Difference between revisions of "Almost Locked Candidates"

From Sudopedia
Jump to navigationJump to search
(Created page with "{{develop}} The '''Almost Locked Candidates''', or '''ALC''', technique refers to a line-box intersection and a set of digits '''S''' such that: * An Almost...")
 
 
Line 1: Line 1:
{{develop}}
 
 
 
The '''Almost Locked Candidates''', or '''ALC''', [[technique]] refers to a [[line]]-[[box]] intersection and a set of [[digit]]s '''S''' such that:
 
The '''Almost Locked Candidates''', or '''ALC''', [[technique]] refers to a [[line]]-[[box]] intersection and a set of [[digit]]s '''S''' such that:
 
* An [[Almost Locked Set]] (ALS) for the set of digits '''S''' exists in the line outside the intersection; and
 
* An [[Almost Locked Set]] (ALS) for the set of digits '''S''' exists in the line outside the intersection; and

Latest revision as of 15:23, 20 July 2025

The Almost Locked Candidates, or ALC, technique refers to a line-box intersection and a set of digits S such that:

  • An Almost Locked Set (ALS) for the set of digits S exists in the line outside the intersection; and
  • An ALS for the set of digits S exists in the box outside the intersection.

Then the following eliminations can be made:

  • If all the cells in the line that are not in the intersection or the line-ALS contains no digits from S, then the digits from S can be eliminated from the cells in the box that are not in the intersection or the box-ALS.
  • If all the cells in the box that are not in the intersection or the box-ALS contains no digits from S, then the digits from S can be eliminated from the cells in the line that are not in the intersection or the line-ALS.

Illustration

The ALC technique is best illustrated by using a example.

. 1 .
. . 2
. . .
. 2 .
. 1 .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. 2 1
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .

In the above grid, each cell marked XY means that it has the candidates X and Y, and each cell marked / means that it does not have X or Y as candidates. Now, if r1c4=X, then all the candidates for Y in row 1 are being confined in box 1. This triggers a Locked Candidates move, resulting in Y being eliminated from all cells in box 1 that are outside the intersection. But this also means that r2c1=X, so all the cells marked * cannot contain the digits X or Y. A similar deduction can be made if r1c4=Y. Therefore, in both cases, we can safely eliminate X and Y from all cells marked *.

More examples

. 1 .
. . 2
. . .
. 2 .
. 1 .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. 2 1
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .

X, Y and Z can be eliminated from all cells marked *.

External link

See also

Inc icon.gif This article is incomplete. You can help Sudopedia by expanding it.