anyway!
regarding the comment "there's probably been a way to see that more clearly forever" at 2:15:15 yes in fact at 2:10:33 when you used the 7 clue in column 8 row 9 to separate the 34 and the 14 at the top in box 3, you could have realised the 34 had to connect to the 5, 7 chunk beneath it because separating them would create 8 chunks in the column when the clue specified 7. also yes, I did watch the whole thing :) fantastic stuff!
I think that over 11,000 people have proved your assertion that no one will want to watch a video this long as totally and utterly wrogn!!!!! brilliant stuff, loved every minute of it. what a pair of brinas involved in the setting and solving
Very interesting solve - yes I did watch it all. So many steps in that required logic in many steps and used information in unlikely areas of the board. Absolutely fascinating!
Per the instructions: I did watch the "whole thing" and despite the fact you explained all the logic I'm right there with you: I'm not even sure I understood it entirely 😂 But what I'm absolutely certain of: there are a LOT of people who like to see you solving these monstrous puzzles!
It is so beautiful to see how setters and solvers have been evolving during the few years this channel exists! Puzzles and solves get more and more complicated. I really enjoy this. And I am really curious where it will go. Thank you both for sharing your brilliant minds, your effort and perseverance! This is pure art to me ❤
Watched it, normal speed, in bits and pieces all day. Absolutely masterful. What a delightful treat to find right after becoming a Patreon. This is up there with Gliperal's brutal Rosette as one of my favorite CtC videos ever. Keep the longform content coming!
I love these long videos. Every one is a blessing where we get to see more of your amazing brain at work. I absolutely watched the entire thing in one sitting, and to date this is one of my favorite puzzles i have watched you solve.
Simon, don't ever feel bad about not understanding the unifying theory of the universe, when most of us are still getting to grips with how Confetti is now deet-deet-deet.
Haha this must be one of my favourite "meta" comments I ever read. I imagine someone not in the "community" reading that and dont understand a single word.
I see comments where people said they watched it on higher speeds. But I really wanted to enjoy every minute of agony that you must have felt and then get the huge joy and relief that you experienced as well. It was everything I hoped it would be. What an incredible solve, Simon. Thank you for hanging in there and sharing the experience with us. I loved it!
Simon taking an HOUR to notice the puzzle is called "crux" after staring at a literal cross for the whole time has unlocked a whole new level of his stormtrooper-like legendary scanning abilities.
I saw the video length and thought I'd give the puzzle a try before watching, mainly as a joke. I was fully expecting to drop it after an hour or so of blankly staring at the puzzle, but I could sense where the break in was and it felt only just outside my grasp. So I kept staring. It took me three hours until it suddenly clicked and I got the first digit. I finished the puzzle in 5h45 total and it's probably the proudest I've been of a solve. Now I'm going to sit down with a cup of tea to watch Simon do it twice as fast and marvel at both his and Jay Dyer's brilliance once again. Edit to reassure Simon that I indeed did watch the full video and enjoyed every minute. The long videos are the best!
I did watch the whole thing! I did pause at one point, ran some errands and then came back to it. The solve was nothing short of incredible! I do really enjoy the longer videos, it feels like being taken on a journey, and it is interesting to follow your train of thought. Very well done there! I hope to see more vids like this one in the future
Simon, your brain is amazing and wonderful - never doubt it! Thanks so much for posting this. I've been checking all week, and it was SO worth the wait.
Watched it in full. Really wonderful how you think out loud. Without that it would be impossible to follow for lesser gifted people. Thanks for the 'wow' factor in solving it. And a double wow for Jay.
okay, I don't have 3h today, lets bookmark it and watch it tomorrow. And on a TV, such a massive solve must deserve a full screen experience. and a coach.
This puzzle was amazing it took me and my wife 161 minutes to solve (we always solve things together), but it was one of those where you constantly keep finding new things and it keeps you entertained. I watched some of the video afterwards and your order of new numbers and colors was quiet different from ours which is so fascinating that such a difficult puzzle have multiple ways of solving.
I couldn't agree more! My solve was the same as Simons up until box 7 at the end where my groupings were different and the 1 and 2 reversed but the resolution only impacted unresolved pairs and triples which were already grouped together. What an incredible puzzle!
Simon. What an amazing feat! So many amazing deductions. It is fascinating how you can analyze the toughest problems. It is also fascinating how you sometimes make hard puzzles even harder when you don’t follow through with sudoku when new digits appear. But then as a viewer it is gratifying to occasionally see the next step before you do. So maybe Simon only seems to be overlooking sudoku as a deliberate scheme to increase audience engagement?
Holy guacamole! Finally watched the entire thing! Jay Dyer - you are beyond amazing! Simon - you are fantastically gifted in your persistence and abiding good humor in winding through complex logic!
I am totally flabbergasted at Simon's brilliance at solving this puzzle and even more at Jay's genius setting. I watched the whole video in amazement. I was also really impressed that Jay managed to keep the puzzle hard until the very end. Most puzzles fall apart at some point, but not this one! About the only bits I could see quicker than Simon were that digits couldn't repeat in a clump, so some of his earlier musings could have been short-circuited. And for a while I was shouting "it can't be a 5 because you have a 5 looking at it". 😂 The rest of the mental gymnastics that Simon did were well above my ability. Simon and Jay, take a bow. 🙇♀🙇♂
Hello Simon! Another brilliant video! Thank you. My 2 year old and I watched the whole thing together (with breaks, due to his age of course), and we had the best time. We watch your videos together every day. He finds it hilarious when you fall deep in thought and make a long pause, and I've been learning valuable sudoku tricks from you. We appreciate you and the amazing work you've been doing.
I watched the whole video Simon. I love watching you solving these epic puzzles. I swear I saw steam come out of your ears a few times in this episode!!
Simon is so clever that he is having more problems with his fear of sounding narcissistic than he is having problems with solving this sudoku. I watched this video over 3 sessions, and the first two sessions were without you finding any digits, but I had a blast watching you figure everything out. Great video!
I love the way these setters create so many pinch points in the solve, requiring a steady stream of break-ins to complete the whole puzzle I did watch the whole thing at 1x speed, after solving it myself - I usually don't watch whole videos when I know the solution already, but I wanted to see you work through it
Something that I wasn't sure of watching all of the logic concerning the central cross, in the version we ended up with with a 4 in R1C5, and 3 in R8C5, is it possible that R8C5 DOES extend upward, but R9C5 is a DIFFERENT clump to R8C5? The idea that whichever side was the 3 could not grow inward was based on the 4 in the same row/column needing to see one more clump than the 3, and thus 3 needed to not see it's own clump, but the extra space beneath R8C5 opens the possibility for an entirely additional clump. Obviously this wasn't the correct answer, but not sure how this gets disproven as part of the breakin.
