Sep 09 - Hard
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Reasoning
R1C6 can only be <3>
R1C2 is the only square in row 1 that can be <7>
R4C5 is the only square in row 4 that can be <5>
R4C6 is the only square in row 4 that can be <6>
R4C1 is the only square in row 4 that can be <9>
R2C2 is the only square in row 2 that can be <9>
R8C2 is the only square in column 2 that can be <5>
Intersection of row 6 with block 5. The value <9> only appears in one or more of squares R6C4, R6C5 and R6C6 of row 6. These squares are the ones that intersect with block 5. Thus, the other (non-intersecting) squares of block 5 cannot contain this value.
R5C5 - removing <9> from <14789> leaving <1478>
R5C6 - removing <9> from <249> leaving <24>
Intersection of row 8 with block 7. The value <2> only appears in one or more of squares R8C1, R8C2 and R8C3 of row 8. These squares are the ones that intersect with block 7. Thus, the other (non-intersecting) squares of block 7 cannot contain this value.
R9C2 - removing <2> from <128> leaving <18>
R9C3 - removing <2> from <246> leaving <46>
Intersection of block 2 with column 5. The value <4> only appears in one or more of squares R1C5, R2C5 and R3C5 of block 2. These squares are the ones that intersect with column 5. Thus, the other (non-intersecting) squares of column 5 cannot contain this value.
R5C5 - removing <4> from <1478> leaving <178>
R7C5 - removing <4> from <46> leaving <6>
R8C5 - removing <4> from <469> leaving <69>
R8C5 can only be <9>
R6C6 is the only square in row 6 that can be <9>
Squares R7C1 and R7C2 in row 7 form a simple naked pair. These 2 squares both contain the 2 possibilities <38>. Since each of the squares must contain one of the possibilities, they can be eliminated from the other squares in the row.
R7C8 - removing <38> from <3478> leaving <47>
R7C9 - removing <38> from <3478> leaving <47>
R2C9 is the only square in column 9 that can be <8>
R1C8 can only be <6>
R1C3 can only be <5>
R1C7 can only be <1>
R1C4 can only be <8>
R2C7 is the only square in row 2 that can be <5>
R3C1 is the only square in row 3 that can be <6>
R9C2 is the only square in row 9 that can be <1>
R3C5 is the only square in row 3 that can be <1>
R2C5 can only be <4>
R2C1 is the only square in row 2 that can be <1>
R5C4 is the only square in row 5 that can be <1>
R5C6 is the only square in row 5 that can be <4>
R9C6 can only be <2>
R9C4 can only be <4>
R9C3 can only be <6>
R9C7 can only be <9>
R9C8 can only be <8>
R5C7 can only be <3>
R5C3 can only be <2>
R8C7 can only be <6>
R4C9 can only be <2>
R4C4 can only be <3>
R6C9 can only be <7>
R5C2 can only be <8>
R2C3 can only be <3>
R6C5 can only be <8>
R7C9 can only be <4>
R5C8 can only be <9>
R7C8 can only be <7>
R3C9 can only be <3>
R8C8 can only be <3>
R8C1 can only be <2>
R8C3 can only be <4>
R8C9 can only be <1>
R2C8 can only be <2>
R3C2 can only be <2>
R3C8 can only be <4>
R6C4 can only be <2>
R5C5 can only be <7>
R7C2 can only be <3>
R6C1 can only be <3>
R7C1 can only be <8>
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