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The Slightly Human Solver As of version 1.00

The Slightly Human Solver (SHS) is a simple, push-button solver for exploring logic and solving puzzles. It's designed to find a wide variety of logic instead of exhaustively searching for certain Sudoku methods and often finds interesting solutions. It has an auto mode plus a manual mode for searching one grid at a time.

Solution Display. The solution display region on the bottom shows each logic step used to solve each grid. The list looks something like this:

[36.125] 1(1). W-Wing, grouped. T3

[36.124] 2(7). Continuous Loop. T4

[36.121] 3(1). Single, Hidden, Row.

Where each entry line contains the following information:

[36.124] The number of clues and candidates in this grid before applying a solution path.

4(7) The step number and number of paths found for this grid (depends on settings).

W-Wing, grouped. T3 The type of logic (Grouped W-Wing) and the number of truths (T3).

When the solver starts, the list shows the logic in the main puzzle display (if any) and asks what to do. When solving, selecting any step in the list will take you to that grid and logic, which then appears in the puzzle display area. From this step, one of 4 actions can be made using the main control buttons.

Main Control Buttons. There are 4 main control buttons that can be used at any grid step, They are:

[Find in Grid] [Apply Path] [Apply All] [ Solve ]

Find in Grid. Search the current grid for a variety of logic. Results may depend on specific settings.

Apply Path Apply eliminations and assignments for the current path and go to the next grid.

Apply All. Apply all eliminations and assignments for all paths found for this grid, proceed.

Solve. Solve the rest of the puzzle from the current grid forward..

Example (Bold indicates which grid is selected)

Step 1. Solver starts, showing the logic that was in the editor display.

[36.125] 3(1). Discontinuous Nice Loop. T3 -- Apply/All/Solve?

Step 2. Select [Solve] to solve the puzzle and show the solution. Apply/All/Solve does not show because the first step, the W-Wing, is now part of the solution for this step.

[36.125] 1(1). W-Wing, grouped. T3

[36.124] 2(7). Continuous Loop. T4

[36.121] 3(1). Single, Hidden, Row.

[37.117] 4(5). Discontinuous Nice Loop. T3

[37.116] 5(9). Continuous Loop, grouped. T4

[37.114] 6(8). Discontinuous Nice Loop, dual-ends. T4

[37.112] 7(9). Single, Naked.

<more >

[81.0] 64(1). Solution.

Step 3. The 4(4) at step 4 indicates that there are 5 possible solutions for step 4. Press [Find] to place these solutions in the main editor display window. Scroll through the solutions by using the ◄ Path Number ► selector at the bottom of the solver window, or by using controls in the main window. In this example, one of the paths is a Sue de Coq.

[36.125] 1(1). W-Wing, grouped. T3

[36.124] 2(7). Continuous Loop. T4

[36.121] 3(1). Single, Hidden, Row.

[37.117] 4(5). Sue de Coq -- Apply/All/Solve?

[37.116] 5(9). Continuous Loop, grouped. T4

[37.114] 6(8). Discontinuous Nice Loop, dual-ends. T4

[37.112] 7(9). Single, Naked.

<more >

[81.0] 64(1). Solution.

Step 4. Apply the Sue de Coq to the solution by pressing [Apply Path]. The display will now look like the following. The rest of the solution is discarded because it no longer applies.

[36.125] 1(1). W-Wing, grouped. T3

[36.124] 2(7). Continuous Loop. T4

[36.121] 3(1). Single, Hidden, Row.

[37.117] 4(5). Sue de Coq T5

[37.113] 5(-). --- -- Find/Solve?

Step 5. Select [Solve] to resolve the puzzle from this step forward.

[36.125] 1(1). W-Wing, grouped. T3

[36.124] 2(7). Continuous Loop. T4

[36.121] 3(1). Single, Hidden, Row.

[37.117] 4(5). Sue de Coq T5

[36.111] 5(1). Single, Naked, Row.

[36.105] 6(1). 2 String Kite T2 Naked, Row.

[36.104] 7(3). Single, Naked, Row.

[36.100] 8(4). Single, Naked, Column.

<more >

[81.0] 64(1). Solution.

Other Functions

[Apply All] can be used instead of [Apply Path]. This applys all solution paths for the current grid and proceeds to the next step of the solution.

The Auto button switches between manual and auto modes. The manual mode allows some control for searching for solutions. These contol settings do not apply to the [Solve] button.

Traditional. Stick mostly to traditional Sudoku methods but allow all of them.

Advanced. Allow some more advanced logic. (solve's more)

Full Logic. Apply few restrictions on the logic found. (faster).

I Want ALS! Report ALS even when shorter logic is available. ALS are always searched for even without this option.

Get More Paths. Spend more time to find additional paths.

Get Cannibal. Allow cannibalistic solutions, (these are normally discarded).