I'm not sure if Simon disproved this option or not. It's possible he overlooked it. However, the way to disprove it is to consider what the three vertical clumps in c5 have to sum to, if the only "outie" is r9c5. The maximum r9c5 can be is 2, so the three vertical clumps above it would have to sum to a minimum of the secret - 2, so 43. Since the most any individual vertical clump in c5 can sum to is 15, the minimum any one clump can sum to is 13. (15+15+13+2=45). But this means the most the clump that passes over the central cell (r5c5) can add horizontally to r5c5 is 2. So even if r5c5 is a 9, the most the horizontal clump in r5, passing through the centre r5c5, can sum to is 9+2=11. But this doesn't work for the three clumps in r5 seen by the 3 clue at the end of row 5. This has to see horizontal clumps of at least 12 (15+15+12+3=45). It's not easy to explain, but hopefully the above makes some sense. 🙂
I watched to the end. That was amazing. You are much too hard on yourself. There were people who were requesting a solve of this, having invested 12+ hours. You're doing it live, and having to explain your logic to an ever-staring camera. I'm glad you stuck it out to the end and that you shared it with us. This is a phenomenal puzzle that needed to be seen. I'd be interested in a solve video from Jay. (Pro-tip for anybody watching long videos: They are typically still followable at 2x speed. That brings this "monstrous video" down to an hour and twenty, which has proven to already be an acceptable length.) Thanks again for being the best sudoku club on the planet.
So very well said! Simon is so hard on himself and his magnificent brain, when he is the most endearing, delightful human with logical reasoning insightful skills of the highest level!! ❤❤❤
This was honestly more riveting then many 3 hours movies I have watched in my days Simon. Do not be afraid to dabble in longer format videos, there is an audience who quite enjoys it!
Simon you're right that the break-in is incredibly complicated, but it's a *little* bit simpler than you made it; at 1:06:10, you can get where you got by just remembering that you can't repeat digits in a clump :)
Part of the joy of watching is the feeling around in the dark trying to build a picture from shapes you can identify. This was entire solve of that pretty much! And nearly 3 hours of it.
Where exactly does Simon prove that there is a boundary between R7C5 and R8C5? As far as I can see (up till 1:08 ), is that bottom (34) can extend at least 1 square up, if it has a boundary below it. Then there would be 4 at the top, 3 at the bottom, and the extra clump the 4 would see, would be the one behind the 3.
It might be intuition - there were times when he said he had a gut feeling x was true but couldn't vocalise why. I have the same issue with puzzles at times, trying to explain to others with such inadequate tools as speech.
I'm not sure if Simon disproved this option or not. It's possible he overlooked it. However, the way to disprove it is to consider what the three vertical clumps in c5 have to sum to, if the only "outie" is r9c5. The maximum r9c5 can be is 2, so the three vertical clumps above it would have to sum to a minimum of the secret - 2, so 43. Since the most any individual vertical clump in c5 can sum to is 15, the minimum any one clump can sum to is 13. (15+15+13+2=45). But this means the most the clump that passes over the central cell (r5c5) can add horizontally to r5c5 is 2. So even if r5c5 is a 9, the most the horizontal clump in r5, passing through the centre r5c5, can sum to is 9+2=11. But this doesn't work for the three clumps in r5 seen by the 3 clue at the end of row 5. This has to see horizontal clumps of at least 12 (15+15+12+3=45). It's not easy to explain, but hopefully the above makes some sense. 🙂
That was extremely enjoyable to watch, yes it was long but I enjoy such videos as I'm able to solve most of the puzzles shown on the channel. This lets me see solutions to puzzles that I currently lack the skills in solving.
love the epic ones. i had an easier break in, but took me ages to find it. starting from 16:30 but blue and orange colors from 30:22. As simon pointed out, there are 3 clumps somewhere in orange and blue, which use up most cells in row/col 5. the orange cells add to at least 40 (including the 4 which is in the 3 clumps). the blues add to at least 42. this means that we can only extend the orange by at most 5 outside of col 5 and the blues by at most 3. we can ask where the center cells clump can get to. Since we can't repeat digits in clumps, and that 1+2+3 = 6 > 5, we can only extend blue by at most 2 cells and orange by at most 2 cells. with this restriction, we can pretty easily limit the center cell's clump to box 5. the only tricky bit is showing it cant go into r5c7 which would need too many 1s and 2s in box 5 to work. from here we can ask how many cells in row 5 are in the clump. if we try to add all 3, we break the orange limit, if we try to just add the center cell, we break the other 2 blue clumps would need to add to at least 31. so we have exactly 1 on top of the center cell. if we include a 1 or 2 in that cell, even with a 9, we wouldn't reach 15 with the 3 vertical limit, so we need to include a 5 in either r5c4 or r5c6, reaching our horizontal limit. and forcing at 3 and 2 in box 8 and unwinding most pencil marks from 16:30, taking us to about the same grid as at 1:22:22
The viewcount suggests that if you are masochistic enough to watch sudoku solving videos, then you are masochistic enough to watch 3-hour sudoku solving videos.
Watched it , loved it, am amazed how someone is able to set something like this, much less solve it. This is one puzzle I wouldn´t even try to solve, not even after watching bits and pieces of the video. Doesn´t stop me from being proud of myself whenever I catch something before Simon does, and I can´t even beginn to tell you how relieved I was when Simon finally delineated to red cage at the bottom left. Absolutely incredible. Do people really watch these at faster speed? I couldn´t. And wouldn´t want to. Great job of all people involved.
Watched and enjoyed in its entirety. Sundays are phenomenal days for releasing these -- I watched half before I went to bed last night and the rest this morning over coffee and donuts.
Why did he never consider that the 3 in R8 C5 could have the boundary under it instead of over it? Wouldn't that change the math of the clumps in column 5 while still fulfilling the arrows pointing at the correct number of clumps? I might be wrong..
I'm at that part now, and I think you're right. In order for the 4 in row 5 to work, the 3 has to be a part of a clump that itself can't "see". But in the case when it's a 3 in R8C5, it could be the clump "behind" it that makes the 4 work.
