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Difficulty: Expert Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Not Completed Play This Puzzle

CHAT LOG for Tuesday, February 13, 2007

12:47 am
augurus

Whoo.
12:48 am
WHB

Done
1:55 am
Zugzug7

dang. got busy today and forgot to play. Broke my string of over 30 puzzles in a row.
3:07 am
h

go
3:20 am
h

9 filled, going green - will ty manual...
4:18 am
h

done, but used 5 guesses in a row - apparently my early ones were ok, cuz later i was able to backtrack on force-mistakes... i couldnt see any single force-break point... yuk! just blind faith...
4:19 am
mikehell

I'm stuck at 12 solved, with nowhere to go...
4:20 am
spreadeagle

Sounds pretty tough. Here goes nothing........
4:20 am
balker

certainly the most frustrating one in a long time
4:22 am
martom

I've only got 8 and stuck
4:22 am
jawilke

ahhhh... messed up twice. It took an hour and 12 minutes to solve :(
4:23 am
spreadeagle

martom - maybe you've found a new 'friend"
4:23 am
martom

Do you know - I was thinking the same!!!!!!!!!!
4:23 am
h

im pretty sure you can get to 9 before fading-to-black, but im in a fog right now... gnight and gluck...
4:24 am
martom

I can't go through that again - it nearly drove me insane
4:25 am
balker

done
4:25 am
martom

Damn - I've got 9 can't count now
4:25 am
balker

that didn't take more than a restart and lots of reloads ;)
4:25 am
spreadeagle

I thought I was playing these puzzles to keep me sane.
4:25 am
jawilke

hint, start with 4-5-6 ;)
4:25 am
jawilke

night
4:34 am
mikehell

Ok, There is just one "hard" step in the solving of this one, at least for me. But finding that took an eternity. But after You find it, it's just clicking them away...
4:45 am
spreadeagle

This seems to be going pretty easy. I must have made a mistake
4:55 am
spreadeagle

Well, it was going easy.........
5:06 am
peternl

hi all
5:07 am
spreadeagle

hi peternl - we've got a good one today
5:27 am
peternl

hmm, this is quite tricky
6:06 am
peternl

ok, I give up for now
6:11 am
sungu

I am very upset today I try but I don't have any hope about solving it:(
6:48 am
spreadeagle

Alright, my wife's off to work, my son's off to school, back to more important things: sudoku!
6:52 am
spreadeagle

DONE! Triple force string.
6:55 am
Moozey

ohhhhh an expert...can't wait. I'll just get some food down my throat and settled down for some fun
7:12 am
Moozey

go
7:18 am
spreadeagle

I finally got thru July 31 with a quad force string. I hate guessing.
7:29 am
Kellie

Jesus.... I'm in trouble! I havent done any since 7th August 06!!!!!!!!!!
7:31 am
spreadeagle

Hi Kellie - You must not be addicted like me.
7:32 am
Kellie

Hi ya.... I'm a waste of space!! obviously I've lost my touch!! How dare I say that I love Sudoku!!!
7:33 am
spreadeagle

No waste. Welcome back! Now you get to catch up...
7:35 am
Kellie

Thank you... I've definately got my work cut out for me....
7:36 am
spreadeagle

If you can breeze thru today's puzzle you won't have any trouble catching up.
7:37 am
Kellie

ha I looked at todays and thought better of it! I've started with the 07/08/06! its an easy one hee hee
7:37 am
Moozey

i got sidetracked....so 9 filled in and resorted to greenies
7:44 am
Kellie

1 down.... 188 to go!!!
7:44 am
Moozey

well done Kellie
7:45 am
Kellie

tyty
7:46 am
spreadeagle

Moozey, I thought you'd be done by now.
7:47 am
yul

:( have to green
7:48 am
Moozey

think you need to know some advance stuff yul cos I am struggling
7:48 am
yul

i think we'll manage together
7:49 am
Moozey

I'm sure we will, so how is life with you any visits to Barcelona recently?
7:50 am
yul

haven't been there for ages... time to book a slot :)
7:50 am
Moozey

sounds like a plan, I've only managed a couple of trips to Sweden, hoping to go again soon
7:51 am
yul

I wish to go there
7:52 am
Moozey

I love it but I have a friend living there. I went about a month ago and it started to snow...the first this winter for gothenburg. I was very pleased...i love snow
7:52 am
yul

