This was straightforward. I found a pair of finned X-wings in 7s fairly early, and I *think* they helped me place 7s and possibly other digits. I expect the usual, in that they were superfluous or I missed something to break them; a moment of triumph becoming a moment of embarrassment. Later, a couple triples appeared when I was on the cusp of getting stuck. 3:40 Although I missed the first X-wing in 4s mentioned by another commenter, I found a 18 pair in block 4, restricting 6s in block 4 to row 5. That led me to fill out the rest of row 5, giving me a 235 triple and forcing 46 into block 4. This gave a 23 pair in block 4 column 1, placing 4 and 7 in block 1, column 1. The possible cells for 7 in blocks 2, 8, and 9, along with the restriction to rows 2 and 3 in block 3 gave me the two finned X-wings in 7s. 9:10 Nice to see you do what I did. 13:30 I didn't spot the naked 8 in block 2. I feel a little better now about the finned X-wings, since I found them about when you were floundering about looking for something. 16:10 Block 2 has a 67 pair. (Then compare with the 7-cells in blocks 8 and 9.)
Faster pace is an excellent change. I think Hard Sudoku solvers already know the basic rules of sudoku. No need to explain every time how you can't put two digits in one cell etc. Now you should concentrate more in follow-ups. I've mentioned this already earlier. Today for example all the hidden pairs could be found by simple follow-ups. Lined-up fours, 18 pairs in row 5 and column 1 etc. Same goes with the hidden 67 pair in box 2. Just follow up the digits you've already found.
I’m new to this game - one week in. I made it to your 5 minute mark on my own (and I’m using auto candidate mode) then sat for 20 mins. I’m happy to see you were stumped for a couple mins too. Now replaying your next steps to learn!
I will say that auto candidates often make the game a bit harder for me. It is a good way to spot naked singles but often leads you to not solve the puzzle in the intended way. Another thing easily missed with auto candidates is geometry because your eyes are distracted by having too many candidates (x-wings etc.).
This was a fun one. My comment is late enough that I won't worry too much about spoilers. Because I corner-mark everything on my initial scanning pass, I picked up the 67 pair in box 2 at the very start (the 7 in row 1c1 is a naked single from the start of corner-marking) and pointing 5s in box 2. Those 5s produced a naked 5 in box 8, by corner-marks that placed the 7 in box 8, and my solve collapsed from there. This was a fun, though challenging, solve.
For some reason, this one was really easy for me. I didn't have to do any real scanning; I ended up with lots of pairs that all resolved themselves easily. Thanks!
haha - I watched the video because I was stuck and it was at the exact point you said I'm a little stuck - still learning to do these hard ones and these videos are SO helpful
I finished it before you by like 2 minutes. I was also stuck when I was scanning around the same spot till I saw the 67 pair. Good puzzle but challenging.
This one took me a bit longer today too. I found I had missed a naked single and suddenly the entire puzzle collapsed. When I get stuck I like to colour in the squares of the same digit. Simple colouring often helps reduce candidates, and colouring also helps me spot x wings - not that NYT hard puzzles have many x wings.
Proud of myself on this one and frustrated at the same time. I found the 67 pair early and also found the sets of 4 pointing so had ALLL the pieces to solve it. Then sat stuck for ages because even though I had 5s corner marked I didn’t follow up on the pointing. Once I realized that it all came together but spent probably 10 minutes staring at it. I see someone else mentioned an “x wing” which I haven’t heard you mention. Is that the paris pointing?
If, or when , you see things , it is easy. For me , i spotted the 18 and later the 67 pairs very quickly. So this time i was faster than the master. ( and that happens not very often )
Enjoying the new format of scaling the explanations of your solve with the puzzle difficulty.
This was straightforward. I found a pair of finned X-wings in 7s fairly early, and I *think* they helped me place 7s and possibly other digits. I expect the usual, in that they were superfluous or I missed something to break them; a moment of triumph becoming a moment of embarrassment. Later, a couple triples appeared when I was on the cusp of getting stuck.