I'm not sure if Simon disproved this option or not. It's possible he overlooked it. He danced around how it could be proved, just extending his logic. The way to disprove it is to consider what the three vertical clumps in c5 have to sum to, if the only "outie" is r9c5. The maximum r9c5 can be is 2, so the three vertical clumps above it would have to sum to a minimum of the secret - 2, so 43. Since the most any individual vertical clump in c5 can sum to is 15, the minimum any one clump can sum to is 13. (15+15+13+2=45). But this means the most the clump that passes over the central cell (r5c5) can add horizontally to r5c5 is 2. So even if r5c5 is a 9, the most the horizontal clump in r5, passing through the centre r5c5, can sum to is 9+2=11. But this doesn't work for the three clumps in r5 seen by the 3 clue at the end of row 5. This has to see horizontal clumps of at least 12 (15+15+12+3=45). It's not easy to explain, but hopefully the above makes some sense. 🙂
two incredibly people needed for this; Jay - a genius for setting it and Simon for solving it and producing a great video. I watched the whole thing (some bits more than once to ensure that I had really understood what Simon had discovered).
What kind of mad person would not watch the whole thing? Who has enough interest in logic puzzles to start this video but then thinks "Now that I've seen the shining brilliance of this puzzle's beginning, I've no interest in staying to see the solve?"
I love watching these videos whenever I have spare time (watched around 6 hours of content in 1 day before!), keep up the good work!! I'm never bored, haha.
Miss over 2.5 hours of Simon doing battle with a diabolical Jay Dyer creation? The very idea is blasphemy. The extra-long videos are a treat. Glad I got to see this solve. Keep 'em coming. Looking forward to the day one of your solves tips over the 3-hr mark.
![This Sudoku Is Astonishing [MUST WATCH]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/W3h5_lkqnTU/mqdefault.jpg)
We watched the whole thing, Simon. That's exactly what we want. A ridiculously hard puzzle and Simon solving it in almost 3 hours. That's one of the best videos on the channel.
upvote, really wanted to write the exact same comment!
I am not sure I am that much of a sadist.
But torturing Simon with so hard puzzles once in a while seem fine.
Well, maybe I am that much of a sadist.
Exactly that!
+1
The h
To help appreciate the truly impressive duration of Simon's epic sudoku solve, I thought I'd compare against a similar epic: The Lord of the Rings.
[SPOILER WARNING FOR THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING]
1:08:09 Simon gets his first digit. At this point in Lord of the Rings, Frodo was just grievously wounded by a Ringwraith that stabbed him with a Morgulblade on the hill of Weathertop on the way to Rivendell, and it would be another 10 or so seconds before the arrival of Arwen.
1:36:59 Simon completely finishes his first clump. At this point in Lord of the Rings, the Fellowship is on their way to cross the Misty Mountains via the mountain pass of Caradhras, and Gimli has just tried to persuade Gandalf to instead take the fellowship through the Mines of Moria.
2:17:25 Simon completely finishes his first 3x3 box. At this point in Lord of the Rings, Gandalf has fallen into the abyss with the Balrog, and the rest of the fellowship has fled to the Elven realm of Lothlorien. In this moment Boromir is feeling homesick as he describes the White Tower of Ecthelion to Aragorn.
2:39:18 Simon completely finishes the puzzle. At this point in Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship have been attacked by Uruk-hai. During the attack, Merry and Pippen distract the orcs, allowing Frodo to escape. Boromir then rushed to their aid, and in this moment has just been struck for a second time by an arrow from the Uruk commander, Lurtz.
And so, Simon has successfully finished the puzzle "Crux by Jay Dyer" 11 minutes and 24 seconds faster than the entire runtime of "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring".
So you're saying we need two more of these Solves, to watch alongside "Two Towers" and "Return of The King"? I wholeheartedly concur!
Dude...
@michaeldavidson6428 you saw the first half of the comment before expanding it, any reader would know what to expect from the first section
This is a perfect comment!!
@@michaeldavidson6428 You still haven't seen Lord of the Rings???
Starting at 1:12:57, Simon is musing on the idea that there is some unifying theory of the universe, that if only he could see that idea he would know... before abandoning the thought and declaring, 'well, we know this is 42.'
So tantalising close...!
Yes, 42 is the answer to life, the universe and everything, and this puzzle shows why!
@@gregind01The obvious conclusion is that you have to put a total of 6 by a 9.
And at the same time there are the digits 4 2 in the top row!
PS. This comment deserves way more likes.
This is hilarious
After this, I feel like Mark and Simon need to each make a video reviewing the top ten hardest sudokus they've ever done on the channel to date.
The fact that they even remember that they did a video from such or such constructor with a certain twist to it is beyond me.
So they remember so much from past puzzles, I guess they will remember their top 10 hardest!
Dear Simon,
Please never ever apologize for bringing us content. You could release a 10 hour video and I'd call in to work to watch the whole thing in one sitting. Any opportunity to witness your mind at work is a blessing. If I achieve even half your level of brilliance in my lifetime I'd count myself lucky.
Thank you.
Yikes
You said in today's video no one would want to watch such a long video, but I actually paused that one to run over here because I love the epic ones! :)
I did that too but I was in Patreon before it uploaded and was very sad!
I subscribed to patreon finally just to watch this, should have supported the channel long ago, sorry Simon and Mark, but thank you for all you do, and now you have a new subscriber based on teasing a 2:45 video!
I was the same. Rushed over to patreon and totally hung on every minute of this. Even though it took me 2 days to watch all of it!
I'm hoping we get a 3+ hours video one day.
I don’t care that I will need to break this up into 5-6 viewings. I am psyched. Thank you Simon (and Jay!) for making this happen!
As long as the viewings are orthogonally connected, all good.
Watched it all and it indeed delivered! I don’t know how Jay comes up with these. She is easily my favorite setter
@@AndrewJens😂 good one.
I think it was split in 3 or 4 for me.
I've tried so many times, but his voice is wonderfully relaxing and I watch at night. I will prevail!
I can't *always* watch a 3-hour Cracking the Cryptic video, but sometimes when I wake up with a cold and can't leave the house on a Sunday, I'm glad to have them there as an option. Simon and Mark are both just such joyful delights to watch that it made me forget all about my nausea.
Rules: 02:09
Let's Get Cracking: 05:51
What about this video's Top Tier Simarkisms?!
The Secret: 8x (06:47, 06:52, 06:55, 07:00, 07:11, 07:15, 31:33, 2:40:08)
Bobbins: 1x (1:28:02)
Go Full Goodliffe: 1x (1:39:32)
Knowledge Bomb: 1x (1:51:34)
And how about this video's Simarkisms?!
