How to Solve Sudoku: 52 Brilliant Ideas

by Robin J. Wilson, Infinite Ideas

Sudoku is a seriously addictive puzzle and the craze continues to sweep the world, spreading faster than you can count to nine. How to solve sudoku is the first step-by-step guide to cracking these captivating but sometimes infuriating puzzles. Written by Oxford University mathematician Robin Wilson, this book uses examples and practice grids with puzzles of varying degrees of difficulty alongside tried and tested tips to help you get to grips with sudoku once and for all.

Genres: Nonfiction

128 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2005

About the author

Robin James Wilson (born December 1943) is a professor in the Department of Mathematics at the Open University, a Stipendiary Lecturer at Pembroke College, Oxford[1] and, as of 2006, professor of geometry at Gresham College, London, where he has also been a visiting professor. On occasion, he guest teaches at Colorado College.
From January 1999 to September 2003 Robin Wilson was editor-in-chief of the European Mathematical Society Newsletter.[2]
He is the son of Harold Wilson, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He has two daughters: Catherine and Jennifer.

Reviews

[Otto · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just play sudoku and you'll figure it out on your own.

[Sparrow .]

Why did I read this book? It’s elegantly designed, like a French novel, has big print, and is very LOGICAL. Of course, I was hoping it would improve my sudoku game, but I noticed no effect on my number-reasoning skills. (Also, I didn’t read "How to solve" in one sitting; it may have taken me two years, in 15 minute snatches.) Opening the book at random:

*we can now put 8 in cell “He;”
*the only possibility for cell “Bi” is 9, and we can also put 9 in cell “Aa;”
*the only possibility for cell “Ab” is 3.

This really could stand alone as a poem.

[Aaron Blumenthal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Das Buch umfasst lediglich die Grundlagen, um Sudokus zu loesen und ist hauptsechlich fuer Beginner geeignet, da tiefergreifende Einblicke in die Moeglichkeiten ausgeblendet und nicht erwaehnt werden.
Das Buch ist ganz gut geschrieben, entspricht jedoch nicht meinen Erwartungen.

[Fabio Brady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful and very useful tricks. Small book.

Twins and triplets is something I had no idea about. Definitely elevated my puzzling.

[Bob Allen · Rating 1 out of 5]

First, this book does not contain 52 methods for solving Soduku puzzles — essentially, it contains, maybe, six. There are 52 "chapters" but.... Having said that, if you've not worked a Soduku puzzle or you have worked them but haven't figured out a systematic way to work Soduku puzzles, then this is a good book. On the other hand, if you already scan rows and columns, if you know the significance of doubles and triples in rows/columns/boxes, if you already eliminate impossibles, then this book is not for you.

[Frank · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't find this all that great. Maybe I need to read it again. There were a couple interesting ideas but I think there are probably better ones out there.