Have fun - Sudoku with a friend
We have all heard the old saying, "Save water - shower with a friend", and often laughed at it. However, in reality, it does really make sense to save water. Plus, it is more fun.
I have been playing Sudoku for a number of years now, and find it very challenging and entertaining. To make it even more fun, I play with a friend - my best friend, my wife. However, to do this, I have had to improvise a bit. We like to play the game that appears daily in our local newspaper. But, there is only one copy. And, as I have found out by trial and error, it is very difficult to play the more difficult levels of the game in the small grid provided in the paper, or even in the many Sudoko books available on the subject.
This led me to design my own grid. It really was not a difficult task. I used Excel and formatted the game to cover a complete 8.5 x 11 inch page. This expanded the grid considerably, and also allowed me to print off two copies: one for me and one for my friend/wife. Each day, I would take the game from the newspaper, and just plug in the given numbers into my spreadsheet, and printed off two copies. Then, after supper, we relaxed with the game and played as a competition to see who could finish first.
The final game looks something like this: (click to see and print a full size PDF sample):
If you wish to use my Excel template, it can be downloaded here. While it was created wtih Excel 2007, it is simple enough that it should work on previous Excel versions as well. I use the Arial font for the date and Cooper MD BT for the actual numbers in the grid. If you don't have these fonts, just substitute your own. The grid numbers are large and in dark blue. To use the template, just select all the cells and press Delete. Then enter your own numbers from the newspaper. Finally, change the date, save it, and print it - as many copies as you like. Repeat each day.
The actual beauty of this method is that it allows for much easier entry of 'possible candidates'. If you have played this game before, you will realize that it is not always possible to just enter the proper number into the grid. In most cases, there will be several possible candidates that can be used, and you will need to enter these candidates into the grid first. The larger square area with my Excel copy easily permits you to enter these candidates and still see them unobscured.
The screen shot below is a good example of entering possible candidates. It is taken from the popular iPod Electronic Arts Sudoku application (which, btw, I highly recommend!). By placing your candidates into the squares in three rows (1,2,3 on the top, 4,5,6 in the middle, and 7,8,9 on the bottom) it also makes it easier to see them for comparison with other squares.
Once you start using this spreadsheet, you may even want to print off multiple copies of the same game, invite friends over, and have a Sudoku party.
I have been playing Sudoku for a number of years now, and find it very challenging and entertaining. To make it even more fun, I play with a friend - my best friend, my wife. However, to do this, I have had to improvise a bit. We like to play the game that appears daily in our local newspaper. But, there is only one copy. And, as I have found out by trial and error, it is very difficult to play the more difficult levels of the game in the small grid provided in the paper, or even in the many Sudoko books available on the subject.
This led me to design my own grid. It really was not a difficult task. I used Excel and formatted the game to cover a complete 8.5 x 11 inch page. This expanded the grid considerably, and also allowed me to print off two copies: one for me and one for my friend/wife. Each day, I would take the game from the newspaper, and just plug in the given numbers into my spreadsheet, and printed off two copies. Then, after supper, we relaxed with the game and played as a competition to see who could finish first.
The final game looks something like this: (click to see and print a full size PDF sample):
If you wish to use my Excel template, it can be downloaded here. While it was created wtih Excel 2007, it is simple enough that it should work on previous Excel versions as well. I use the Arial font for the date and Cooper MD BT for the actual numbers in the grid. If you don't have these fonts, just substitute your own. The grid numbers are large and in dark blue. To use the template, just select all the cells and press Delete. Then enter your own numbers from the newspaper. Finally, change the date, save it, and print it - as many copies as you like. Repeat each day.
The actual beauty of this method is that it allows for much easier entry of 'possible candidates'. If you have played this game before, you will realize that it is not always possible to just enter the proper number into the grid. In most cases, there will be several possible candidates that can be used, and you will need to enter these candidates into the grid first. The larger square area with my Excel copy easily permits you to enter these candidates and still see them unobscured.
The screen shot below is a good example of entering possible candidates. It is taken from the popular iPod Electronic Arts Sudoku application (which, btw, I highly recommend!). By placing your candidates into the squares in three rows (1,2,3 on the top, 4,5,6 in the middle, and 7,8,9 on the bottom) it also makes it easier to see them for comparison with other squares.
Once you start using this spreadsheet, you may even want to print off multiple copies of the same game, invite friends over, and have a Sudoku party.
posted by Anon Emous at 1:03 PM
1 Comments:
Totally going to download your version. I tried to make my own in Word, but it came out crappy, and I couldn't identify between my black ink drawn numbers and the computer font easily enough, because we didnt' have a color printer at work.
Anyway, I guess I am doing them too fast with the method you taught me. I am only getting one out of maybe three games. I get to where I am almost done and then I realize my mistake, and of course then it's too late! But I am able to do much harder puzzles now that I know your trick!
Post a Comment
<< Home