Ah: 23x (08:40, 10:16, 13:31, 14:13, 14:19, 22:04, 46:54, 56:20, 1:10:22, 1:11:57, 1:23:55, 1:28:44, 1:42:51, 1:44:56, 1:45:27, 1:52:14, 1:53:03, 1:55:50, 2:17:23, 2:21:33, 2:23:45, 2:24:02, 2:31:28)
Sorry: 20x (03:33, 15:42, 18:21, 21:22, 22:13, 28:41, 35:52, 44:03, 56:35, 1:12:02, 1:20:46, 1:31:00, 1:48:12, 1:50:01, 1:53:58, 2:20:01, 2:26:32, 2:26:32, 2:29:21, 2:41:42)
Hang On: 19x (09:26, 15:01, 22:04, 58:59, 59:12, 1:01:34, 1:01:34, 1:01:34, 1:30:18, 1:31:00, 1:39:58, 1:42:35, 1:47:57, 1:48:01, 1:56:00, 2:21:39, 2:36:09)
Obviously: 19x (07:40, 09:49, 13:54, 26:57, 30:03, 56:39, 1:17:17, 1:20:57, 1:32:22, 1:32:33, 1:43:40, 1:45:40, 2:11:19, 2:14:17, 2:25:12, 2:25:48, 2:27:01, 2:32:31, 2:37:41)
In Fact: 11x (04:47, 07:48, 23:06, 27:59, 28:16, 1:18:24, 1:36:16, 1:36:20, 1:36:49, 1:46:27, 1:51:23)
Good Grief: 7x (03:45, 1:36:56, 1:51:48, 2:09:48, 2:19:37, 2:23:49)
What on Earth: 7x (1:03:08, 1:22:42, 1:23:50, 1:49:42, 2:00:00, 2:13:21, 2:16:00)
By Sudoku: 7x (11:55, 1:39:49, 1:42:40, 1:54:41, 1:55:53, 2:17:26, 2:27:56)
Hypothecate: 6x (1:12:10, 1:25:08, 2:02:48, 2:09:35, 2:14:50, 2:15:13)
Pencil Mark/mark: 6x (10:38, 1:43:40, 1:56:57, 2:06:26, 2:06:42, 2:34:50)
Goodness: 5x (29:29, 55:32, 1:56:13, 1:56:32, 2:16:05)
The Answer is: 5x (21:13, 57:43, 1:10:56, 1:13:26, 1:47:33)
Brilliant: 4x (00:46, 05:42, 1:04:17, 2:40:50)
Naked Single: 3x (1:43:51, 1:44:05, 1:49:58)
Beautiful: 3x (1:11:59, 1:47:25, 1:51:48)
Extraordinary: 3x (1:07:10, 1:36:20, 2:39:11)
Progress: 3x (1:59:46, 2:17:37, 2:17:39)
Wow: 3x (1:06:24, 2:08:52, 2:36:30)
What Does This Mean?: 3x (24:44, 2:05:24, 2:11:36)
That's Huge: 3x (1:07:56, 1:18:33, 2:07:31)
Out of Nowhere: 2x (1:52:09, 2:31:30)
Nonsense: 2x (26:51, 2:13:21)
Clever: 2x (1:53:55, 2:40:32)
Horrible Feeling: 2x (1:12:56, 1:55:14)
Fascinating: 2x (1:18:33, 2:40:27)
Ridiculous: 2x (2:40:18, 2:40:18)
Come on Simon: 2x (2:05:24, 2:29:01)
Phone is Buzzing: 2x (05:08, 2:40:58)
Missing Something: 1x (2:10:55)
I Have no Clue: 1x (35:52)
Stuck: 1x (1:32:55)
Incredible: 1x (1:04:03)
Deadly Pattern: 1x (1:57:19)
Gorgeous: 1x (1:23:45)
Shenanigans: 1x (59:43)
Alacrity: 1x (2:41:16)
Surely: 1x (06:21)
Symmetry: 1x (45:47)
Most popular number(>9), digit and colour this video:
Fifteen (80 mentions)
Three (264 mentions)
Green (29 mentions)
Antithesis Battles:
High (3) - Low (1)
Even (23) - Odd (2)
Higher (3) - Lower (2)
Outside (11) - Inside (0)
Black (4) - White (0)
Row (53) - Column (48)
FAQ:
Q1: You missed something!
A1: That could very well be the case! Human speech can be hard to understand for computers like me! Point out the ones that I missed and maybe I'll learn!
Q2: Can you do this for another channel?
A2: I've been thinking about that and wrote some code to make that possible. Let me know which channel you think would be a good fit!
Based use of AI
ONLY 80 mentions of 15? No. I flatly do not believe that. You must have missed at least half of them. Insane.
Would be great if you added mentions of "maverick", and maybe even # of times Alexa activates.
Interloping Clumpage: 1x (1:33:00)
i find it fascinating how well simon is able to articulate his logic, so much so that i as a viewer can see the fruits of his labor more easily than he can. i suspect at least some of what's going on is how much brain power he is using is either making the consequences foggy, or he just has the most insane tunnel vision, but either way it's just insanity. simon, you too have a remarkable brain, and your ability to solve puzzles as monstrous as this on you own, on camera, while explaining things, and without taking any shortcuts is truly a sight to behold.
Totally agree!
i believe one of them - i think mark? - has mentioned before that simon "fixates"/ can get that crazy tunnel vision in other contexts too, and simon has definitely said a few times he's faster when off camera + using typical speed solving shortcuts, so it's a bit of both!
I always feel so great when I see even one deduction before Simon does! In this one, though, I think I only found two or three useful things before he did, and only once was he actually stuck when I found it - the other times, he was going down paths that really looked like they might bear fruit. I loved watching this solve!
Some of it is probably that lt takes effort to articulate logic, on top of coming up with the logic. The viewer just needs to understand it, which is often less work than figuring out how to clearly articulate it.
Simon: "Nobody is going to watch this".
Everyone: "But... This is what we come to see. Every minute of it."
Well done, Simon. That was a puzzle from another dimension entirely.
Viewers begged you to upload this video and you finaly did it. Pathfinder by KNT is only 5 minutes shorter and when you uploaded that one viewers were so happy about it. Hopefully you have understood by now that people actually loves long videos.
I think people who are already watching are down for the three hour epics, the problem is introducing someone to the channel based on one, because if this was your first CtC video you have to feel twice as lost as Simon instead of the simpler hour long or shorter ones
@@DeviousHands Agreed. But once a week or once every two weeks for the die-hard fans would still be well-received I reckon
I too like these extra long videos, though I would suggest that they be uploaded as an bonus, on occasion, in order not to dishearten newer viewers.
