Dec 21 - Hard
Puzzle Copyright © Kevin Stone
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Reasoning
R3C4 is the only square in row 3 that can be <9>
R4C7 is the only square in row 4 that can be <5>
R1C2 is the only square in row 1 that can be <5>
R2C9 is the only square in row 2 that can be <5>
R5C8 is the only square in row 5 that can be <6>
R6C3 is the only square in row 6 that can be <6>
R9C3 is the only square in row 9 that can be <5>
R8C1 is the only square in column 1 that can be <6>
R2C2 is the only square in column 2 that can be <3>
R9C4 is the only square in column 4 that can be <6>
R4C8 is the only square in block 6 that can be <2>
R8C2 is the only square in row 8 that can be <2>
R8C8 is the only square in row 8 that can be <9>
R9C9 is the only square in row 9 that can be <2>
R3C9 can only be <3>
R6C9 can only be <1>
R6C7 can only be <9>
R6C8 can only be <3>
R5C4 is the only square in column 4 that can be <2>
Intersection of column 4 with block 8. The value <7> only appears in one or more of squares R7C4, R8C4 and R9C4 of column 4. These squares are the ones that intersect with block 8. Thus, the other (non-intersecting) squares of block 8 cannot contain this value.
R7C6 - removing <7> from <13478> leaving <1348>
R8C5 - removing <7> from <147> leaving <14>
Intersection of block 4 with column 2. The value <7> only appears in one or more of squares R4C2, R5C2 and R6C2 of block 4. These squares are the ones that intersect with column 2. Thus, the other (non-intersecting) squares of column 2 cannot contain this value.
R7C2 - removing <7> from <14789> leaving <1489>
Squares R2C6<127>, R3C6<27> and R5C6<17> in column 6 form a comprehensive naked triplet. These 3 squares can only contain the 3 possibilities <127>. Since each of the squares must contain one of the possibilities, they can be eliminated from the other squares in the column.
R1C6 - removing <17> from <137> leaving <3>
R6C6 - removing <7> from <478> leaving <48>
R7C6 - removing <1> from <1348> leaving <348>
R7C4 is the only square in row 7 that can be <3>
R4C4 can only be <1>
R8C4 can only be <7>
R5C6 can only be <7>
R5C5 can only be <9>
R3C6 can only be <2>
R3C7 can only be <4>
R2C6 can only be <1>
R7C7 can only be <1>
R5C2 can only be <1>
R1C7 can only be <6>
R9C8 can only be <4>
R2C7 can only be <2>
R2C8 can only be <7>
R1C5 can only be <7>
R2C5 can only be <6>
R3C8 can only be <8>
R3C3 can only be <7>
R1C8 can only be <1>
R9C2 can only be <8>
R9C5 can only be <1>
R8C5 can only be <4>
R1C1 can only be <8>
R7C3 can only be <4>
R7C2 can only be <9>
R7C6 can only be <8>
R4C3 can only be <8>
R8C3 can only be <1>
R6C6 can only be <4>
R6C5 can only be <8>
R4C1 can only be <9>
R4C2 can only be <4>
R7C1 can only be <7>
R6C2 can only be <7>
R4C5 can only be <3>
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