I saw picks of Reykjavik's underground and it was amazing!
7:53 am
yul

No, Stockholm :D
7:53 am
Moozey

not been to Iceland but it looks pretty cool too
7:53 am
Moozey

ahhh not been to Stockholm either only travelled around the south west
7:53 am
hokie carla

well, I'm going to have to take a break at 12 filled in. good luck all!
7:53 am
Moozey

bye hokie
8:04 am
eyeman

took an hour with a green. good challenge!
8:23 am
Moozey

thinkI need to do some work and come back to this tonight...I like a toughie to get the old grey cells working. Have fun!
8:39 am
yul

bye Moozey
9:01 am
hokie carla

starting over. apparently I had a problem w/ my greens.
9:07 am
hokie carla

starting over again. it was going way too well to be true.
9:12 am
patgas

yikes, it's shockingly easy to get the solution to any puzzle
9:13 am
patgas

surely that bit of javascript's been passed around before
9:13 am
hokie carla

but why do it if you can get the solution?
9:13 am
Wolfrick

What's your point?
9:14 am
Python Taz

people that use use an autofil cheat
9:14 am
patgas

it's just going to be really hard to ignore the temptation to look when i'm stuck on a difficult one
9:14 am
Python Taz

okay one use
9:16 am
patgas

i use autofill a lot because i don't want to lose my place when i'm multitasking
9:16 am
patgas

i need to ween myself off it, i think
9:16 am
hokie carla

for me, there's no temptation for that. if I'm stuck, I just come back to it another time. it's not a cheating issue, I just don't see the point. if I'm not going to complete it, why waste my time on it?
9:16 am
Wolfrick

It is satisfying to do it onesself, rather than cheat. To cheat is unsatisfying, so why bother?
9:17 am
Python Taz

yep NO CHEAT aids.
9:17 am
hokie carla

not to say I haven't ever used a super-duper hurshey clue, but it's been a while & you do still have to work for those. :)
9:17 am
Python Taz

I multi task all the time
9:18 am
Wolfrick

And by the way, "wean" has an 'a' in it.
9:21 am
hokie carla

well, if we're getting nitpicky on the spelling, "oneself" is one "s". ;)
9:21 am
Python Taz

lol
9:22 am
Wolfrick

:P
9:24 am
Python Taz

But this a braincell game, so use them.
9:40 am
chebuctonian

hi all
9:47 am
chebuctonian

damn it, I had to start over again
9:47 am
Python Taz

it's not easy
9:48 am
chebuctonian

the expert levels here... are nasty
9:48 am
Python Taz

yep, that's what makes it fun
9:48 am
Python Taz

and hair pulling
9:48 am
drwho

Difficulty score 71.
9:48 am
chebuctonian

exactly :)(
9:49 am
chebuctonian

drwho - I don't remember a single one of your scores as high..!
9:51 am
drwho

There are at least 2 others that were higher. I think the highest was 77.
9:53 am
Python Taz

done
9:53 am
drwho

Successfully, I presume?
9:53 am
Krys10

python, i find the interface here really hard on my hands, so much extra clicking to enter in numbers rather than typing. that's one reason i use the script to autofill on some puzzles.
9:54 am
dahduke

how do you get difficulty points like 71?
9:54 am
Krys10

printing this one out to take a crack at it in pencil
9:54 am
Python Taz

one box with a two number choice decides it all. So use your braincells, not an autofill
9:54 am
dahduke

Speed?
9:56 am
Python Taz

if typing hurts your fingers stop, shut your computer down and take hammer to the computer. (cheater)
9:56 am
Python Taz

excuses
9:56 am
chebuctonian

lol, Python... chill out would you :)
9:56 am
drwho

I wrote a program to analyze the puzzles. It ranks difficulty in a way that probably best approximates speed.
9:57 am
Python Taz

make your brain hurt, thats the game.
9:57 am
Jerry

Finished, but it took two guesses
9:58 am
drwho

I think Python Taz believe this is a game designed to kill brain cell, weed out the weak and sickly.
9:58 am
chebuctonian

finally found an opening!
9:59 am
yul

starting over
9:59 am
Python Taz

che was it my clue
10:00 am
chebuctonian

just a pair actually, but it let me fill in a couple more - we'll see how far that goes
10:00 am
Python Taz

yeppers
10:00 am
chebuctonian

at this level, I'd be surprised if that's all it took to break open this puppy
10:01 am
Wolfrick

This puzzle -never- "breaks open"
10:01 am
chebuctonian

hehehe... we'll see :)
10:02 am
Python Taz

dr who don't forget it'll make you pull your eyes out
10:03 am
drwho

Yup, the eyes are the first to go.
10:03 am
drwho

But I need to hang on to all the weak and sickly brain cells...that's all I have left.
10:05 am
Python Taz

roflmao
10:13 am
drwho

Another piece of the anatomy in peril...
10:22 am
yul

i am a blind girl today
10:22 am
chebuctonian

finally!
10:45 am
UnikeTheHunter

Go.
11:14 am
coppershep

someday I will learn how to do these experts with out brute force...but todays puzzle is way to hard for me
11:14 am
coppershep

