Tag Archives: Medusa coloring

Sadistic Sudoku Review

Posted on July 28, 2015 by

No, it isn’t a sadistic review. I’m reviewing Arnold Snyder’s Sadistic Sudoku collection of puzzles. Arnold’s solving advice, as presented in his “Sudoku Formula” books 2 and 3, will be analyzed in the following post. Two typical review puzzles are … Continue reading →

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Weekly Extreme 426 Traces and Trials

Posted on March 31, 2015 by

We open the Weekly Extreme Competition review with #426. My selection for the review is simply the consecutive weeks, from here to #435. I’ll provide complete tracing to the point of guaranteed collapse. I want to particularly welcome WEC players. … Continue reading →

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Cycling Blindfolded with the Guide

Posted on January 20, 2015 by

This post calls out Gordon Guide misguidance related to coloring, slink chains and the XY chain. AIC fundamentals are omitted in favor of ineffectual strategy and renaming of well known AIC formations. First, lets checkpoint the basic solving of the … Continue reading →

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Plus and One-Sided Unique Polygons

Posted on December 23, 2014 by

In this post, the Gordon Guide’s Gordonian Polygons Plus and One-Sided Gordonian Polygons are shown to be variations of the unique polygon, defined here as a loop of cells, containing the same two numbers, which become a loop of conjugate … Continue reading →

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Two Colorful Super Grand Masters

Posted on February 18, 2014 by

Here I continue the review of Sudoku, vol. 3 puzzles with the detailed solving of its SGM 20, and a coloring highlight from SGM 25. SGM 20 begins like no other puzzle I’ve ever seen of the advanced class, with … Continue reading →

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Nice Loop Coloring of Insane 465

Posted on August 27, 2013 by

This post introduces nice loop coloring, with a very special nice loop. Pattern slicing has a cameo role. The solution comes in a color trial suggested by  nice loop extensions. Stingiest on the bypass, 465 gives no more clues in … Continue reading →

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Shortz’ Ferocious Hall of Mirrors

Posted on July 2, 2013 by

This post recounts the solving of Beware 190, the review puzzle from Will Shortz’ collection book Ferocious Sudoku which has multiple solutions.  On another multiple solution puzzle, Frank Longo’s  Absolutely Nasty Level 4 puzzle 61(Review Snaps II 3/12/13), I used … Continue reading →

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Stephens’ Extremes Snaps II

Posted on June 11, 2013 by

Here we continue with snapshots from the review puzzles from Stephens’ The Sudoku Addict’s Workbook.  The review covers 10 of 40 “Extreme” puzzles in this and Paul’s Mastering Sudoku Week by Week. The Extreme collection is highly recommended, even if … Continue reading →

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Stephens Extremes Snapshots I

Posted on June 4, 2013 by

Here we have highlight snapshots from the review puzzles from Paul Stephens’ Extreme collection.  Recent posts have been about the Stephens approach to basic and advanced solving.  The Sysudoku solving of two of the review puzzles, Weeks 48 and Addicts … Continue reading →

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Stephens in the Library with a Laptop

Posted on May 7, 2013 by

This post continues with differences between sysudoku advanced solving and the Paul Stephens “extreme” order of battle.  In particular, the power of full Medusa coloring compared to Stephens’ limited multi-colouring. Let’s begin with a checkpoint for solve-along sysudokie readers.  In … Continue reading →

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