We do love long videos, we just don't have enough time to watch them.
Maybe one per month would be a good balance.
I used my entire weekly CTC quota for this, but was worth it.
I also think they could be put into their very own, new playlist so that those who really like them can find them!
@@Skamba
With my limited free time in the evening following work & personal obligations, I have to make a deliberate choice every day regarding how I derive my leisure. Every evening I start with this channel to watch Simon solve a puzzle. Y'all have lit a fire in me to improve my lateral thinking and deductive reasoning. I've purchased all of your Sudoku apps on Steam and have just finished the Classic Sudoku pack yesterday. I purchased Baba Is You and tried to play along with the videos (hoping y'all go back and play it again some time to finish it!) Instead of mindlessly browsing on my phone now, I spend the spare minutes of my day playing Sokoban.
The value of your videos is not contingent on the briefness of the solves or the length of the runtimes! You add value to your audiences' lives by introducing new ways of conceptualizing problems and working through them. Very happy that you've chosen to upload this video. I have finished my Sunday chores, prepared lunch, and have settled into my chair to watch this feature length film with glee.
Cheers from South Texas.
Simon: “I’m terribly sorry for this quite long vide-“
us: MORE MORE MORE
makes me wonder if he is really Canadian at heart with all the "sorry"'s he says lol
@@TriforceOfCourage97Did you think Canadians got that habit from the French?!
@@thescrewfly no because he just apologized, he didnt give up
@@TriforceOfCourage97 Huh? Nobody said he gave up.
you said French, French are known for surrendering very quickly. it was a joke@@thescrewfly
Bravo!!! Bravo Simon. What a patient, unrelenting and brilliant solve. And yes, I did watch the whole thing. By the way, Sunday mornings are a great ‘dumping ground’ for these long videos that you don’t think are suitable for the main channel schedule. Great way to spend a lazy Sunday morning, sipping coffee, etc.
Stunning setting and a marvellous solve. I'm a relatively new Patreon subscriber and this alone is worth the cost for this month. Please stop apologising for long videos - I love them!
I looove the long videos. I usually watch them four or five times, because I use them to help me fall asleep but I am also very interested in the solve. So I watch them as often as I have to until I have seen the whole video.
The longer the video, the happier I am.
Great solve, as usual, Simon.
I am so unbelievably excited for the journey I am about to embark on!
Stunning interaction between the different rules there!
There is actually some logic you can do outside of the grid. The "15 clumps" work exactly like invisible killer cages summing to 15, and there must be 27 of them (by maths 9 * 45 = 27 * 15), meaning for every 4-cell clump there has to be a 2-cell clump to keep the total count of 81 cells, and for every 12345 5-cell clump there have to be two 2-cell clumps (which have to be 69 and 78 to make up a full set of 1-9). And each digit has to appear exactly 9 times. So, for example, a 1239 clump needs there to be a 456 clump and a 78 clump somewhere else in the grid to make up a complete set of 1-9; and a 1347 clump has to be balanced by a 69 and a 256.
Another way to see it is to think of the 9 digits in each row, column or box as a magic square, which you are trying to partition into sums of fifteen. Obviously these can be the three rows, or the three columns. But if you go through the five, you can't make another complete row or column from what's left of that magic square, so you have to partition the remaining digits as 2 + 4. And if you go through the four, you can partition the remaining digits as 3-3-3 or 2-3-4 in either the rows or the columns. 168 or 267 can only ever go with 249, 367 or 159, 348 respectively, because there is no way to partition the remaining digits as a pair and a quad summing to 15. And you have to do this whole thing nine times altogether.
The full set of possible ways to partition the digits 1-9 into 15-clumps is:
159, 267, 348
168, 249, 357
1239, 456, 78
1248, 357, 69
1257, 348, 69
1347, 258, 69
1356, 249, 78
2346, 159, 78
12345, 67, 89
I hardly think making a list of all the possible ways to make 15 in 2, 3, 4 or 5 cells is any more like cheating than making pencil marks in the grid.
I also think I'd sooner play a game of Cribbage against Simon than against Jay Dyer!
I could be wrong, but I got the impression that Simon spaced the requirement that digits not repeat in clumps when he was figuring out the center. He seemed to consider arrangements that repeated 1s or 2s. There could be a faster solve of the middle part if that were taken into account.
Regardless, what an absolute behemoth of a puzzle, and what a wonderful use of my Sunday afternoon to follow along. Take a bow, Jay and Simon both.
I watched this front to back and am completely amazed! Please stop apologizing for doing what many of us could not! I am grateful to watch your genius get that first break-in. That you are willing to bare your soul and let us watch you struggle with this puzzle speaks volumes about who you are - you are a wonderful teacher as you talk us through your process. Thank you.
I don't know what it is with these videos. I am nearly always completely lost. The explanations mean next to nothing to me because I simply can't keep up with the logic but yet I am enthralled. I think it's the enthusiasm Simon has as he breaks the puzzle apart and solves small parts at a time
When I started watching the channel, I felt the same way - I loved the enthusiasm but couldn't possibly reproduce any of the logic myself. Now, I've started finishing a few of these on my own!
1:05:30 a much simpler reason for why you can't add more 1s and 2s is that you can't repeat digits within a clump, and you already have a 12 pair in it
Wow! I can't believe that didn't once occur to me :o
I was also seeing "easier" arguments, thinking 'wow, why doesnt he notice' but holy shit I was also super blind 😂
I watched the whole thing, 8 months later! Several sessions needed but really a profound joy in taking part to your journey! Thank you Simon and thank you Jay
Yes i did watched it all ❤
Don’t ever say that your brain is not working. I am flabbergasted that you figured this out.
What a wunderfull way to wind down on a Friday evening (when I watched it)
Applauses and celebrations to you🎉🎉🎉
I love at 12:48 when there is a kinda new rule in play, Simon start to doubt can there be two same digits in a column😂
Haha. Typically Simon. One of these days he will think about the rules of Sudoku.
Indeed 😊 In his defense however, the puzzle has very little to do with sudoku at this point and is probably more resembling another puzzle type that Simon is used to, like fillomino or so.
Sunday, nice -cup- gallon of tea, it's raining and a 2.75h Sudoku vid from Simon. HERE WE GO!😊
What biscuits did you have?
42:00: With 4 at the top of the vetical column, the 4 is not required to join with the cell below it, because it can see the 12 square at the bottom of the column. While it's true that the 4 does join with the square below it, you didn't prove that rigorously.
1:07:00 you don't have to add the extra values to the red region. The reason why it doesn't work is that you can't have a single square in the horizontal row beween the 3 and the reg region.
was just going to post that too, the vertical 3 could have been in the clump just above it !
