Apparatus and method to solve sudoku

Abstract

An apparatus and method to solve sudoku. A gameboard contains a sudoku grid, with its rows, columns, and boxes identified, and means of mutually distinguishing its boxes. A group of tokens corresponding to each box is provided, along with means to associate each group of tokens within a unique box. Setup tokens are emplaced on the gameboard to mirror the setup identifiers of a sudoku puzzle to be solved. Then tokens are emplaced in home cells, straddling cells they could possibly wind up in, at or straddling heads or feet of rows or columns they may end up in, or off-board in queue waiting movement to a more defined position. A breakthrough board is disclosed wherein possible token positions may be erasably inscribed. A method to return the gameboard to pre-trial-and-error configuration using the breakthrough board is disclosed.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]This invention relates mathematical puzzles, and in particular to an apparatus and method to solve sudoku.[0003]2. Background of the Invention[0004]Sudoku is thought to have originated in New York in the late 1970's, with Dell Magazines' publication of “number place” puzzles in its Puzzles and Logic Problems magazine. The game gained popularity in Japan during the 1980's, under the name Sudoku, which translates into ‘single number’. The puzzle has since become a world-wide phenomenon, with millions enjoying the solution of sudoku contained in numerous magazines and newspapers.[0005]Referring now to FIG. 1, most sudoku puzzles consist of 9×9 grid 2, subdivided into nine 3×3 boxes 4, each of which box 4 contains nine cells 6, some of which contain setup identifiers, in this case setup numbers 12 (in some puzzles the setup identifiers, and units of play, may be letters, or any other appropriate unit). It may be noted that ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0019]Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method to solve sudoku which improves a player's ability to visualize the numbers which have not yet been assigned a cell, and the possible cells these unassigned numbers can go into. Design features allowing this object to be accomplished include a color-coded gameboard, a plurality of color-code tokens, and a breakthrough board. Advantages associated with the accomplishment of this object include increased speed and satisfaction in playing sudoku.

[0020]It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method to solve sudoku which prevents number duplication within a box. Design features allowing this object to be accomplished include a color-coded gameboard, and a plurality of color-code tokens. Benefits associated with the accomplishment of this object include reduced playing errors, faster play, and increased player satisfaction.

[0021]It is still another object of this invention to provide an apparatus and method to solve sudoku which facilitates finding breakthrough moves. Apparatus features enabling the accomplishment of this object includes a dry-erase breakthrough board bearing a sudoku grid and a dry-erase marker. A method step enabling the accomplishment of this objective is inscribing candidate numbers from a sudoku grid to the breakthrough board grid. Advantages associated with the realization of this object include easier and faster identification of breakthrough moves, and increased speed of solving the puzzle and player satisfaction.

[0022]It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method to solve sudoku which facilitates trial-and-error puzzle solving. Apparatus features enabling the accomplishment of this object includes a dry-erase breakthrough board bearing a sudoku grid and a dry-erase marker. Method steps enabling the accomplishment of this objective include inscribing candidate numbers from a gameboard grid to the breakthrough board grid, and scrutinizing the inscribed breakthrough board for boxes containing a single cell with only two candidate numbers, or alternately two cells containing the same two candidate numbers (a duo, or twin). A benefit associated with the accomplishment of this object is faster and easier identification of trial-and-error attempt candidates.

[0023]It is still another object of this invention to provide an apparatus and method to solve sudoku which permits re-configuration of a sudoku gameboard grid back to pre-trial-and-error attempt status. Apparatus features enabling the accomplishment of this object includes an erasable breakthrough board bearing a sudoku grid and an erasable marker. Method steps enabling the accomplishment of this objective include inscribing candidate numbers from a sudoku grid to the breakthrough board grid, and referring to the breakthrough board grid candidate numbers to return the sudoku grid to pre-trial-and-error attempt status. Advantages associated with the realization of this object include faster and more accurate trial-and-error sudoku solving.

[0024]It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method to solve sudoku which facilitates puzzle solving. Apparatus features allowing this object to be accomplished include a color-coded gameboard, a plurality of color-code tokens. Method steps enabling the accomplishment of this objective include filling-the-boxes, scanning the grid, and scanning the rows and columns. Benefits associated with the accomplishment of this object include faster play, and increased player satisfaction.

Problems solved by technology

A number of problems exist with the currently available sudoku game apparatus and methods.

First, a common error made by sudoku players is to inscribe more than one of the same number in a given box 4.

A second problem with existing methods and apparatus is the inability to visualize which numbers remain to be filled into a given box 4.

A third problem is the frequently recurring situation where a player gets stalled, and is then unable to come up with the breakthrough move required to solve the puzzle.

Still other problems exists where the trial-and-error sudoku solving technique is used.

While these devices avoided the hand-inscription of candidate numbers 16, they did require the laborious assignment of candidate numbers to cells.

In addition, these apparatuses looked cluttered, and did not remove the candidate numbers from the sudoku board itself onto a clean breakthrough board to permit the player to consider a breakthrough move in an uncluttered environment.

This apparatus suffered from the same disadvantages noted above.

While providing erasability, this apparatus did not solve the problem of avoiding cell double-entries, and resulted in the afore-mentioned clutter encumbering the previously mentioned art.

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