3:40 Although I missed the first X-wing in 4s mentioned by another commenter, I found a 18 pair in block 4, restricting 6s in block 4 to row 5. That led me to fill out the rest of row 5, giving me a 235 triple and forcing 46 into block 4. This gave a 23 pair in block 4 column 1, placing 4 and 7 in block 1, column 1. The possible cells for 7 in blocks 2, 8, and 9, along with the restriction to rows 2 and 3 in block 3 gave me the two finned X-wings in 7s.
9:10 Nice to see you do what I did.
13:30 I didn't spot the naked 8 in block 2. I feel a little better now about the finned X-wings, since I found them about when you were floundering about looking for something.
16:10 Block 2 has a 67 pair. (Then compare with the 7-cells in blocks 8 and 9.)
Faster pace is an excellent change. I think Hard Sudoku solvers already know the basic rules of sudoku. No need to explain every time how you can't put two digits in one cell etc.
Now you should concentrate more in follow-ups. I've mentioned this already earlier. Today for example all the hidden pairs could be found by simple follow-ups. Lined-up fours, 18 pairs in row 5 and column 1 etc. Same goes with the hidden 67 pair in box 2. Just follow up the digits you've already found.
Yep, followups are very important and is something I need to work on.
I’m new to this game - one week in. I made it to your 5 minute mark on my own (and I’m using auto candidate mode) then sat for 20 mins. I’m happy to see you were stumped for a couple mins too. Now replaying your next steps to learn!
I will say that auto candidates often make the game a bit harder for me. It is a good way to spot naked singles but often leads you to not solve the puzzle in the intended way.
Another thing easily missed with auto candidates is geometry because your eyes are distracted by having too many candidates (x-wings etc.).
I can see that. It’s a cluttered page.
This was a fun one. My comment is late enough that I won't worry too much about spoilers.
Because I corner-mark everything on my initial scanning pass, I picked up the 67 pair in box 2 at the very start (the 7 in row 1c1 is a naked single from the start of corner-marking) and pointing 5s in box 2. Those 5s produced a naked 5 in box 8, by corner-marks that placed the 7 in box 8, and my solve collapsed from there. This was a fun, though challenging, solve.
For some reason, this one was really easy for me. I didn't have to do any real scanning; I ended up with lots of pairs that all resolved themselves easily. Thanks!
20.45 today. Got the 46 and 67 pairs without problem. Just a bit slow in scanning & entering marks to avoid mistakes.
haha - I watched the video because I was stuck and it was at the exact point you said I'm a little stuck - still learning to do these hard ones and these videos are SO helpful
I finished it before you by like 2 minutes. I was also stuck when I was scanning around the same spot till I saw the 67 pair. Good puzzle but challenging.
This one took me a bit longer today too. I found I had missed a naked single and suddenly the entire puzzle collapsed. When I get stuck I like to colour in the squares of the same digit. Simple colouring often helps reduce candidates, and colouring also helps me spot x wings - not that NYT hard puzzles have many x wings.
Got it in 14.51, probably my fastest time yet! Since I rely very much on corner markings I spotted the hidden 18 and 67 pairs
Nice!
I enjoyed this pace😊
Those two sets of 4 in the middle band helped me to get a 4 above the 8 in the top left hand box. Is that called following through? :)
There's a double X-wing with 4s here 3:43
Yeah, I really should have followed-up on those 4s. You get a ton from that!
Proud of myself on this one and frustrated at the same time. I found the 67 pair early and also found the sets of 4 pointing so had ALLL the pieces to solve it. Then sat stuck for ages because even though I had 5s corner marked I didn’t follow up on the pointing. Once I realized that it all came together but spent probably 10 minutes staring at it. I see someone else mentioned an “x wing” which I haven’t heard you mention. Is that the paris pointing?
If, or when , you see things , it is easy.
For me , i spotted the 18 and later the 67 pairs very quickly. So this time i was faster than the master.
( and that happens not very often )
I missed the 67 pair. My time went way up.
Solved with a little help
didn't find 67 pair in box 2, but found 1259 to solve.
Very very hard
kind comment