scott <sco### [at] scottcom> wrote:
> >> Isn't trial and error a form of deduction anyway?
> >
> >  The most common aid used in solving sudoku (and thus supported by most
> > sudoku software) is to put small marks like "in this 3x3 subgrid a 5 goes
> > to either this square or this one" (by writing small 5's at the corner of
> > the square) and the like. I don't call that "trial and error", but a form
> > of bookkeeping.

> But then at some point, you are going to think to yourself - if I put the 5 
> in this box, that means a 7 must go in that box (maybe some more steps here) 
> nope that doesn't work, therefore the original 5 must go in that other box. 
> Isn't that trial and error?

  No, trial and error is thinking "I don't know if the 5 goes into this
box, but I'll put it anyways to see if it works" and then later if it
doesn't work you erase it.

-- 
                                                          - Warp

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