Sudoku is much more than randomly guessing and putting numbers. No guesswork can help you to complete the tricky game of Sudoku. It requires patience, determination, strategizing, and logic to complete the puzzle accurately. It is not an easy game that will need you to put numbers and get done with it; however, you can become a pro in Sudoku in no time with the right skills.
If you want to learn more about Sudoku, here are some easy tips to become a pro at the game. Hop on to this article to know some of the best tips to help you enhance your Sudoku skills in less than five minutes and master Sudoku in no time.
Set a Timer
Time-bounding yourself is the best way to get things done easily. Things get easy whenever you set a deadline for yourself, and you tend to push yourself to get to the finish line. Solving a tricky Sudoku might take hours, and you will be stuck with the puzzle without getting other things done. You can set a stopwatch and time yourself for 5 minutes initially to speed up the process. You can focus on the puzzle and solve it faster than usual. Taking this challenge will prompt your brain to take quick action, and you can chisel your problem-solving ability in less time.
Befriend the pencil
If you are solving a Soduko in your local newspaper, then a pencil would be your best friend in such a difficult time. The importance of pencil marking can’t be stressed enough. It might sound naive; however, a marking with a pencil will help you assess the puzzle better. Most Sudoku players use pencils to write numbers in the boxes they think look appropriate. After marking, one can analyze and eliminate the numbers that look out of place. Pencil markings are easier to erase when you believe you have made a mistake. Pencil markings will come in handy before you hit your Eureka moment.
Focus on A Specific Row, Column, or Box
One can be overwhelmed by a 9-by-9 Sudoku grid and get scared of the trickiness of the game. However, you can take baby steps to finish the grid in no time. It would be helpful for you if you focused on 1 row, column or box. You will notice that you will solve the grid more quickly than before. Pouncing at the grid all at once will increase your panic and get you nowhere, so it’s better to solve it bit by bit and with utmost focus and attention.
Scan and Solve
There are numerous techniques to solve Sudoku quickly. One of the easiest ways to solve a Sudoku is to scan the rows and columns in every triple box area, remove the numbers or squares, and find boxes where only a single number can fit in a particular square. This scan and solve technique will come in handy if you want to finish it swiftly and accurately. Moreover, if you are a beginner, it will help you solve the Sudoku puzzle faster than you could imagine.
Swordfish Technique
If you are a beginner at Sudoku, the swordfish technique might not be of any use to you. However, when the difficulty level of puzzles increases, you would need the swordfish technique to solve tricky and challenging puzzles. When you get stuck with challenging and technical puzzles, you can opt for the swordfish technique. A swordfish pattern occurs when three rows or columns contain two or three cells that contain the same locked number. Additionally, this number must happen in each of the three rows and share the same three columns or rows.
Practise New Techniques
While playing Sudoku, you will come across some new techniques, and they will come in handy while solving challenging puzzles. If you are a beginner, you can practice a particular method for 5 minutes. You can take turns and practice every technique for 5 minutes. This will enhance your thinking ability and help you solve the puzzles faster, even if it is difficult. Giving 5 minutes will help your brain do some gruesome exercise and chisel your logical and analytical thinking.
Get a Fast Start
Many players overanalyze and overthink the Sudoku puzzles and waste their time. You might hesitate to place any number and look at the grid-like it’s an atom bomb. It’s Sudoku, not minesweeper; you can take a chance and come back to it if you realize a mistake. Sudoku players must stop being hesitant to lace numbers; otherwise, they might waste too much time solving one puzzle. Limit yourself to 5 or 10 minutes and start fast on the puzzle.
You can be too quick to place the numbers and later assess the grid and find your mistakes. This will not burn out your whole energy and save your time. Doing this will help your brain relax and prepare for the upcoming challenging puzzles. You have to train your brain to be accustomed to surprising tricks and challenges so that you don’t feel stressed out when encountering a tricky Sudoku puzzle.
Conclusion
Solving a Sudoku shouldn’t take the majority of your time so that you can’t devote yourself to other tasks. Sudoku can be an addiction; however, with the right skills, you can become a pro at this addictive game in no time. It takes focus, determination, and concentration to ace the tricky grid. Five minutes or ten minutes is enough to put your brain into exercise and re-evaluate your strategies and skills. It will help you develop a new perspective on solving tricky puzzles. Happy playing!