There are a few basic tricks and some more exotic ones that can cut down on your time quite a bit. There are even inexpensive books available at B&N and others that show you how to do it. “Guessing,” i.e. putting in a random digit and see if it works out, is considered bad form. But you can put in the candidates that are left after eliminating possibilities, and cross them out as you eliminate more and more. Otherwise, there’s no hope.

I work the “hard” category of puzzles on websudoku.com and always time myself. Even after hundreds of puzzles, I’ve never gotten even close to the median time!! I don’t think I could fill in the squares with random digits in the shortest times given. websudoku lets you fill in multiple numbers on-screen and then take them out as you eliminate more and more possibilities (use the Options button for this). Click on the FAQS link on websudoku to get some tips that really help get you started. It also keeps your score on your computer, so you know your average time for each category.

My wife works the “evil” category, about one a day. She, too, is way behind the power curve. I’ve tried the evil a few times, but it’s too much like drudgery. To me, “hard” is challenging but still fun.

Ray

Deborah

Wikipedia has some strategies on solving Soduko puzzles.

For those looking for something even more challenging, the Seattle Times recently ran a story called “What’s the next Sudoku? Now there’s a puzzle.“

Still, it’s fascinating. Have you tried to work the one you’re using as an illustration on this post?

Fess up, Jorge! Do you know how to work these things? What’s the secret?