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Colour Sudoku

Posted March 16, 2006 in Blog

I've been having a bit of a play recently with Sudoku (generators, solvers and puzzles). It's all the rage, after all. While I was at it I came up with what I believe is a new type of Sudoku puzzle - colour sudoku. There's an example below, I'll be releasing a Colour Sudoku site in the near future (once I get hosting figured out) I've released a Colour Sudoku site! Feedback is very welcome - enjoy!

To play, you must fill all columns and rows with the digits 1-9. Each digit can only appear once in each column and row. Additionally, you must fill each set of nine identically-coloured squares with the digits 1-9. Good luck!

   36 78 
   7    5
    9  1 
       2 
 5682  71
  1      
    765  
     326 
 62 45 3 

Colour Sudoku was posted March 16, 2006 in Blog and has not been tagged yet.

20 comments

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Sam
United Kingdom #1: March 16, 2006
I do like Sudoku, but recently I've been liking Kakuro (http://www.kakuro.com/) a lot more. It's by the same people only it'a more mathmatical than just a placement puzzle.
Richard
United Kingdom #2: March 16, 2006
Just curious as to whether or not this is any different from the original sudoku? I mean is it actually harder to do? Is there in fact the same solution if there were no colours? Or do you actually reduce the number of original numbers and use the fact that the numbers can only appear once in a colour to help finish the solution?

As I said I'm just curious. I really like sudoku and spend some time now and then playing it, and would be rather interested if this new colour sudoku is actually more complicated and thus may be able to while away more of my time. :)
Hi Richard,

That's a tricky question. In my experience so far, this has been much harder than normal Sudoku - but that may be because I've not done many of these before. My gut instinct is that it probably is harder, simply because these are going to be less obvious squares to fill in.
enygma
United States #4: March 17, 2006
Seems to me like the addition of the "only 1-9 in each group of colored boxes" actually gives the player another advantage to the location of the numbers :)
That would be true, if the digits 1-9 appeared in each of the 3x3 blocks (of 9 squares), but they don't, which is why I believe it is harder.

You do NOT have to place 1-9 in each 3x3 block. You only have to place 1-9 in each row and column and in each set of 9 same-coloured squares.
corin
United Kingdom #6: March 20, 2006
http://www.syslogan.co.uk/wap/whynot/getthis.htm
already done this game jack sorry mate times have mved on check out my latest game at the above address circular colour sudoku. your game has been around for 2 years and can be found all over the internet, it is actualy a boradgame as well on sale at hamleys
big dog
United Kingdom #7: March 20, 2006
put the following into google colour sudoku there are hundreds of variations out there
I've seen lots of games called colour sudoku, but none of the same type. Most just seem to add colour in as another variable, making the puzzle easier, or replace numbers with colours entirely. The circular colour sudoku is certainly an unusual spin on the game!

If anyone has seem this variation of Sudoku, could they please post a link to it. There are other types of colour sudoku, yes, but I've not seen this variation anywhere else yet ...
I've seen lots of sudoku variations, but never this one in particular, it's quite nice actually.

Have you tried programming it? I think it will be a more complex job than the usual sudoku generators. And solving it will indeed be harder than simple sudoku.
Hi Steven:

It is actually programmed - the above was generated by the program. I am currently putting the finishing touches to a site with these on.
I am addicted to Sudoku! I made an inventory of methods for solving even the most difficult Sudoku. Start with looking for duo's, it's an eye opener!
Check http://www.sudokuhints.nl/en/ for details.

Good luck!
@Rijk: Very nice! Is easy to understand because of your intuitive examples. Ive made developed a similar solution algorithm, which contains basically the same procedures!
aiden
United Kingdom #13: April 19, 2006
i like sudoku a lot but this one appears to be really bad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Aiden. Thanks for your comment - would you care to elaborate? Bad because it's too difficult for you? Bad because it's too easy? Bad because it's not explained well enough? Bad because you don't like the colours?
I am very impressed by the elaboration of such a "hard" (I suppose) coloured sudoku and by those who are able to solve it.
I am only involved in classical Sudoku with "Computer Aided Sudoku Excel" to download free at http://perso.wanadoo.fr/sudoku.laviron
This free Sudoku Excel game includes generator helper solver. SURPRISES appears when sudoku solved without help. An HISTORIC table records all the plays and allows partial replay. In the CLINIC, analyse your Sudoku.
For me coloured board, but not coloured Sudokus !
This looks cool. I have started a blog, where I would occassionally post Double Wordoku's. You are welcome to check it out at http://harismind.com/blog/
I have also created a very popular Excel based Sudoku generator cum solver cum helper application which can be freely downloaded from my site http://www.harismind.com/sudoku.html
gridrat
Portugal #17: December 7, 2006
I love to hear about these new ideas. Recently I found a new grid game called SHENDOKU. Its great because you can play with 2 or more friends. Check it out at www.shendoku.com.Theres other goodies too.
Just in time for Valentine's Day - http://www.personalsudoku.com
Choose your initials (or your sweetie's initials) and get a
personalized puzzle or use the permalink feature to email
a puzzle to that special someone!
I really like the colors. It adds a level of difficulty when you look at the puzzle. My site <a href="http://www.mysudokugames.com">www.mysudokugames.com </a> has a color option as well, but each 3x3 box is the same color. Does not play with the eyes as well as yours.
That's a neat idea. I bet it's REALLY hard when someone is color-blind. The only new spin so far at my sudoku site is letting people chose a square for a hint.

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