I was kind of hoping it wouldn't work out and Simon would "break" the puzzle and have to backtrack.
It happens to me all the time so it would be kind of reassuring to see someone competent make a mistake as well.
Technically, it was still a "mistake" to assume it with without proving it, but it didn't matter in the end because it happened to be correct.
42:00 I'm not sure if he mentions for this particular proof but he does mention a single cell 4 is impossible for the vertical column. The 4 must be together with another vertical column to satisfy the 3 indicator.
1:07:00 I saw that too. But he did figure out this particular logic later but on a different section.
Watched the whole thing, this was a work of art, both Jay's setting, and Simon's thought process in solving it. This was absolutely stunning!
I really appreciate the fact that despite normally watching CtC videos at 1.75x speed, this is still going to take me over an hour and a half to watch!
This did not feel like a nearly 3 hour video. It was so smooth. Nicely done Simon.
I love it that this video has had nearly 3,000 views when it is still only available to Patreon members. I think that one of the things that sets CtC apart from any other sudoku channel on TH-cam that I am aware of (well, there may be one more, as I think of it) is that you and Mark do not do easy puzzles just to put up a video. You do whatever comes next, and you, in particular, Simon, intentionally attempt puzzles that you know will be more than an hour, even more than 90 minutes. There are other places that we can go to watch 15-minute or 25-minute sudoku solves. But you attempt the ultra-challenging puzzles with regularity and you astonish me and amaze me over and over. I watched the first 20 minutes of this the day it was released, but I did not have time to watch the whole thing. Tonight was a wide-open evening, so I watched the rest. I hung on your every word. Amazing.
As always, Emily, wonderful comment!
I’m amazed by the fact that someone is able to solve such a tough puzzle.
I’m more amazed by the fact that someone is able to set that thing.
But the most amazing thing is that you would ever consider that people wouldn’t watch the whole thing. We live for this.
The rain is pouring down outside, the cat is on my lap with no inclination to move at all, and a 2.5 hr CtC video just droppped. Perfect!
...
2.5 hrs later: I feel silly applauding a video on TH-cam, but that's what I did (the cat didn't like it). Very entertaining, and you kept moving on steadily with one genius deduction after another, all the while explaining it so that I (think I) could follow along. Thanks for deciding to publish it anyway!
What a treat! On both ends - how can anyone set a puzzle like this, and then, how can anyone solve it. I'm in awe.
regarding the comment "there's probably been a way to see that more clearly forever" at 2:15:15
yes in fact at 2:10:33 when you used the 7 clue in column 8 row 9 to separate the 34 and the 14 at the top in box 3, you could have realised the 34 had to connect to the 5, 7 chunk beneath it because separating them would create 8 chunks in the column when the clue specified 7.
also yes, I did watch the whole thing :) fantastic stuff!
I think that over 11,000 people have proved your assertion that no one will want to watch a video this long as totally and utterly wrogn!!!!! brilliant stuff, loved every minute of it. what a pair of brinas involved in the setting and solving
Very interesting solve - yes I did watch it all. So many steps in that required logic in many steps and used information in unlikely areas of the board. Absolutely fascinating!
Per the instructions: I did watch the "whole thing" and despite the fact you explained all the logic I'm right there with you: I'm not even sure I understood it entirely 😂
But what I'm absolutely certain of: there are a LOT of people who like to see you solving these monstrous puzzles!
It is so beautiful to see how setters and solvers have been evolving during the few years this channel exists! Puzzles and solves get more and more complicated. I really enjoy this. And I am really curious where it will go. Thank you both for sharing your brilliant minds, your effort and perseverance! This is pure art to me ❤
Watched it, normal speed, in bits and pieces all day. Absolutely masterful. What a delightful treat to find right after becoming a Patreon. This is up there with Gliperal's brutal Rosette as one of my favorite CtC videos ever. Keep the longform content coming!
I love these long videos. Every one is a blessing where we get to see more of your amazing brain at work. I absolutely watched the entire thing in one sitting, and to date this is one of my favorite puzzles i have watched you solve.
Simon, don't ever feel bad about not understanding the unifying theory of the universe, when most of us are still getting to grips with how Confetti is now deet-deet-deet.
Felt the same 😄 but then I found it in the settings and changed it back.
You can change it back in the 'Experimental' category in the Settings (gear icon)
What? Lol
Haha this must be one of my favourite "meta" comments I ever read. I imagine someone not in the "community" reading that and dont understand a single word.
@@lukashenze5790 Yeah hi, thats me.
I see comments where people said they watched it on higher speeds. But I really wanted to enjoy every minute of agony that you must have felt and then get the huge joy and relief that you experienced as well. It was everything I hoped it would be. What an incredible solve, Simon. Thank you for hanging in there and sharing the experience with us. I loved it!
So been looking forward to this. Got my food. Everything's sorted. On with the show.
Thank you Simon!
Simon taking an HOUR to notice the puzzle is called "crux" after staring at a literal cross for the whole time has unlocked a whole new level of his stormtrooper-like legendary scanning abilities.
Popping the popcorn now
Yes Simon I did watch the whole thing. Some days I don't feel like solving, so I just sit and watch and audit your solving techniques
Watched the whole thing Simon! Great job deciphering that tough break in. Thanks for uploading this.
You are probably the best solver in the world Simon! An incredible feat indeed. Watched on 1.5x
I saw the video length and thought I'd give the puzzle a try before watching, mainly as a joke. I was fully expecting to drop it after an hour or so of blankly staring at the puzzle, but I could sense where the break in was and it felt only just outside my grasp. So I kept staring. It took me three hours until it suddenly clicked and I got the first digit. I finished the puzzle in 5h45 total and it's probably the proudest I've been of a solve.
Now I'm going to sit down with a cup of tea to watch Simon do it twice as fast and marvel at both his and Jay Dyer's brilliance once again.
Edit to reassure Simon that I indeed did watch the full video and enjoyed every minute. The long videos are the best!
I did watch the whole thing! I did pause at one point, ran some errands and then came back to it. The solve was nothing short of incredible! I do really enjoy the longer videos, it feels like being taken on a journey, and it is interesting to follow your train of thought. Very well done there! I hope to see more vids like this one in the future
Simon, your brain is amazing and wonderful - never doubt it!
Thanks so much for posting this. I've been checking all week, and it was SO worth the wait.
