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Logical Sudoku Solver

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8 Nov 2007 21.1K   389   12   2
Utilize logical rules and scanning to solve soduku puzzle, no guessing

Introduction

I played sudoku for a while, then I just want to write something that solves the puzzle like I do. Following is an example I used with debugmode = false, if anybody doesn't like this part, please let me know, I will be happy to remove it from the screen and from my code.

7  |  2|9  
 3 | 4 |   
2  |1  |  8
-----------
  5|  7|   
42 |   | 35
   |3  |8  
-----------
5  |  4|  9
   | 8 | 5 
  1|2  |  7

=======================================

7  |  2|9  
 3 | 4 |   
2  |1  |  8
-----------
3 5|4 7|   
42 |   | 35
   |3  |8  
-----------
5  |  4|  9
   | 8 | 5 
  1|2  |  7

=======================================

7  |  2|9  
 3 | 4 |   
2  |1  |  8
-----------
385|4 7|   
42 |   | 35
   |3  |8  
-----------
5  |  4|  9
   | 8 | 5 
  1|2  |  7

=======================================

7  |  2|9  
 3 | 4 |   
2  |17 |  8
-----------
385|4 7|   
42 |   | 35
   |3  |8  
-----------
5  |  4| 89
   | 8 | 5 
8 1|2  |  7

=======================================

7  |  2|91 
 3 | 4 |   
2  |17 |  8
-----------
385|4 7|   
42 |   | 35
   |3  |8 4
-----------
5  |  4| 89
   | 8 | 5 
8 1|2  |  7

=======================================

7 4|  2|91 
13 | 4 |   
2  |17 |  8
-----------
385|4 7|   
42 |   | 35
 1 |3  |8 4
-----------
5  |  4| 89
   | 8 | 5 
8 1|2  |  7

=======================================

7 4|8 2|91 
138| 4 |   
2  |17 |  8
-----------
385|4 7|   
42 |   | 35
 1 |3  |8 4
-----------
5  |  4| 89
   | 8 | 5 
8 1|2  |  7

=======================================

7 4|8 2|91 
138|54 |   
2  |17 |  8
-----------
385|4 7|   
42 |  8| 35
 1 |3  |8 4
-----------
5  |  4| 89
   | 8 | 5 
8 1|2  |  7

=======================================

754|8 2|91 
138|549|   
2  |17 |5 8
-----------
385|4 7|   
42 |  8| 35
 1 |3  |8 4
-----------
5  |  4| 89
   | 81| 5 
8 1|2  |  7

=======================================

754|862|913
138|549|   
2  |173|548
-----------
385|4 7|  1
42 |  8| 35
 1 |3  |8 4
-----------
5  | 34|189
   | 81| 5 
8 1|2  | 67

=======================================

754|862|913 
138|549|  6 
2  |173|548
-----------
385|4 7|6 1 
42 | 18| 35
 1 |3 6|8 4
-----------
5 2| 34|189
  3| 81| 52
8 1|2 5|367

=======================================

754|862|913
138|549|276
2  |173|548
-----------
385|4 7|6 1
426|918|735
917|356|8 4
-----------
5 2| 34|189
6 3| 81|452
841|295|367

=======================================

754|862|913
138|549|276
269|173|548
-----------
385|427|691
426|918|735
917|356|824
-----------
572|634|189
693|781|452
841|295|367

Finished!!!

Using the code

program.cs contains  
C#
Sudoku sudoku = new Sudoku();
//sudoku.debugmode = true;
//sudoku.writeLog = false;
sudoku.Test();
You can make debugmode = true to display those rules involved, also can write them to log if the console screen is not convenient to read it.

Points of Interest

Nothing fancy, it would be better if I apply one rule at a time instead of all of them. Top1465 sudoku questions involve 'guessing', which, IMHO, ruins the fun of solving sudoku logically.

History

1.0 Created

License

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Written By
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Comments and Discussions

 
GeneralA minor quibble. Pin
Humble Programmer8-Nov-07 9:11
Humble Programmer8-Nov-07 9:11 
GeneralRe: A minor quibble. Pin
H. Tony8-Nov-07 9:43
H. Tony8-Nov-07 9:43 

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