but done with 2 guesses
11:15 am
Wolfrick

I take some comfort that it's not just me.
11:15 am
spreadeagle

I agree with you copper
11:34 am
sanelywacco

Ok... now give me an easy to get my confidence back up after that humbling experience.
11:51 am
andy99

well it seems to start off deceptively easy ...
11:51 am
Wolfrick

... thus lulling you into a false sense of security.
11:57 am
sandbox74

and then it goes in for the kill
12:00 pm
drwho

Crushing your hopes and aspirations...
12:00 pm
drwho

...leading to thoughts of suicide.
12:00 pm
UnikeTheHunter

Sure has crushed mine. And if I make a guess, I don't have a checkpoint.
12:01 pm
LeslieAnn

take a screen shot, unike - click print screen and then paste in word
12:01 pm
drwho

Don't get the idea that we are implying that this one is hard.
12:01 pm
Wolfrick

I've resorted to CTRL-ALT-PRTSC for multiple checkpoints.
12:06 pm
UnikeTheHunter

I tried pasting it into Word, and all I got was a bunch of horizontal bars, on many pages, each with one number. Is there a better way to do a screen shot than to highlight the board and press ctrl-C?
12:06 pm
sandbox74

press print screen and paste it in paint
12:07 pm
Wolfrick

Hold Control and Alt and press your "Print Screen" key, which is located at the top, to the right of the F keys.
12:07 pm
LeslieAnn

just click the print screen button, no need to highlight anc copy - should be near the top of your keyboard
12:07 pm
Wolfrick

Then, paste into Word, Paint, Photoshop, whatever.
12:08 pm
UnikeTheHunter

Okay. Thanks for the tip.
12:13 pm
Wolfrick

I'm starting over. This is insane.
12:14 pm
UnikeTheHunter

Well, my guess seems to have legs. Haven't gotten an impass yet.
12:14 pm
Wolfrick

Where's my elder sign? I think this puzzle is costing me sanity points.
12:19 pm
UnikeTheHunter

My guess was wrong. And I have so much to restore.
12:19 pm
Wolfrick

Welcome to the party :)
12:20 pm
parsec

This puzzle might be smarter than me. =)
12:20 pm
gwenski

Perhaps you should considering upgrading to 'pro'!
12:21 pm
parsec

...It is. argh.
12:23 pm
UnikeTheHunter

I've considered it. I may. But I'm a real cheapskate. I grew up reading Scrooge McDuck comics and it rubbed off on me.
12:25 pm
sandbox74

finally done... held my breath on my last guess thinking it would fall apart.. but when it held through I breathed a sigh of relief
12:29 pm
Sarah Bellum

Is this actually solvable?
12:29 pm
UnikeTheHunter

Well, I'll be. The correct guess petered out much faster than the wrong guess did.
12:30 pm
drwho

It's solvable, if you allow yourself to guess.
12:31 pm
yul

no guessing, just shear determination ;)
12:32 pm
Leigh

I thought the whole point of sudoku is that you don't have to guess.
12:33 pm
yul

forcing
12:33 pm
drwho

In theory, there is no known set of techniques guarenteed to solve every possible Sudoku puzzle.
12:33 pm
UnikeTheHunter

Did your scoring program solve it?
12:33 pm
sandbox74

that's a fallacy... like a lot of tougher logic puzzles.. you sometimes need to make an educated guess.. thus when your hypothesis does not work out, you have logically eliminated an option
12:33 pm
drwho

Some puzzle designers limit the difficulty of their puzzles to a certain set of solving techniques.
12:34 pm
drwho

My scoring program solved it by guessing, the difficulty score is 71.
12:34 pm
Leigh

yeah, all the sudoku I've ever done have been ones you can solve without guessing
12:34 pm
Leigh

so i assumed that was an inherent part of the game
12:38 pm
Zugzug7

That was my understanding too. Then along came IronSudoku!
12:39 pm
Leigh

well, if this one can only be done by guessing, screw it :-P
12:39 pm
Leigh

I'm going to the archives.
12:39 pm
drwho

It may be possible by using a more advanced technique than I have mastered.
12:40 pm
Sarah Bellum