Watched it in full. Really wonderful how you think out loud. Without that it would be impossible to follow for lesser gifted people. Thanks for the 'wow' factor in solving it. And a double wow for Jay.
okay, I don't have 3h today, lets bookmark it and watch it tomorrow. And on a TV, such a massive solve must deserve a full screen experience. and a coach.
Watched the whole thing. Loved your reaction at the end!
Thank you CTC and Jay Dyer!
This puzzle was amazing it took me and my wife 161 minutes to solve (we always solve things together), but it was one of those where you constantly keep finding new things and it keeps you entertained. I watched some of the video afterwards and your order of new numbers and colors was quiet different from ours which is so fascinating that such a difficult puzzle have multiple ways of solving.
I couldn't agree more! My solve was the same as Simons up until box 7 at the end where my groupings were different and the 1 and 2 reversed but the resolution only impacted unresolved pairs and triples which were already grouped together. What an incredible puzzle!
Simon. What an amazing feat! So many amazing deductions. It is fascinating how you can analyze the toughest problems. It is also fascinating how you sometimes make hard puzzles even harder when you don’t follow through with sudoku when new digits appear. But then as a viewer it is gratifying to occasionally see the next step before you do. So maybe Simon only seems to be overlooking sudoku as a deliberate scheme to increase audience engagement?
Holy guacamole! Finally watched the entire thing! Jay Dyer - you are beyond amazing! Simon - you are fantastically gifted in your persistence and abiding good humor in winding through complex logic!
I just totally love these long videos. Thank you very much Simon.
Can we get more videos like this please!! Loved every minute of this. I'd love to see some that you didn't solve also.
I love love love the longer videos. Just finished this one over two days!
Superb solve Simon 🎉! I stuck with you to the very end and was astounded at the brilliant setting and wonderful solve. Thank you for sharing
Yes, I watched the entire thing ; thank you for another great solve. There is most definitely an appetite for more solves like this!
Amazing puzzle and amazing solve, as always! Thank you Simon and thank you Jay!
I watched the whole thing in four sittings and thoroughly enjoyed every moment. Dazzling stuff from both setter and solver!
What a ridiculously hard solve, congratulations Simon!
It has been a while since I last watched a CtC sudoku solve, but I could not resist a video of this length! Absolutely amazing solve.
I am totally flabbergasted at Simon's brilliance at solving this puzzle and even more at Jay's genius setting. I watched the whole video in amazement. I was also really impressed that Jay managed to keep the puzzle hard until the very end. Most puzzles fall apart at some point, but not this one!
About the only bits I could see quicker than Simon were that digits couldn't repeat in a clump, so some of his earlier musings could have been short-circuited. And for a while I was shouting "it can't be a 5 because you have a 5 looking at it". 😂 The rest of the mental gymnastics that Simon did were well above my ability. Simon and Jay, take a bow. 🙇♀🙇♂
Hello Simon! Another brilliant video! Thank you. My 2 year old and I watched the whole thing together (with breaks, due to his age of course), and we had the best time. We watch your videos together every day. He finds it hilarious when you fall deep in thought and make a long pause, and I've been learning valuable sudoku tricks from you. We appreciate you and the amazing work you've been doing.
I watched the whole video Simon. I love watching you solving these epic puzzles. I swear I saw steam come out of your ears a few times in this episode!!
Simon is so clever that he is having more problems with his fear of sounding narcissistic than he is having problems with solving this sudoku.
I watched this video over 3 sessions, and the first two sessions were without you finding any digits, but I had a blast watching you figure everything out. Great video!
I watched the whole thing (at 1x speed even!) and it was simply the most astonishing puzzle/solve I've seen in my life.
I love the way these setters create so many pinch points in the solve, requiring a steady stream of break-ins to complete the whole puzzle
I did watch the whole thing at 1x speed, after solving it myself - I usually don't watch whole videos when I know the solution already, but I wanted to see you work through it
Something that I wasn't sure of watching all of the logic concerning the central cross, in the version we ended up with with a 4 in R1C5, and 3 in R8C5, is it possible that R8C5 DOES extend upward, but R9C5 is a DIFFERENT clump to R8C5? The idea that whichever side was the 3 could not grow inward was based on the 4 in the same row/column needing to see one more clump than the 3, and thus 3 needed to not see it's own clump, but the extra space beneath R8C5 opens the possibility for an entirely additional clump. Obviously this wasn't the correct answer, but not sure how this gets disproven as part of the breakin.
I'm not sure if Simon disproved this option or not. It's possible he overlooked it. However, the way to disprove it is to consider what the three vertical clumps in c5 have to sum to, if the only "outie" is r9c5. The maximum r9c5 can be is 2, so the three vertical clumps above it would have to sum to a minimum of the secret - 2, so 43. Since the most any individual vertical clump in c5 can sum to is 15, the minimum any one clump can sum to is 13. (15+15+13+2=45).
But this means the most the clump that passes over the central cell (r5c5) can add horizontally to r5c5 is 2. So even if r5c5 is a 9, the most the horizontal clump in r5, passing through the centre r5c5, can sum to is 9+2=11. But this doesn't work for the three clumps in r5 seen by the 3 clue at the end of row 5. This has to see horizontal clumps of at least 12 (15+15+12+3=45).
It's not easy to explain, but hopefully the above makes some sense. 🙂
I watched to the end.
That was amazing.
You are much too hard on yourself. There were people who were requesting a solve of this, having invested 12+ hours. You're doing it live, and having to explain your logic to an ever-staring camera.
I'm glad you stuck it out to the end and that you shared it with us. This is a phenomenal puzzle that needed to be seen. I'd be interested in a solve video from Jay.
(Pro-tip for anybody watching long videos: They are typically still followable at 2x speed. That brings this "monstrous video" down to an hour and twenty, which has proven to already be an acceptable length.)
Thanks again for being the best sudoku club on the planet.
So very well said! Simon is so hard on himself and his magnificent brain, when he is the most endearing, delightful human with logical reasoning insightful skills of the highest level!! ❤❤❤
The puzzle and the solve. Two masterpieces
I had to break it up into three sittings, but I watched and loved every minute! Thank you for your perseverance Simon!
Of course I’ve watched the whole thing, I loved it!
This was honestly more riveting then many 3 hours movies I have watched in my days Simon. Do not be afraid to dabble in longer format videos, there is an audience who quite enjoys it!
Simon you're right that the break-in is incredibly complicated, but it's a *little* bit simpler than you made it; at 1:06:10, you can get where you got by just remembering that you can't repeat digits in a clump :)
I thought this limit was overlooked in other places as well
Part of the joy of watching is the feeling around in the dark trying to build a picture from shapes you can identify. This was entire solve of that pretty much! And nearly 3 hours of it.
