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Solving Techniques 9
Sword-Fish

This is a situation where the 1 is only possible in three places, like columns 2, 5 and 8, below. (there are only three cells where 1 can be, in the columns indicated with red lines, and they occur in the same rows)

In this case, the 1’s can’t be in the places marked with x’s as pictured below, so they can be eliminated as candidates.

When examined, you see that there are only six ways in which the 1 can be entered, and that indeed, they can’t be entered where the x’s are.

As a variation there is a pattern like the one below.


It’s a very efficient technique when this pattern actually happens, since you can eliminate lots of candidates at once.

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Finned Sword-Fish

As in the diagram below, when there are many candidates for 1 in the middle column only, it is called a finned sword fish. The cells indicated with x only, can be eliminated as candidates for 1. (also possible when the pattern is not in the center)

Lets examine if this is true. As shown below, if there is a 1 in the ‘fin’ area, there can’t be another 1, other than in this box. However, in column 2 and column 8, there are three places each for where 1 could be. Therefore, the possibilities can’t be eliminated the same way as they can, when there are no fins.

As shown below, if a part that is not the fin becomes a 1, then a 1 can’t be in 3 rows, just as it would, when there are no fins.

Therefore, the candidates that can be eliminated based on the overlap, are the cells that would get eliminated in a swordfish, but only within the box, which the fin is located in.

The swordfish is quite challenging, but when examined, it does hold up to be true.

Names of cells in Sudoku

R1C1R1C2R1C3R1C4R1C5R1C6R1C7R1C8R1C9
R2C1R2C2R2C3R2C4R2C5R2C6R2C7R2C8R2C9
R3C1R3C2R3C3R3C4R3C5R3C6R3C7R3C8R3C9
R4C1R4C2R4C3R4C4R4C5R4C6R4C7R4C8R4C9
R5C1R5C2R5C3R5C4R5C5R5C6R5C7R5C8R5C9
R6C1R6C2R6C3R6C4R6C5R6C6R6C7R6C8R6C9
R7C1R7C2R7C3R7C4R7C5R7C6R7C7R7C8R7C9
R8C1R8C2R8C3R8C4R8C5R8C6R8C7R8C8R8C9
R9C1R9C2R9C3R9C4R9C5R9C6R9C7R9C8R9C9

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