om my word i solved it!
12:40 pm
drwho

Om... om... om.
12:40 pm
drwho

Meditation is the key :)
12:42 pm
Wolfrick

If you wish to transcend the obstacles, that is. :)
12:42 pm
UnikeTheHunter

And her name is Sarah Bellum. Mine is more like Bedlam.
12:45 pm
drwho

I have always wondered if Sarah has any nieces or nephews.
12:45 pm
TeaNCrackers

to be Aunty Bellum?
12:45 pm
TeaNCrackers

;)
12:46 pm
UnikeTheHunter

Clever. A pun spread among two people.
12:47 pm
Wolfrick

I don't know, but my Auntie Diluvian does. :)
12:47 pm
drwho

Can they tread water?
12:47 pm
UnikeTheHunter

That one was a bit of an Auntie Climax.
12:47 pm
Wolfrick

For a while.
12:47 pm
TeaNCrackers

oy!
12:48 pm
Wolfrick

No, my Auntie Climax is a mountain climber in Tibet.
12:48 pm
TeaNCrackers

is she Auntie Social?
12:49 pm
UnikeTheHunter

Alright. UNCLE!
12:49 pm
Wolfrick

My dad's brother was the man from U.N.C.L.E.
12:49 pm
mamabear

these jokes are old..... Auntie Quated actually
12:49 pm
Wolfrick

o . o
12:50 pm
mamabear

sorry.... I never could resist a good pun fest!
12:50 pm
TeaNCrackers

this is the best chat I've had on IS in a long while!
12:50 pm
velcromagnon

Auntie Male was always a bit strange
12:50 pm
Pickled

GOL - groaning out loud ;)
12:50 pm
drwho

I once had a crush on Ms. Ann Thrope.
12:50 pm
Wolfrick

In fact, she was voted Miss Andry by NOW.
12:50 pm
drwho

But she didn't like me.
12:51 pm
TeaNCrackers

GOL GOL
12:52 pm
Wolfrick

What's the matter, Doctor, couldn't you stand her at the full moon? Didn't you like ann thrope?
12:52 pm
velcromagnon

paws to think about that one
12:53 pm
Wolfrick

Pun like that have been known to make people howl.
12:54 pm
drwho

Don't confuse lycanthopy with misanthropy.
12:54 pm
Wolfrick

Yeah, to do so would be sheer lunacy.
12:57 pm
drwho

I fear we may have descended to 2/3 of a pun here...
12:57 pm
drwho

P. U.
12:58 pm
UnikeTheHunter

Yuckadoo. :)
12:59 pm
UnikeTheHunter

Rats. My second guess went a long way and then got a contradiction. I'm zero for two.
1:03 pm
bunnyvicious

go
1:04 pm
UnikeTheHunter

You're in for a long game, Bunny.
1:05 pm
bunnyvicious

I hope not...
1:07 pm
UnikeTheHunter

You really from Azerbaijan?
1:07 pm
evanadine

*pokes bunny* allo!
1:08 pm
bunnyvicious

No, just to lazy to fill in a profile. Near Ft. Worth, TX.
1:09 pm
bunnyvicious

Howdy Eva!
1:09 pm
evanadine

working from the BFs house today -- how are you?
1:10 pm
bunnyvicious

Enjoying some peace, all the kids are over the flu and back in school.
1:11 pm
evanadine

oh yay, glad theyre better!
1:16 pm
yul

finito!!!
1:16 pm
UnikeTheHunter

My guessing is very bad. zero for 3.
1:17 pm
bunnyvicious

It's alot easier if you upgrade, can save your checkpoints.
1:17 pm
UnikeTheHunter

I'm almost convinced.
1:20 pm
torgone

It's only 15 bucks for a lifetime of fun ..
1:21 pm
UnikeTheHunter

This is fun only in the sense that heroin is fun.
1:26 pm
UnikeTheHunter

My alternate guess also was wrong. I must have made some mistake way back. I need to do something else this morning. Bye yal. Have fun. Even if only in the heroin sense. ;-(
1:27 pm
bunnyvicious

Bye
1:29 pm
bunnyvicious

done
1:29 pm
bunnyvicious

(with one well placed guess)
1:30 pm
bunnyvicious

Off to be "wifely" for a bit, ya'll take care.
1:39 pm
Fizzbut

done at last
2:09 pm
Doni

Holy cow got it on my 2nd try (guessing of course)
2:23 pm
helenkeller

go
2:59 pm
Zugzug7

Got it! Third times the charm.
3:23 pm
UDbmas

wow...internet is very sluggish today
3:24 pm
UDbmas

I think I wait until tomorrow, maybe it will clear up
3:42 pm
Minski

Enough for now. I'm zero for at least 4. Snack time. TTFN.
4:03 pm
helenkeller

done
4:04 pm
helenkeller

finally, after 3 starts & numerous hubby interrputions, doorbell & phone - SIGH
4:13 pm
Leigh

is there a Sam here? I know there's an Ana.
4:15 pm
snppngtrtle

Hey, you went pro, Leigh!
4:15 pm
Leigh

yeah, stupid expert puzzles are too hard for me, i need the archives on expert days.
4:16 pm
snppngtrtle

