Sole Candidate Technique Explained

Submitted By: Gath from Sudoku.com.au

Hi Everyone,

The sole candidate technique (also called naked-single) is one of the simplest techniques, and you are possibly using it without even realising.

Basically:

When all the other possibilities for the sudoku cell have been removed, and only one choice remains - then it must be the correct value.

Check out this example:

As you can see, if you follow the 3 rules of sudoku, then there is only one possibility for the green square:

The numbers 1 to 9 must occur only once;

In each row (knocks out 3,9,7).
In each column (knocks out 4,5,8)
In each 3x3 block (knocks out 1 and 2)

So the only number left (the sole candidate) is 6.

Cheers

Gath

10 Comments
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Judy  From San Diego
Good place to start, Gath! :)
03/Aug/07 2:51 PM
   Mamacita 2  From PA.    Supporting Member
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Gath, That demonstration really helps me to explain how I go about solving a puzzle to someone who is just starting out...thanks!
04/Aug/07 2:23 AM
Sue  From Germany
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Thats well expained. Thanks Gath I hope there will follow other explanations of tecniques in similar understandable style.
07/Aug/07 12:03 AM
   Gath  From Sudoku.com.au    Supporting Member
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Hi Sue,

Hopefully I will have time to post at least one technique a week.


Gath
07/Aug/07 6:37 AM
okguy  From conway, sc
ok. changed my mind.
21/Dec/07 11:40 PM
Tulio  From Cali-Colombia
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Hi Gath,
Thank you for the explanation. I can not visualize the grid for the example. There is a square with an X wehere I click but still does not come out any puzzle. Is it only for suporting members?
23/Dec/07 4:51 AM
   Rayray  From Yorks & E.Sussex    Supporting Member
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Tulio: I am an SM and the red cross unavailability applies to me too.
17/Feb/08 3:35 AM
   Broni  From Qld, Australia    Supporting Member
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Me too yaryar!
20/Feb/08 5:13 PM
chavybaby  From Montgomery,Al
Garth, Iam a starter but run into trouble every time. I try to use process of elimination to find #'s that will only work in a particular space. Then the little #'s in a possibility matrix but get messed up when I end up with the same two or three #'s in the same block with no way to decide which one goes where when each could right. Am I lost or stupid? I just read what you wrote about in each row,each column and each 3x3 block. Then the missing green is 6. Can you help me? When I think I have it right and I look at the solution some numbers need to be switched. Very confusing.
24/Feb/08 4:54 PM
steve  From missouri
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Thanks Gath that makes it a bit easier.
12/Apr/08 11:29 PM
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