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		andras
 
 
  Joined: 31 Oct 2007 Posts: 56 Location: Mid Wales
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				 Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 7:54 am    Post subject: Jan 22 VH | 
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				Is it just me or was it more like a Medium? No special tricks needed at all.     
 
 
John | 
			 
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		livemuse82
 
 
  Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 3
 
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				 Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:35 pm    Post subject: Next Move? | 
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				Can anyone help with the next move?
 
 
 	  | Code: | 	 		  
 
+-------------+-----------+------------+
 
| 7   8  3    | 4  26  1  | 5   9  26  |
 
| 15  4  125  | 9  7   56 | 23  8  236 |
 
| 9   25 6    | 8  23  35 | 4   7  1   |
 
+-------------+-----------+------------+
 
| 2   35 59   | 1  359 8  | 7   6  4   |
 
| 158 6  1589 | 7  59  4  | 289 3  289 |
 
| 38  7  4    | 2  369 36 | 89  1  5   |
 
+-------------+-----------+------------+
 
| 456 9  25   | 36 48  7  | 1   24 38  |
 
| 46  1  7    | 36 48  2  | 389 5  389 |
 
| 348 23 28   | 5  1   9  | 6   24 7   |
 
+-------------+-----------+------------+
 
 | 	 
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		Asellus
 
 
  Joined: 05 Jun 2007 Posts: 865 Location: Sonoma County, CA, USA
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				 Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:10 pm    Post subject:  | 
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				Hello livemuse82... and welcome!
 
 
You might want to look for an XY-Wing.  If you aren't sure what that is, do a web search (there are plenty of explanations online).  Or, you can post again here for more guidance. | 
			 
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		ravel
 
 
  Joined: 21 Apr 2006 Posts: 536
 
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				 Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:22 pm    Post subject:  | 
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				 	  | Code: | 	 		  +--------------+-----------+------------+
 
| 7    8  3    | 4  26  1  | 5   9  26  |
 
| 15   4  125  | 9  7   56 | 23  8  236 |
 
| 9    25 6    | 8  23  35 | 4   7  1   |
 
+--------------+-----------+------------+
 
| 2   @35 -59  | 1  359 8  | 7   6  4   |
 
| 158  6  1-589| 7  59  4  | 289 3  289 |
 
| 38   7  4    | 2  369 36 | 89  1  5   |
 
+--------------+-----------+------------+
 
| 456  9 @25   | 36 48  7  | 1   24 38  |
 
| 46   1  7    | 36 48  2  | 389 5  389 |
 
| 348 #23 28   | 5  1   9  | 6   24 7   |
 
+--------------+-----------+------------+ 
 
 | 	  There are 2 xy-wings in the grid. This one will not solve it.
 
Alternatively you can use a w-wing (23). | 
			 
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		cgordon
 
 
  Joined: 04 May 2007 Posts: 769 Location: ontario, canada
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				 Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 3:44 pm    Post subject:  | 
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				 	  | Quote: | 	 		  | ....was it more like a Medium? No special tricks needed at all.  | 	  
 
 
John:
 
I think you may have erred.  I needed two xy-wings: 
 
<235> with pivot R9C2  
 
<235> with pivot R3C2 | 
			 
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		Marty R.
 
 
  Joined: 12 Feb 2006 Posts: 5770 Location: Rochester, NY, USA
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				 Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 4:37 pm    Post subject:  | 
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				| I used the XY-Wing in Ravel's grid and the W-Wing. | 
			 
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		livemuse82
 
 
  Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 3
 
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				 Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 5:04 pm    Post subject: Thanks! | 
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				| Thanks Asellus and Ravel.  I've used the 2 xy wings to solve it.  I've never heard of the w-wing.  I'll have to learn that one for future use.  Does it come up frequently? | 
			 
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		andras
 
 
  Joined: 31 Oct 2007 Posts: 56 Location: Mid Wales
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				 Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 5:38 pm    Post subject:  | 
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				Well, I've been through my solution again and it all works out for me without any x-wings or anything else; I did it over a single cup of tea before breakfast.
 
 
Usually it's my wife who somehow stumbles on a direct route while I'm left analysing for wings and URs! I guess I just got lucky for once!
 
 
John | 
			 
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		Marty R.
 