Where exactly does Simon prove that there is a boundary between R7C5 and R8C5? As far as I can see (up till 1:08 ), is that bottom (34) can extend at least 1 square up, if it has a boundary below it. Then there would be 4 at the top, 3 at the bottom, and the extra clump the 4 would see, would be the one behind the 3.
It might be intuition - there were times when he said he had a gut feeling x was true but couldn't vocalise why. I have the same issue with puzzles at times, trying to explain to others with such inadequate tools as speech.
I'm not sure if Simon disproved this option or not. It's possible he overlooked it. However, the way to disprove it is to consider what the three vertical clumps in c5 have to sum to, if the only "outie" is r9c5. The maximum r9c5 can be is 2, so the three vertical clumps above it would have to sum to a minimum of the secret - 2, so 43. Since the most any individual vertical clump in c5 can sum to is 15, the minimum any one clump can sum to is 13. (15+15+13+2=45).
But this means the most the clump that passes over the central cell (r5c5) can add horizontally to r5c5 is 2. So even if r5c5 is a 9, the most the horizontal clump in r5, passing through the centre r5c5, can sum to is 9+2=11. But this doesn't work for the three clumps in r5 seen by the 3 clue at the end of row 5. This has to see horizontal clumps of at least 12 (15+15+12+3=45).
It's not easy to explain, but hopefully the above makes some sense. 🙂
I am usually one for shorter videos in the evening, but I'm ill at home at the moment so this came out just in time to fill some of my day.
That was extremely enjoyable to watch, yes it was long but I enjoy such videos as I'm able to solve most of the puzzles shown on the channel. This lets me see solutions to puzzles that I currently lack the skills in solving.
Watched the whole thing, loved every minute! Thank you Simon!
Cannot wait to enjoy this one! Might fall asleep to it multiple times before I get through it all...
That’s my thoughts.
That is my way of watching: as an enjoyable way to fall asleep. And the rest is a lovely treat to wake up and have breakfast.
love the epic ones. i had an easier break in, but took me ages to find it. starting from 16:30 but blue and orange colors from 30:22. As simon pointed out, there are 3 clumps somewhere in orange and blue, which use up most cells in row/col 5. the orange cells add to at least 40 (including the 4 which is in the 3 clumps). the blues add to at least 42. this means that we can only extend the orange by at most 5 outside of col 5 and the blues by at most 3.
we can ask where the center cells clump can get to. Since we can't repeat digits in clumps, and that 1+2+3 = 6 > 5, we can only extend blue by at most 2 cells and orange by at most 2 cells. with this restriction, we can pretty easily limit the center cell's clump to box 5. the only tricky bit is showing it cant go into r5c7 which would need too many 1s and 2s in box 5 to work. from here we can ask how many cells in row 5 are in the clump. if we try to add all 3, we break the orange limit, if we try to just add the center cell, we break the other 2 blue clumps would need to add to at least 31. so we have exactly 1 on top of the center cell. if we include a 1 or 2 in that cell, even with a 9, we wouldn't reach 15 with the 3 vertical limit, so we need to include a 5 in either r5c4 or r5c6, reaching our horizontal limit. and forcing at 3 and 2 in box 8 and unwinding most pencil marks from 16:30, taking us to about the same grid as at 1:22:22
The viewcount suggests that if you are masochistic enough to watch sudoku solving videos, then you are masochistic enough to watch 3-hour sudoku solving videos.
Watched it , loved it, am amazed how someone is able to set something like this, much less solve it. This is one puzzle I wouldn´t even try to solve, not even after watching bits and pieces of the video. Doesn´t stop me from being proud of myself whenever I catch something before Simon does, and I can´t even beginn to tell you how relieved I was when Simon finally delineated to red cage at the bottom left. Absolutely incredible.
Do people really watch these at faster speed? I couldn´t. And wouldn´t want to. Great job of all people involved.
"rather well under LOTR-length" , I had to check out how long it really is 😬Too late to start now but I am gonna watch it over the next days!!
Watched and enjoyed in its entirety. Sundays are phenomenal days for releasing these -- I watched half before I went to bed last night and the rest this morning over coffee and donuts.
Why did he never consider that the 3 in R8 C5 could have the boundary under it instead of over it? Wouldn't that change the math of the clumps in column 5 while still fulfilling the arrows pointing at the correct number of clumps? I might be wrong..
I'm at that part now, and I think you're right. In order for the 4 in row 5 to work, the 3 has to be a part of a clump that itself can't "see". But in the case when it's a 3 in R8C5, it could be the clump "behind" it that makes the 4 work.
I'm not sure if Simon disproved this option or not. It's possible he overlooked it. He danced around how it could be proved, just extending his logic.
The way to disprove it is to consider what the three vertical clumps in c5 have to sum to, if the only "outie" is r9c5. The maximum r9c5 can be is 2, so the three vertical clumps above it would have to sum to a minimum of the secret - 2, so 43. Since the most any individual vertical clump in c5 can sum to is 15, the minimum any one clump can sum to is 13. (15+15+13+2=45).
But this means the most the clump that passes over the central cell (r5c5) can add horizontally to r5c5 is 2. So even if r5c5 is a 9, the most the horizontal clump in r5, passing through the centre r5c5, can sum to is 9+2=11. But this doesn't work for the three clumps in r5 seen by the 3 clue at the end of row 5. This has to see horizontal clumps of at least 12 (15+15+12+3=45).
It's not easy to explain, but hopefully the above makes some sense. 🙂
two incredibly people needed for this; Jay - a genius for setting it and Simon for solving it and producing a great video. I watched the whole thing (some bits more than once to ensure that I had really understood what Simon had discovered).
What kind of mad person would not watch the whole thing? Who has enough interest in logic puzzles to start this video but then thinks "Now that I've seen the shining brilliance of this puzzle's beginning, I've no interest in staying to see the solve?"
I love watching these videos whenever I have spare time (watched around 6 hours of content in 1 day before!), keep up the good work!! I'm never bored, haha.
I eagerly await Simon's first 24 hour solve...it's going to happen!
And hopefully live so that we can spend the day with Simon!!! 😄
Miss over 2.5 hours of Simon doing battle with a diabolical Jay Dyer creation? The very idea is blasphemy. The extra-long videos are a treat. Glad I got to see this solve. Keep 'em coming. Looking forward to the day one of your solves tips over the 3-hr mark.
I watched the whole thing. Thank you for a great puzzle and a great solve.
I watched the whole thing! Thanks Simon. I love the longer videos!