Solve Sudoku (Without even thinking!)

Step 8 Other kinds of eliminations.

You won't always be so lucky. Not every time will you end up erasing all the numbers but one in a block. If that is the case, then you peruse the puzzle to find eliminations.

First look down each column. If you find a number that only appears in one block in a column. That is the answer for that block.

In this picture, the pen point points to a three. That is the only three in that column, so that must be where it goes.

Write it large, then treat it like a pre-printed number. See ... this isn't thinking. This is EASY.

Comments

[Panta Rei]

Seriously, I've always thought that everyone in the world solves sudoku this way , just omitting the numbers already given in the related rows instead of writing them, and so I do. So...how the others do?!

[mouse23]

When writing numbers (1-9) into the vacant squares, one could immediately omit the numbers that are given in the "related"rows. This saves having to come back later and erase. The numbers that are written down should be placed in the appropriate position in the square as in the examples, just for visual aid.