Ha nice
4:29 pm
Gr8-H8

Environmental trespass to cattle?
4:29 pm
Leigh

cattle chattel.
4:30 pm
Leigh

not to be confused with chatter, as in "sudoku chatter"
4:30 pm
Gr8-H8

This ain't no chattelbox!
4:30 pm
Leigh

lol
4:30 pm
Leigh

your mom is a chattelbox
4:30 pm
Gr8-H8

lol
4:30 pm
snppngtrtle

Would cow tipping be a tresspass to cattle?
4:31 pm
Leigh

depends on if the cow was damaged
4:31 pm
Leigh

does mental distress count?
4:31 pm
Gr8-H8

What if it starts giving sour milk?
4:31 pm
snppngtrtle

The cow's or the tipper's?
4:46 pm
Leigh

that was kinda painful
4:46 pm
hokie carla

finally!
4:49 pm
Leigh

she's an officious intermeddler
4:49 pm
snppngtrtle

Poor Leigh's car.
4:50 pm
Leigh

kind of like YOUR MOM
4:50 pm
Leigh

jeeze, people, you're slipping
4:50 pm
snppngtrtle

Andy isn't here to keep us on task.
4:50 pm
Leigh

damn him and his illness.
4:56 pm
Leigh

theeeeere we go.
5:10 pm
Leigh

ooooooooooh snap
5:10 pm
Leigh

katie got called out again
5:10 pm
Gr8-H8

Poor Katie!
5:10 pm
snppngtrtle

What?
5:10 pm
Leigh

someone is not on prof. lansing's good side.
5:10 pm
snppngtrtle

Oh wait...
5:10 pm
snppngtrtle

looks like
5:10 pm
Leigh

she got called out for being absent all the time a couple days ago
5:21 pm
Leigh

you know those words are outdated because MS word does not recognize them
5:22 pm
Gr8-H8

MS Word doesn't recognize "cromulent" either. Stupid program.
5:22 pm
snppngtrtle

Yeah but MS word also doesn't recognize etoppel
5:23 pm
snppngtrtle

You're not New Jersey!
5:23 pm
Leigh

your mom's new jersey
5:25 pm
snppngtrtle

I hate this puzzle
5:25 pm
snppngtrtle

I wish it a slow and painful death
5:29 pm
Leigh

i gave up on it and went to the archives over lunch
5:30 pm
snppngtrtle

Yayayayayayay got it!
5:30 pm
snppngtrtle

Happy dance!
5:30 pm
Leigh

woot!
5:30 pm
snppngtrtle

took about 4 bazillion guesses.
5:34 pm
Leigh

yay, finished my easy puzzle!
5:34 pm
Leigh

back to babble.
5:35 pm
snppngtrtle

yay leigh
5:48 pm
OrangeSlice

eww a hidden quad
5:49 pm
sprite

hiding very well from me, I might ad
5:49 pm
sprite

*add
5:50 pm
Atalante

thought you were off to bed :P
5:50 pm
sprite

am out of bed again, can't sleep
5:50 pm
Atalante

sounds familiar!
5:50 pm
sprite

lol :)
5:53 pm
sprite

Got the sweetest valentines card from my love, and I left him one on his pillow :)
Not everything is doomed and gloomy, is it!
5:54 pm
Atalante

awwww! how lovely!
5:54 pm
sprite

*valentine's
5:59 pm
Atalante

done!
5:59 pm
OrangeSlice

humbug
5:59 pm
sprite

wow
5:59 pm
sprite

I am getting absolutely nowhere with this one, I feel like I am without a brain
6:00 pm
Atalante

I did have to make an educated guess once
6:00 pm
sprite

guess that might be my problem. Lack of education :)
6:01 pm
Atalante

well, vaguely educated guess :P
6:01 pm
OrangeSlice

I'm making headway. Slowly. Haven't had to guess yet.
6:02 pm
sprite

I hate guessing. But I get really stuck sometimes, like now, so I am sure there are more techniques than what I use.
6:02 pm
hurshy

oo-er, an expert! *rubs hands together*
6:03 pm
sprite

yay hurshy, join the nonsleeping club!
6:03 pm
sprite

*hits Start Over button
6:03 pm
hurshy

it's only 7 PM here sprite :)
6:03 pm
OrangeSlice

There's a hidden quad in here somewhere that opens up several cells. I won't spoil it for you though ;)
6:03 pm
sprite

so? You are SUPPOSED to be nonsleeping then!
6:03 pm
hurshy

yep.
6:04 pm
sprite

thanks Orange :)
6:07 pm
sprite

sorry about the hurshy joke back on babble, hursh - bad timing if I ever had it!
6:07 pm
hurshy

oh, no, i liked it.
6:07 pm
hurshy

i'm doing fine.
6:08 pm
OrangeSlice

Done!
6:08 pm
sprite

you're one hell of a strong lady :)
Can't be easy though.
6:08 pm
sprite

YAY Orange!
6:09 pm
Atalante

babbling breeds toughness
6:10 pm
Limer

ouch
6:10 pm
sprite

and persistance... and a totally useless but vaste knowledge of words... and friendships :)
6:10 pm
Atalante

