Rooted: Created page with "There are numerous ways to vary the basic Sudoku format. Yet, only a few variations have developed a loyal group of supporters. Most variations are regarded as a curiosity. =..."

2020-05-31T04:43:20Z

Created page with "There are numerous ways to vary the basic Sudoku format. Yet, only a few variations have developed a loyal group of supporters. Most variations are regarded as a curiosity. =..."

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There are numerous ways to vary the basic Sudoku format. Yet, only a few variations have developed a loyal group of supporters. Most variations are regarded as a curiosity.

== Variant Types ==
There are many ways to vary a Sudoku. Here are only a few examples:
* Change the size
** 2x2 [[Shi Doku]]
** 4x4
** 5x5
** 6x6
** 12x12
** 16x16
** 25x25
* Replace [[box]]es by other shapes
**Rectangles
*** 2x3
*** 3x4
**[[Jigsaw]]
* Add extra [[constraint]]s ([[Sudoku-X]], [[Windoku]], [[Asterisk]], [[Even-Odd]], [[Non-Consecutive]], [[Consecutive Puzzle]], [[Sudoku-DG]])
* Replace [[given]]s by alternative clues ([[Killer]], [[Greater Than]])
* Replace [[digit]]s by letters, symbols or images ([[YourDoku]], [[Wordoku]], [[Picture Sudoku]])
* Merge several constituent puzzles ([[Gattai]], [[Samurai]], [[Clueless]])
* Use non-rectangular cells ([[Hanidoku]])

To complicate things, a puzzle maker can combine several of these alterations.

== Popular Variants ==
These often appear in newspapers or feature in dedicated puzzle books.

; [[Killer]] | Sum-Sudoku | Samunamupure
: Given numbers are replaced by cages labeled with the sum of the digits inside the cage. This is by far the most popular Sudoku variation.

; [[Jigsaw]] | [[Nonomino]] | [[Squiggly]] | [[Irregular Sudoku]]
: 3x3 boxes are replaced by regions with an irregular shape.

; [[Sudoku-X]]
: The 2 diagonals also require digits 1 through 9.

; [[Windoku]] | [[Hypersudoku]] | [[NRC-Sudoku]]
: There are 4 additional 3x3 boxes in the grid which must also contain digits 1 through 9.

; [[Samurai]] | Gattai-5
: A puzzle with 5 partially overlapping Sudoku grids.

== Common Variants ==
There appear occasionally in newspapers, but have dedicated websites and appear on a regular basis in Sudoku variant books.

; [[Clueless]]
: A puzzle with 9 Sudoku grids where the center nonets form a 10th Sudoku grid.

; [[Flower Sudoku]]
: A puzzle where 4 Sudoku grids each overlap 6 boxes of a central Sudoku grid.

; [[Hanidoku]]
: A puzzle with hexagonal cells that must contain a consecutive series of digits.

; [[Greater Than]]
: A puzzle where the given digits are replaced by greater-than signs.

; [[Consecutive Puzzle]]
: A puzzle where any 2 adjacent cells containing consecutive digits are marked on the border between the cells.

; [[Non-Consecutive]]
: A puzzle where 2 adjacent cells cannot contain consecutive digits.

== Other Variants ==
These variants are less common.

; [[Sudoku3D]]
: A 3D implementation of a classic sudoku. [[Sudoku3D]] is a single puzzle on a surface of 4x4x4 cube.

; [[Center Dot]]
: An ordinary Sudoku with an extra [[constraint]] involving the center square of each [[box]].

; [[Asterisk]]
: An ordinary Sudoku with an extra [[constraint]] which looks like an asterisk.

; [[Sukaku]]
: An ordinary Sudoku, except that the starting position contains [[pencilmark]]s instead of [[given]]s.

; [[Sumo]] | Gattai-13
: A puzzle with 13 partially overlapping Sudoku grids.

; [[Shaolin]] | Gattai-25
: A puzzle with 25 partially overlapping Sudoku grids.

; [[Kansuko]]
: A 3x9 grid with a sum column as an additional constraint.

== External Links ==
* Sudoku Variants wiki at the [http://www.worldpuzzle.org/wiki/index.php/Sudoku_Variants World Puzzle Federation web site]

Sudoku Variants - Revision history

Rooted: Created page with "There are numerous ways to vary the basic Sudoku format. Yet, only a few variations have developed a loyal group of supporters. Most variations are regarded as a curiosity. =..."