Puzzles Information | Welcome To Webblog

Sudoku Tactics 101 – How To Solve A Basic Puzzle Quickly
By Marc Lindsay

Before I start, this article presupposes that you know the Sudoku game, and you’re familiar with how the game works, and the layouts on the grid.

If you don’t know how Sudoku works, then head over to somewhere like www.sudoku.com and check it out… or just do a Google search!

Now, how do you quickly solve those Sudoku puzzles and amaze your friends at your skills? Here’s what you do.

When you start with your Sudoku grid, you’ll have a number of numbers in various positions throughout the grid, the first thing you do is write down the numbers 1-9 below the grid, this is going to be your reference.

Each time you get a set of 9 for each number, you cross it off; it is a basic visual so that you can see where you are at and how you are going.

Now, what you want to do is cross reference your numbers. Here’s what I want you to do… to get a visual representation of the grid, and so you know what I am talking about, imagine that you have the grid in front of you. Grid 1 is the top left grid, grid 2 is the top middle, and grid 3 is the top right, grid 4 is the middle left and so on. So when I say that a number is in grid 7, I’m talking about the bottom left grid.

Starting at the number 1, you want to see how many you can cross off easily. Say you have a number 1 in grid 9, and grid 6, that means you only have one spot left for the vertical position in grid 3. Chances are you’ll have a number 1 in grids 1 or 2, which will give you the position of the number 1 in grid number 3. Following me?

Now, you go through and see how many that you can cross off quickly with number 1, then number 2, then number 3 etc. through to number 9.

Once you’ve done that, you’re grid should have filled up slightly, sometimes on the first round I’ll knock off 6-12 numbers, but here is where the power of this technique comes into play.

When you put a number down that is 100% right, it cancels out that space for any other variables (I’ll save the variables technique for a later date). This means that when you go through the numbers 1-9 again, you’ll find more numbers to cross off.

This is probably the most basic method for solving a Sudoku puzzle, it is almost important to note that when you have finished a number (you’ve got all 9 numbers in the grids) that you cross the number off that you noted down below the puzzle. Again, it’s a nice visual for you to check and see your progress.

This one method though, should allow you to solve your Sudoku puzzles without that awful mess that most people end up with when they are doing a puzzle, as well as improve the speed at which you solve your puzzles.

Fun With Photo Jigsaw Puzzle
By Thomas MacIntosh

It is interesting, it is fun and it also deals with your brains. Jigsaw picture puzzle or photo jigsaw puzzles can be on any theme that has an interesting side. It can be a wonderful gift for kids in the age group of 7-14 and for a little older to them, this can be a good game for time pass.

Normally the jigsaw puzzles are designed on hard-bound cardboards and mount boards with fine acrylic sheet covering. The layout is printed on photographic paper. The graphic designer makes the best possible thematic blend on that piece of board and also calculates how the division will be made to create the puzzle game. The designing is indeed colorful to make the puzzle more attractive and motivating for the young players.

The thematic dimension shapes new ideas

Think of a composition with a flower and a honeybee. In the background there may be a tree and a distant sky. This actually is a form of complete scenery. Now making a jigsaw puzzle from it has to be sketched out in a schematic formula. You just can’t break up the whole picture plane into pieces and call it a jigsaw puzzle.

The puzzle setting has to be done to invoke a thought provoking instincts in the children. Accordingly the breakups have to be given to set the puzzle. The corners and edges of the jigsaw puzzle are normally round and the outline is straight, sometimes in the form of a square or else it is a rectangle.

The normal number of pieces in the puzzle

A jigsaw photo puzzle can also go up to 1200 pieces or more for a single set. You don’t call it a thematic composition then. It rather takes the shape of a story board. And the kid’s playtime becomes an adult’s brainstorming session. Sometimes it also takes hours to solve the puzzle or to say it other words the exact arrangement of the theme in the pictorial form is only possible after spending sufficient time just on it.

Fun involved and a family game

Though you gift it to the youngest member of the family, you will often find that the eldest member in the family too is engaged in the game. Grannies and grandpas love to enjoy the solving of photo jigsaw puzzles with their grand children. A puzzle game can indeed integrate the whole family together and be a cause of amusement at a single time for all. Moreover kids love to play the photo jigsaw puzzle over times and once they learn the trick, the fun gets doubled for them.