ywis!
6:11 pm
sprite

*wonders where her inia has left her etui*
6:12 pm
hurshy

it was my decision, sprite, so, it's not really surprising that i'm doing better with it than he is.
6:12 pm
hurshy

hi limer :)
6:12 pm
Atalante

on etna of course!
6:12 pm
Limer

Hey Hurshy
6:12 pm
Limer

Your typing beautifully tonight
6:12 pm
artlady

gack.
6:12 pm
hurshy

lol
6:12 pm
artlady

sorry, getting frustrated with this one.
6:12 pm
sprite

ah, of course, right next to the anoa
6:13 pm
Limer

I feel for you, artlady.
6:13 pm
sprite

*hugs hurshy* That certainly makes a difference, I can see that!
6:13 pm
hurshy

this is quite the chat we've got going here, very hopping for sudoku
6:14 pm
OrangeSlice

It _is_ solvable without guessing. Just not easily :)
6:14 pm
Limer

cabin fever
6:14 pm
Limer

Yeah, listen to her
6:14 pm
sprite

*takes a sneaky peek into Orange's brain*
6:16 pm
sprite

hursh, what is 'hopping'?
6:16 pm
Limer

ewwww
6:16 pm
Atalante

I'm not used to finishing sudoku before other people!
6:18 pm
OrangeSlice

I had to reset once, but I changed my approach and found several hidden pairs/triples that opened up a lot of cells. After that it was mostly systematic elimination.
6:18 pm
hurshy

hopping is... active
6:18 pm
hurshy

i'm feeling a little nervous right now
6:18 pm
sprite

ah... like the movement *gets image of easter bunny*
6:19 pm
Limer

ignore it
6:19 pm
hurshy

my husband is on the phone with the pastor from church - well, i've been going to chapel here at school, so it's more his pastor - and i don't mind him talking to him about everything but i hope he doesn't be like, oh, come for counseling, cause, i don't want that.
6:20 pm
sprite

if you don't want that, you will say NO.
6:20 pm
hurshy

i mean obviously i can say no. but then he might think badly of me for not being willing to try.
6:22 pm
Atalante

well tough if he thinks badly of you. the pastor ain't going to be a big person in your life!
6:22 pm
sprite

I can imagine that that is very unpleasant. Still, I know for sure that you have been willing to try for a long time, you are not the quitting type. So let him think badly - you know better.
6:23 pm
bookwyrmish

Plus, you can say that you have sought your own counseling in a venue you are comfy with (just don't say it's the sudoku/babble crowd) and you are sure
6:23 pm
bookwyrmish

Plus, hi Hurshy!!!! Hugs.
6:24 pm
sprite

we are a great crowd :)
6:31 pm
Atalante

so great I'm going to leave you all and try and sleep :) see you in babble in the morning!
6:32 pm
sprite

sleep well, Ata, sweet dreams :) *hug*
6:32 pm
hurshy

thanks folks. sorry i keep cutting out, i get emails and have to reply...
6:32 pm
hurshy

bye ata :)
6:32 pm
hurshy

hi bookwyrm
6:35 pm
bookwyrmish

Hey, hurshy. I think I haven't been on much since last summer! School year's kept me busy.
6:35 pm
hurshy

having fun with school?
6:35 pm
hurshy

or stressful busy?
6:36 pm
Wolfrick

Bookwyrmish, I think I might know you. Do you know Tam?
6:36 pm
bookwyrmish

Fun busy, trying to keep up with the internet world, stressful dealing with my autistic son's school program. Today I have a snow dismissal and hope that I get tomorrow off.
6:37 pm
bookwyrmish

Wolfrick, I don't think so. I'm from the middle of nowhere PA in the school year, and Maine in the summers.
6:37 pm
sprite

darn, now I found a hidden quad and now it does not clear up any other tiles.
6:37 pm
bookwyrmish

I'm having to restart. This one's tough
6:38 pm
hurshy

lol sprite
6:38 pm
Wolfrick

Sorry, my friend who goes by Bookwyrm lives in Ohio.
6:39 pm
bookwyrmish

Ah! Wolfrick, Bookwyrm was already taken when I tried to get it for a yahoo id, that's why I went to "ish"--tell your friend he/she has a great name!
6:39 pm
Limer

grabbing my ankles on this one.
6:39 pm
Wolfrick

:)
6:40 pm
sprite

oh my - an opening!
6:40 pm
hurshy

does that help?
6:40 pm
sprite

and I was not grabbing my ankles when I saw that opening
6:41 pm
Limer

What, an opening or ankle grabbing?
6:41 pm
bookwyrmish

#%^)
6:41 pm
hurshy

i was inquiring as to the effectiveness of ankle grabbing
6:42 pm
Limer

effective when trying to releve stress.
6:43 pm
sprite

I can affirm that one hidden quad makes a real difference
6:50 pm
Limer

man oh man
6:50 pm
Limer

I am really taking this one up the wazoo
6:50 pm
sprite

grabbing ankles again?
6:50 pm
hurshy

that must be painful
6:50 pm
hurshy

what with all the corners
6:51 pm
Limer

ouch
6:51 pm
Limer

Paper cut
6:51 pm
sprite

I got a lot further, but not to the realm of totally solved sudoku
6:53 pm
mumeishi

