Dr. Sudoku Prescribes #5 – Sudoku

Hard Sudoku by Thomas Snyder

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools)

Theme: Besides symmetry, an exclusively logical theme that will be revealed during the solve.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules.

Answer String: Enter the 3rd column from top to bottom, followed by a comma, followed by the 7th column from top to bottom.

Time Standard: Sudoku Master = 5:00, Expert = 15:00, Novice = 50:00

Solution: PDF and solving video.

Note: Follow this link for other classic Sudoku. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Sudoku to get started on. More classic Sudoku puzzles can be found in The Art of Sudoku, The Art of Sudoku 2 and in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli.

  • Rishi Puri says:

    5’12” . nice puzzle.

  • skynet says:

    14 mins 54 sec!!!! just 6 short of falling out of expert category….would not have completed this sudoku in a lifetime without pencil marks…that invisble 5 in the top left box and the way it influenced the outcome of the cell R5C3 was too good…That was where i lost 5-6 odd mins…superb sudoku motris!!!!

    • Avatar photo drsudoku says:

      I’m glad you liked it.

      The step at the end with the 5’s (in C3 and C7) was a really neat last layer in this puzzle, after all the stuff that came earlier. It added another 1 minute to the expert time in comparison to Wednesday’s puzzle, because it is not an easy deduction to see.

  • tamz29 says:

    4″35″
    This puzzle keeps having great steps popping up.
    Just when you think you’ve found the intended trick, more tricks keep jumping at you. This was hard from start to the end. Not very common in classic sudokus where one trick is usually enough to break the whole puzzle.

  • neeraj says:

    very nice puzzle….but took 16 mins…..so not yet an expert..long way to go

  • Ours brun says:

    4:11

    Very good. As Tawan said, the fact that the difficulty remained high until the end of the solving made for a surprisingly hard and very enjoyable sudoku. Nice job Thomas.

  • Zotmeister says:

    Probably the first Sudoku I’ve ever solved to put a song in my head: “Five to the left of me, seven to the right, here I am, stuck in the corner with two…” – ZM

  • Carl W says:

    Very impressive sudoku, Thomas. For me, this might be the first time with a sudoku that I felt like I was really “on the solving path” rather than just doing lots of work and occasionally making progress. So, thanks!

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