 
  Joined: 12 Feb 2006 Posts: 5770 Location: Rochester, NY, USA
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				 Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 6:26 pm    Post subject:  | 
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				 	  | Quote: | 	 		  | I've never heard of the w-wing. I'll have to learn that one for future use. Does it come up frequently? | 	  
 
Yes, it does appear fairly frequently and is a valuable component of one's arsenal. If you have identical bivalue cells in different houses and they are connected by a strong link, then the number other than the strong link must be in one or the other bivalue cells, forming a pincer effect like an XY-Wing.
 
 
 	  | Code: | 	 		  +--------------+-----------+------------+
 
| 7    8  3    | 4  26  1  | 5   9  26  |
 
| 15   4  125  | 9  7   56 | 23  8  236 |
 
| 9    25 6    | 8  23  35 | 4   7  1   |
 
+--------------+-----------+------------+
 
| 2   @35 -59  | 1  359 8  | 7   6  4   |
 
| 158  6  1-589| 7  59  4  | 289 3  289 |
 
| 38   7  4    | 2  369 36 | 89  1  5   |
 
+--------------+-----------+------------+
 
| 456  9 @25   | 36 48  7  | 1   24 38  |
 
| 46   1  7    | 36 48  2  | 389 5  389 |
 
| 348 #23 28   | 5  1   9  | 6   24 7   |
 
+--------------+-----------+------------+  | 	  
 
 
In this grid, note the 23 cells in r3c5 and r9c2. Also note the strong link on 3 in row 4. Each of the 3s sees one of those 23 cells. Therefore, one or the other of the pairs must contain a 2 and that pincer effect zaps the 2 from r3c2.
 
 
I don't know if that's clear, but you definitely want to have this technique at your disposal. | 
			 
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		storm_norm
 
 
  Joined: 18 Oct 2007 Posts: 1741
 
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				 Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 9:52 pm    Post subject:  | 
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				mark me down for...
 
xy-wing {2,3,5}  pincers in r3c5 and r4c2 takes out 3 in r4c5 | 
			 
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		livemuse82
 
 
  Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 3
 
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				 Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:10 am    Post subject: W Wing | 
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				| Thank you Marty R. for your thorough and crystal clear explanation of the W Wing.  I've definitely added it to my arsenal, although it may take a few VH sudokus for me to get used to using it. | 
			 
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		ravel
 
 
  Joined: 21 Apr 2006 Posts: 536
 
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				 Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:08 am    Post subject: Re: W Wing | 
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				 	  | livemuse82 wrote: | 	 		  | ... it may take a few VH sudokus for me to get used to using it. | 	  You can try this one:
 
 	  | Code: | 	 		   
 
 +-------------------+
 
 | . 1 . . . . . . . |
 
 | . . 9 . . . . . . |
 
 | . 2 . 5 . . 4 3 . |
 
 | . . . 1 . 6 . . 9 |
 
 | . 3 . 7 . 8 . . . |
 
 | . . 8 . . . 1 2 . |
 
 | 7 4 . . . . . . 2 |
 
 | . . . . . 5 . . 6 |
 
 | . . . . . . 3 5 . |
 
 +-------------------+
 
 | 	  >>> play online
 
You can solve it with 2 w-wings (if you ignore the skyscrapers after the first one).
 
[Edit:] 2 more - a w-wing is there when you cant get a hint online
 
[Edit2:] Sorry, i copied a wrong puzzle here.
 
[Edit3:]This is the right one now.
 
 	  | Code: | 	 		   +-------+-------+-------+
 
 | . . . | . . . | . . . |
 
 | . . 5 | . 2 . | 3 . . |
 
 | . 2 . | 6 . 1 | . 8 . |
 
 +-------+-------+-------+
 
 | . . 2 | . 5 . | 7 . . |
 
 | . 5 . | 2 6 7 | . 3 . |
 
 | . . 8 | . 9 . | 4 . . |
 
 +-------+-------+-------+
 
 | . 3 . | 4 . 5 | . 6 . |
 
 | . . 4 | . 8 . | 9 . . |
 
 | . . . | . . . | . . . |
 
 +-------+-------+-------+ gsf
 
 | 	  >>> play online 	  | Code: | 	 		   +-------+-------+-------+
 
 | . . . | . . . | . . . |
 
 | . . 1 | . 2 . | 3 . . |
 
 | . 6 . | 8 . 4 | . 1 . |
 
 +-------+-------+-------+
 
 | . . 2 | . 1 . | 4 . . |
 
 | . 4 . | 6 7 8 | . 9 . |
 
 | . . 7 | . 4 . | 8 . . |
 
 +-------+-------+-------+
 
 | . 5 . | 7 . 9 | . 3 . |
 
 | . . 6 | . 3 . | 7 . . |
 
 | . . . | . . . | . . . |
 
 +-------+-------+-------+ gsf
 
 | 	  >>> play online
  Last edited by ravel on Wed Jan 23, 2008 2:32 pm; edited 3 times in total | 
			 
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		keith
 
 
  Joined: 19 Sep 2005 Posts: 3355 Location: near Detroit, Michigan, USA
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				 Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:10 am    Post subject:  | 
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				There is an M-wing that solves it.
 
