This is the archive of the old posts from Djape .Net, more or less as they used to be. Please go to djape.net to see the new website.

Twin Nonets

Lets formalize the technique that can be used when solving overlapping puzzles, which I have been referring to as “the new solving technique” and that I now call Twin Nonets. Basically, this technique is a sub-technique (or if you like – a consequence) of the naked/hidden triplets technique that you are all probably aware of. But, naked/hidden triplets are sometimes difficult to spot and this is very obvious once you realize what it’s all about. The technique only applies to overlapping puzzles where two sub-puzzles overlap on at least two nonets. So it doesn’t apply to puzzles like Samurai. It applies to Flower Sudoku, Butterfly Sudoku, Double Sudoku, Triple Sudoku and other puzzles that I have posted before. So after all this talk lets get to the point. Here is the first Double Trouble X that I posted a while ago: Twin Nonets The nonets highlighted in red are twin nonets. This means that 3 triplets that constitute each nonet must contain the same numbers as in the matching triplet in the twin nonet (not always in the same order). So, the cells that are marked with a red “x” must be 8 and 9 respectively. Why? Because in the matching triplets we have those numbers so they must be there and there is only one spot where they can fall into. What’s also important to know is that you can use this rule to eliminate candidates from a cell. I’m using the same example. Look at the left triplets of the highlighted nonets. In the bottom red nonet, there is number 1 in the left triplet. Therefore, this number must be somewhere in the left triplet of the top red nonet, which means that it can be eliminated as a candidate from the middle triplet of the top red nonet! I know this now looks obvious, but sometimes it’s easy to miss. For example, in the Triple X puzzle that I posted before, it’s difficult to see this (see the comments bellow Triple X post). In double trouble X puzzles there are 4 pairs of twin nonets. I showed you one and I’m sure that you can see what other three are. However, because this is an “X” puzzle, there is another Twin Triplets pair and it’s on the long diagonal (12 cells). The three cells from nonet 1 and the three cells from the bottom-right nonet must contain the same numbers (again – not necessarily in the same order).
This entry was posted in Solving tips and tagged , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink. Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL.

One Comment

  1. LA
    Posted December 20, 2005 at 1:34 am | Permalink

    It’s the “law of leftovers” that someone (I forget who) once mentioned.

11 Trackbacks

  • […] Back to the puzzle – there are 4 “classic” 9×9 Sudoku puzzles inside this one. They all overlap and they all must be solved according to the rules of Sudoku. You can use Twin Nonets solving technique for this one! […]

  • […] There are 5 puzzles that heavily overlap each other – in fact the center (inner) grid is completely covered by the remaining 4. So be careful – all 5 grids must be solved according to the rules of Sudoku. This inner grid, albeit being blank, actually provides most clues! How come? Well, by extensive use of the Twin Nonets technique, you will see that all clues from outer grids are also clues for the center grid. […]

  • […] There are 4 “classic” 9×9 Killer Sudoku puzzles inside this one. They all overlap and they all must be solved according to the rules of Sudoku. You can (in fact, you must) use the Twin Nonets solving technique for this one! […]

  • […] layout, which is similar to Samurai Sudoku but not exactly the same. Make sure to use the “twin nonets” solving technique, otherwise you won’t get too […]

  • […] How to solve Flower Sudoku? Well, you use the usual Sudoku solving techniques, naked singles, hidden singles, subsets (pairs, triplets, quads) and the row/column and nonet interactions. But there is an additional solving technique that only applies to overlapping puzzles and only to some of them. It surely applies to Flower Sudoku puzzles and the one I’m posting here is a good example for you to practice. This “new solving technique” is called Twin Nonets. […]

  • […] layout, which is similar to Samurai Sudoku but not exactly the same. Make sure to use the “twin nonets” solving technique, otherwise you won’t get too […]

  • By Saturday Special – Non-consecutive Flower Sudoku on February 17, 2012 at 2:30 am

    […] Use the rule of Twin Nonets in order to solve the puzzle […]

  • By Introducing “FLOWER” overlapping Sudoku puzzles on February 17, 2012 at 2:37 am

    […] grid, albeit being blank, actually provides most clues! How come? Well, by extensive use of the Twin Nonets technique, you will see that all clues from outer grids are also clues for the center […]

  • By Extra special – Butterfly Killer Sudoku (hard) on February 9, 2013 at 3:03 am

    […] and they all must be solved according to the rules of Sudoku. You can (in fact, you must) use the Twin Nonets solving technique for this […]

  • By Jigsaw Sudoku in Flower format on February 9, 2013 at 3:04 am

    […] puzzle for today is rated COOL. Make sure to use the Twin Nonets technique. You can also use the Law of Leftovers technique, but you don’t have […]

  • By Non-consecutive Flower Sudoku on January 29, 2014 at 5:52 am

    […] Use the rule of Twin Nonets in order to solve the puzzle […]

Post a Comment

Your email is never published nor shared. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

*
*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

eXTReMe Tracker