Jan 16 - Hard
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Reasoning
R2C9 can only be <2>
R4C6 can only be <8>
R3C3 is the only square in row 3 that can be <2>
R4C3 is the only square in row 4 that can be <7>
R4C4 is the only square in row 4 that can be <9>
R2C5 is the only square in row 2 that can be <9>
R1C3 is the only square in row 1 that can be <9>
R1C2 is the only square in row 1 that can be <4>
R2C4 is the only square in row 2 that can be <8>
R5C9 is the only square in row 5 that can be <9>
R7C7 is the only square in row 7 that can be <3>
R9C5 is the only square in row 9 that can be <7>
R3C6 is the only square in row 3 that can be <7>
R3C1 is the only square in row 3 that can be <3>
R2C1 can only be <5>
R2C6 can only be <3>
R3C4 is the only square in row 3 that can be <4>
R9C2 is the only square in row 9 that can be <2>
Squares R1C5 and R3C5 in column 5 form a simple naked pair. These 2 squares both contain the 2 possibilities <56>. Since each of the squares must contain one of the possibilities, they can be eliminated from the other squares in the column.
R5C5 - removing <5> from <125> leaving <12>
R7C5 - removing <56> from <12568> leaving <128>
R8C5 - removing <56> from <1568> leaving <18>
Intersection of row 4 with block 6. The value <1> only appears in one or more of squares R4C7, R4C8 and R4C9 of row 4. These squares are the ones that intersect with block 6. Thus, the other (non-intersecting) squares of block 6 cannot contain this value.
R5C7 - removing <1> from <1248> leaving <248>
R5C8 - removing <1> from <138> leaving <38>
R6C7 - removing <1> from <12468> leaving <2468>
R6C8 - removing <1> from <168> leaving <68>
Intersection of row 5 with block 4. The value <5> only appears in one or more of squares R5C1, R5C2 and R5C3 of row 5. These squares are the ones that intersect with block 4. Thus, the other (non-intersecting) squares of block 4 cannot contain this value.
R6C2 - removing <5> from <56> leaving <6>
R6C3 - removing <5> from <1458> leaving <148>
R6C8 can only be <8>
R4C2 can only be <3>
R5C8 can only be <3>
R5C2 can only be <5>
R1C7 is the only square in row 1 that can be <8>
Intersection of row 8 with block 8. The value <5> only appears in one or more of squares R8C4, R8C5 and R8C6 of row 8. These squares are the ones that intersect with block 8. Thus, the other (non-intersecting) squares of block 8 cannot contain this value.
R7C4 - removing <5> from <156> leaving <16>
R7C6 - removing <5> from <245> leaving <24>
R7C3 is the only square in row 7 that can be <5>
R9C3 can only be <1>
R6C3 can only be <4>
R6C7 can only be <2>
R5C3 can only be <8>
R6C6 can only be <5>
R5C7 can only be <4>
R5C1 can only be <1>
R6C4 can only be <1>
R8C6 can only be <4>
R7C6 can only be <2>
R5C5 can only be <2>
R7C4 can only be <6>
R7C1 can only be <8>
R8C4 can only be <5>
R7C5 can only be <1>
R8C1 can only be <6>
R7C9 can only be <4>
R8C5 can only be <8>
R8C9 can only be <1>
R3C9 can only be <6>
R3C5 can only be <5>
R1C8 can only be <5>
R1C5 can only be <6>
R9C8 can only be <6>
R3C7 can only be <1>
R4C7 can only be <6>
R4C8 can only be <1>
R9C7 can only be <5>
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