Oct 10 - Hard
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Reasoning
R8C8 can only be <2>
R2C5 is the only square in row 2 that can be <3>
R9C5 can only be <2>
R5C1 is the only square in row 5 that can be <3>
R4C1 is the only square in column 1 that can be <6>
R5C5 is the only square in column 5 that can be <5>
R3C4 is the only square in column 4 that can be <5>
Squares R7C6 and R8C5 in block 8 form a simple naked pair. These 2 squares both contain the 2 possibilities <49>. Since each of the squares must contain one of the possibilities, they can be eliminated from the other squares in the block.
R7C4 - removing <4> from <47> leaving <7>
Squares R7C7 and R9C8 in block 9 form a simple naked pair. These 2 squares both contain the 2 possibilities <15>. Since each of the squares must contain one of the possibilities, they can be eliminated from the other squares in the block.
R7C9 - removing <15> from <159> leaving <9>
R9C7 - removing <15> from <1578> leaving <78>
R7C6 can only be <4>
R8C5 can only be <9>
R1C5 can only be <4>
Intersection of column 2 with block 1. The value <2> only appears in one or more of squares R1C2, R2C2 and R3C2 of column 2. These squares are the ones that intersect with block 1. Thus, the other (non-intersecting) squares of block 1 cannot contain this value.
R1C3 - removing <2> from <1289> leaving <189>
R2C1 - removing <2> from <124> leaving <14>
R3C1 - removing <2> from <247> leaving <47>
R3C3 - removing <2> from <249> leaving <49>
Squares R3C1 and R3C7 in row 3 form a simple naked pair. These 2 squares both contain the 2 possibilities <47>. Since each of the squares must contain one of the possibilities, they can be eliminated from the other squares in the row.
R3C3 - removing <4> from <49> leaving <9>
R3C9 - removing <7> from <267> leaving <26>
R1C6 is the only square in row 1 that can be <9>
R8C9 is the only square in column 9 that can be <7>
R9C7 can only be <8>
R9C2 is the only square in row 9 that can be <7>
R1C7 is the only square in row 1 that can be <7>
R3C7 can only be <4>
R3C1 can only be <7>
R5C8 is the only square in column 8 that can be <4>
R5C2 can only be <1>
R5C9 can only be <6>
R3C9 can only be <2>
R3C6 can only be <6>
R9C6 can only be <3>
R1C4 can only be <2>
R9C4 can only be <6>
R1C2 can only be <8>
R1C3 can only be <1>
R8C2 can only be <4>
R1C8 can only be <6>
R9C3 can only be <5>
R2C1 can only be <4>
R2C2 can only be <2>
R8C1 can only be <8>
R6C1 can only be <2>
R9C8 can only be <1>
R7C3 can only be <2>
R2C8 can only be <5>
R7C7 can only be <5>
R2C9 can only be <1>
R4C9 can only be <8>
R6C9 can only be <5>
R6C6 can only be <1>
R7C1 can only be <1>
R4C3 can only be <4>
R4C6 can only be <2>
R6C7 can only be <3>
R4C4 can only be <3>
R6C3 can only be <8>
R4C7 can only be <1>
R6C4 can only be <4>
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