12 numbers... grrr
6:55 pm
spreadeagle

I just love the comments when there is a tough puzzle. We all get kinda lame when it's too easy.....
6:55 pm
sprite

yeah, the tough ones are fun
6:55 pm
sprite

and complaining about them is fun too :)
6:55 pm
Wolfrick

I'm new here... please tell me there's not a level harder than "Expert".
6:55 pm
mumeishi

yeah, there's killer
6:55 pm
spreadeagle

No such luck
6:56 pm
artlady

nope
6:56 pm
mumeishi

wait, that's today's puzzle
6:56 pm
hurshy

lol
6:56 pm
sprite

not officially
6:56 pm
artlady

some experts are easier than others, tho
6:56 pm
spreadeagle

Maybe we should say "not yet"
6:56 pm
dorens

it makes me feel SO much better as a newbie to see you folks having trouble too
6:56 pm
OrangeSlice

Still working on it?
6:57 pm
sprite

hey Orange :)
Yes, found the quad and lots of steps from there, but hit another brick wall.
6:57 pm
hurshy

sigh.
6:57 pm
Wolfrick

Well, if it's decided to add a harder level, I propose the label "Demonic" and nominate this puzzle to be elevated to that rank.
6:57 pm
artlady

ack again!
6:58 pm
sprite

second that
6:58 pm
OrangeSlice

There's several hidden triples involving those pesky 2'3 and 3's
6:58 pm
artlady

just decided to clear it. I think I had an error somewhere. Oh well, work will just wait...
6:58 pm
Wolfrick

What do you mean by "quads" and "triple"?
6:59 pm
sprite

I can only see quads in boxes with 4 left and triples in boxes with 3 left, lol
7:00 pm
OrangeSlice

It took me a while to finally see them, but the lack of concrete 2's and 3's is key for solving this one.
7:00 pm
sprite

thanks for the tip!
7:00 pm
OrangeSlice

Almost all of the 2's and 3's will be the LAST numbers you fill in.
7:01 pm
Wolfrick

Which is where I am, for what it's worth.
7:01 pm
hurshy

i'm just forcing it. it's not worth it. not today.
7:01 pm
OrangeSlice

Find one and it will lead to many ;)
7:02 pm
sprite

diforcing it, hursh? *argh*
7:02 pm
hurshy

oh sprite!
7:02 pm
sprite

I know *bows head in shame*
It's 2 am here, I should sleep.
7:03 pm
hurshy

lol
7:03 pm
Wolfrick

Me ====> Brick Wall
7:03 pm
sprite

at least we can have a great picknick at that wall
7:04 pm
hurshy

aha
7:05 pm
artlady

pick axe in hand...
7:05 pm
hurshy

my forcing chain has led to an impossibility.
7:05 pm
artlady

chip chip chip
7:05 pm
sprite

don't you even think of spriting me on sudoku, hursh! I don't like the sound of that aha...
7:05 pm
hurshy

lol
7:09 pm
sprite

here it goes
7:10 pm
sprite

WHAT? Only 5 points? You should give me 15 at least for this b@st@rd!
7:11 pm
sprite

night all, I go try and sleep again - basking in the glory of having beaten this nasty expert ;)
7:12 pm
hurshy

night sprite
7:12 pm
bookwyrmish

nite sprite
7:12 pm
artlady

we bow to your greatness...;-)
7:18 pm
hurshy

i'm done too.
7:19 pm
artlady

congrats!
7:20 pm
bookwyrmish

see you another snow day, then. I'm putting my little one to bed.
7:31 pm
Limer

Ha
7:31 pm
Limer

Nailed that puppy!
7:31 pm
Limer

Rank me, baby
7:31 pm
Limer

LOTS of green,, and loose hair
7:31 pm
Limer

nix theme muzak
7:40 pm
artlady

grrrr
7:58 pm
mumeishi

right there with ya
8:06 pm
Doni

weeee...I made it out of Newbies
8:06 pm
mumeishi

congrats
8:07 pm
Doni

Thanks
8:16 pm
mumeishi

fi. nally.
8:30 pm
Wolfrick

I can't believe I'm this stubborn, and this puzzle is this hard.
8:43 pm
Judy

I can't believe that I finished this one. That was unbelievably hard!
9:55 pm
DDG

