How to: solve a Sudoku puzzle
Communication major Jennifer Myers ’22 first learned Sudoku in second grade and has a tried-and-true method to the madness of solving the numbers puzzle.
- Tip #1: Start by glancing at different sections quickly. Since there can be only one of each number 1-9 in every row, column and box, there are always a few obvious spaces where a particular number must go.
- Tip #2: Focus on one number at a time, determining all of its possible locations in each area of the puzzle.
- Tip #3: Mark the possibilities with little numbers in the corners of the boxes in pencil. Writing them in pen is a pretty big commitment.
- Tip #4: Use your best guesses to narrow down possibilities until all the boxes are filled.
- Tip #5: If you’re stuck, ask a friend for help or put the puzzle down for a bit. Fresh eyes can spot answers more easily.