 
Basics get you to here:
 
 	  | Code: | 	 		  +----------------+----------------+----------------+
 
| 7    8    3    | 4    26   1    | 5    9    26   | 
 
| 15   4    125  | 9    7    56   | 23   8    236  | 
 
| 9    25b  6    | 8    23a  35   | 4    7    1    | 
 
+----------------+----------------+----------------+
 
| 2    35f  59   | 1   -359  8    | 7    6    4    | 
 
| 158  6    1589 | 7    59   4    | 289  3    289  | 
 
| 38e  7    4    | 2    369  36   | 89   1    5    | 
 
+----------------+----------------+----------------+
 
| 456  9    25   | 36   48   7    | 1    24   38   | 
 
| 46   1    7    | 36   48   2    | 389  5    389  | 
 
| 348d 23c  28   | 5    1    9    | 6    24   7    | 
 
+----------------+----------------+----------------+ | 	  
 
The cells abc are connected by strong links on <2>.  a and c have the same value. cd is a strong link on <3> in R9.
 
 
1.  a is <3>.
 
2. a is <2>, c is <2>. d must be <3>.
 
Any cell that sees both a and d cannot be <3>.
 
 
That is the M-wing.  Not immediately useful.
 
 
But, you can color on <3> to e and f.  If d is <3>, f is <3>.
 
 
Any cell that sees both a and f cannot be <3>.  You can make the exclusion in R4C5, which solves the puzzle.
 
 
M-wings are explained here:
 
 
http://www.dailysudoku.com/sudoku/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2143
 
 
Keith
 
 
Edit:  There is another M-wing on <25> that takes out <5> in R45C3. | 
			 
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		ravel
 
 
  Joined: 21 Apr 2006 Posts: 536
 
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				 Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:36 am    Post subject:  | 
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				 	  | keith wrote: | 	 		  | But, you can color on <3> to e and f.  If d is <3>, f is <3>. | 	  
 
You dont even need that. Since there is a strong link for 3 in column 2, also abcf form a M-wing.
 
 	  | Quote: | 	 		  | There is another M-wing on <25> that takes out <5> in R45C3. | 	  I think, this is only a "half" M-wing, (r7c3=2 => r3c2=2, but not vice versa).
 
 
It is quite simple to check a grid for (half) M-wings. When it turns out, that a pair is no w-wing, i look, if it can be connected with one color (in both directions). E.g. if you look at the 59's in r4c3 and r5c5, we have r4c3=5 => r5c5=5 (via r4c5). So i look, if there is a strong link for 9 from r5c5. In this case no. If there were one, say to a cell X, it would mean, that r4c3 or X had to be 9.
 
And r5c5=9 => r4c3=9 (via r5c3), but no strong link for 5 from r4c3. No success here, but it takes just some seconds.
 
 
If the pairs are strongly connected like the 23's here, each strong link (for both numbers) from a pair gives you a M-wing. | 
			 
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		keith
 
 
  Joined: 19 Sep 2005 Posts: 3355 Location: near Detroit, Michigan, USA
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				 Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 11:57 pm    Post subject:  | 
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				ravel,
 
 
 	  | Quote: | 	 		  | You dont even need that. Since there is a strong link for 3 in column 2, also abcf form a M-wing.  | 	  
 
Exactly!  I missed that.  I am not used to how these chains can overlay themselves.  (Maybe I am too used to simple coloring which, of course, cannot backtrack in the same column.)
 
 
 	  | Quote: | 	 		  | I think, this is only a "half" M-wing, (r7c3=2 => r3c2=2, but not vice versa).  | 	  
 
Correct, again.  I did see this as a half wing, but I neglected to mention that.
 
 
By the way, you will find an M-wing by Medusa coloring.  I do not think we will find your half-wing.  (I'll have to think about it, but in Medusa coloring there are no weak links.  At least not in the coloring - they are in the inferences.)
 
 
Keith | 
			 
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