Difference between revisions of "Sudoku Variant"
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*** 3x4 | *** 3x4 | ||
**[[Jigsaw Sudoku]] | **[[Jigsaw Sudoku]] | ||
* Add extra [[constraint]]s ([[Sudoku-X]], [[Windoku]], [[Asterisk]], [[Center Dot]], [[Even-Odd]], [[Non-Consecutive]], [[Consecutive Puzzle]], [[Sudoku-DG]]) | * Add extra [[constraint]]s ([[Sudoku-X]], [[Windoku]], [[Asterisk]], [[Girandola]], [[Center Dot]], [[Even-Odd]], [[Non-Consecutive]], [[Consecutive Puzzle]], [[Sudoku-DG]]) | ||
* Replace [[given]]s by alternative clues ([[Killer Sudoku]], [[Greater Than]]) | * Replace [[given]]s by alternative clues ([[Killer Sudoku]], [[Greater Than]]) | ||
* Replace [[digit]]s by letters, symbols or images ([[YourDoku]], [[Wordoku]], [[Picture Sudoku]]) | * Replace [[digit]]s by letters, symbols or images ([[YourDoku]], [[Wordoku]], [[Picture Sudoku]]) |
Latest revision as of 15:07, 30 October 2021
There are numerous ways to vary the basic Sudoku format. Yet, only a few variations have developed a loyal group of supporters. Most variations are regarded as a curiosity.
Variant Types
There are many ways to vary a Sudoku. Here are only a few examples:
- Change the size
- 2x2 Shi Doku
- 4x4
- 5x5
- 6x6
- 12x12
- 16x16
- 25x25
- Replace boxes by other shapes
- Rectangles
- 2x3
- 3x4
- Jigsaw Sudoku
- Rectangles
- Add extra constraints (Sudoku-X, Windoku, Asterisk, Girandola, Center Dot, Even-Odd, Non-Consecutive, Consecutive Puzzle, Sudoku-DG)
- Replace givens by alternative clues (Killer Sudoku, Greater Than)
- Replace digits by letters, symbols or images (YourDoku, Wordoku, Picture Sudoku)
- Merge several constituent puzzles (Gattai, Samurai, Clueless)
- Use non-rectangular cells (Hanidoku)
To complicate things, a puzzle maker can combine several of these alterations.
Popular Variants
These often appear in newspapers or feature in dedicated puzzle books.
- Killer Sudoku | Killer | Sum-Sudoku | Samunamupure
- Given numbers are replaced by cages labeled with the sum of the digits inside the cage. This is by far the most popular Sudoku variation.
- Jigsaw Sudoku | Nonomino | Squiggly | Irregular Sudoku
- 3x3 boxes are replaced by regions with an irregular shape.
- Sudoku-X
- The 2 diagonals also require digits 1 through 9.
- Windoku | Hypersudoku | Sudoku Hyper | NRC-Sudoku
- There are 4 additional 3x3 boxes in the grid which must also contain digits 1 through 9.
- Samurai | Gattai-5
- A puzzle with 5 partially overlapping Sudoku grids.
Common Variants
There appear occasionally in newspapers, but have dedicated websites and appear on a regular basis in Sudoku variant books.
- Clueless
- A puzzle with 9 Sudoku grids where the center nonets form a 10th Sudoku grid.
- Flower Sudoku
- A puzzle where 4 Sudoku grids each overlap 6 boxes of a central Sudoku grid.
- Hanidoku
- A puzzle with hexagonal cells that must contain a consecutive series of digits.
- Greater Than
- A puzzle where the given digits are replaced by greater-than signs.
- Consecutive Puzzle
- A puzzle where any 2 adjacent cells containing consecutive digits are marked on the border between the cells.
- Non-Consecutive
- A puzzle where 2 adjacent cells cannot contain consecutive digits.
Other Variants
These variants are less common.
- Sudoku3D
- A 3D implementation of a classic sudoku. Sudoku3D is a single puzzle on a surface of 4x4x4 cube.
- Center Dot
- An ordinary Sudoku with an extra constraint involving the center square of each box.
- Asterisk
- An ordinary Sudoku with an extra constraint which looks like an asterisk.
- Sukaku
- An ordinary Sudoku, except that the starting position contains pencilmarks instead of givens.
- Sumo | Gattai-13
- A puzzle with 13 partially overlapping Sudoku grids.
- Shaolin | Gattai-25
- A puzzle with 25 partially overlapping Sudoku grids.
- Kansuko
- A 3x9 grid with a sum column as an additional constraint.
External Links
- Sudoku Variants wiki at the World Puzzle Federation web site