how long did it take to finish?
10:00 pm
Onpaki

yay! i finally finished... after many tries.
10:06 pm
DDG

this is ridiculous
10:06 pm
DDG

it's no longer a thinking game it's a guessing one
10:07 pm
Wolfrick

I have to say that I'm not happy this puzzle isn't solvable by logic.
10:08 pm
DDG

thank you very much Wolfrick, someone agrees
10:24 pm
1MoreGame

what in the world?!?!?!?
10:30 pm
dahduke

which puzzle
10:38 pm
DDG

I haven't even finished a square!!!!
10:38 pm
Leigh

i gave up when i found out it wasn't possible to solve without guessing.
10:38 pm
Leigh

sudoku is not for guessing.
10:42 pm
drwho

I haven't seen any proof that this cannot be solved with logic. Some people apparently have solved it with logic.
10:42 pm
DDG

who?
10:43 pm
DDG

I've tried it and eventually you come to a dead end
10:43 pm
drwho

OrangeSlice for one.
10:44 pm
Leigh

oh, really? everyone i saw talking about it had to guess. But i haven't been here all day, just popping in from time to time.
10:46 pm
drwho

Even if everyone has to guess, that is no proof that logic cannot solve it.
10:47 pm
Leigh

this is true. but it is enough of an indication that I probably can't solve it without guessing for me to give up and go do an easy in the archives <g>
10:47 pm
DDG

well i'm not giving up, even if i have to guess and start all over
10:48 pm
drwho

A good argument can be made that guessing is a form of logic. It is the last resort for any computer program that solves Sudoku puzzles.
10:50 pm
Leigh

I play sudoku for fun. It is not fun for me to guess on sudoku. Therefore, going to the archives and doing an easy is logical. :-D
10:51 pm
DDG

good argument! give you props for that
10:51 pm
Leigh

but then, I am not a computer program.
10:53 pm
DDG

alright, wrong guess. Now i have to start over!
10:55 pm
drwho

DDG, if you did a checkpoint before your guess, you could go back there. (You can take a screen shot as a poor man
10:55 pm
drwho

...as a poor man'
10:55 pm
drwho

...as a poor man's checkpoint).
10:56 pm
DDG

i haven't upgraded to pro so i can't save a check point
10:56 pm
drwho

the ' and <Enter> keys are too close together!
10:57 pm
drwho

You can take a screen shot <Ctl> <Print Scrn> and then paste into the Paint program.
10:59 pm
DDG

cool
10:59 pm
DDG

well i ahve it on a piece of paper
11:09 pm
Doni

sometimes after I've saved a checkpoint and I see that I'm going to need another(cause I don't always know what I'm doing) I'll go back and load the same game on another page or two. That way if I screw up and need to go back to my first checkpoint, I can without starting over.
11:10 pm
Leigh

good idea, doni
11:24 pm
DDG

this is ridiculous
11:32 pm
dahduke

start
11:33 pm
LeslieAnn

oh no! i got down to 4 boxes left before i found a conflict with my guess :(
11:34 pm
DDG

that sux
11:34 pm
LeslieAnn

i was all, "why is everyone complaining? it only took me one guess, i'm so great.... CRAP!"
11:34 pm
DDG


yeah
11:35 pm
DDG

i still think its ridiculous but ive got nothing better to do
11:35 pm
skizzybiz

i found a great guess ... i hope it doesn't lead me down the same path
11:35 pm
DDG

well....just wait and see
11:35 pm
LeslieAnn

if it's a 3 instead of a 2 in the bottom right hand corner, it's the same path!
11:36 pm
skizzybiz

nope, wasn't that one. i started in the lower middle section
11:36 pm
LeslieAnn

good luck then :)
11:36 pm
DDG

im just all over..anything i can get i appreciate
11:38 pm
skizzybiz

damn
11:39 pm
skizzybiz

11 squares to go, found my conflict
11:40 pm
LeslieAnn

you'd think by law of averages we should be guessing right more often
11:40 pm
dahduke

done
11:40 pm
LeslieAnn

hmmm... really, dahduke?
11:40 pm
dahduke

easy expert today. Easier then easy
11:41 pm
LeslieAnn

dahduke = yanking our chain
11:41 pm
skizzybiz

well that's great dahduke. rub it in
11:41 pm
DDG

how did you do it?
11:41 pm
drwho

Dahduke, I think you are the first to claim today's was easy.
11:41 pm
dahduke

not crosshatching
11:41 pm
dahduke

nothing there
11:43 pm
dahduke

Difficulty: HardSaturday, February 3, 2007













































































11:44 pm
DDG

this is too much
11:45 pm
drwho

Oh, you're not talking about today's?
11:45 pm
LeslieAnn

ok, done, but it took a few guesses (and some time earlier today)