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Puzzling

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  • $\begingroup$ That forced aha in Thomas Snyder's sudoku was rot13(na kjvat) --- standard fare for a sudoku one notch above "easy". Are you saying that computers can't generate sudokus that are that hard? Or is the point that, in Thomas Snyder's sudoku, the hardest required technique was required only once, and computers can't generate sudokus with that feature? $\endgroup$
    – Rosie F
    Commented Apr 9, 2023 at 7:16
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    $\begingroup$ I think his point was that Snyder's puzzle has (and human-set puzzles in general have) a definite solve path, an experience for the solver designed by the setter. I'm reminded of another puzzle featured on Cracking the Cryptic that deliberately leads the solver to an unnamed deduction. That kind of deduction would rarely if ever appear in a computer-set puzzle and it certainly wouldn't be intended by the setting algorithm. $\endgroup$
    – codewarrior0
    Commented Apr 9, 2023 at 9:31
  • $\begingroup$ @codewarrior0 Now that deduction in that sudoku was definitely a more advanced one --- it entailed colouring (deducing that cells' values are equal before it's known what they are). And it needs so much space, two of it can't fit into a 9x9 sudoku. As to solve paths: a) This seems to be a sudoku with a clever break-in, after which the order of further deductions is irrelevant, so the solve-path is no more than 1) the clever bit 2) everything else. b) Why's a unique solve-path desirable? If it's solvable in an unintended way, isn't that bad for the setter, not the solver? $\endgroup$
    – Rosie F
    Commented Apr 9, 2023 at 19:30
  • $\begingroup$ @RosieF The puzzles that are one clever step and then it's easy are known as one-steppers, and are built as introductions to that technique. In my opinion, the distinction between human made and computer generated is that most random puzzles that are unique can be solved with very basic steps. Having a puzzle with severable interesting steps is tough to get at random. If the programmer is aware of these, and can build a generator that includes those sorts of techniques, it would be less likely to be spotted as computer generated. $\endgroup$
    – Degustaf
    Commented Apr 10, 2023 at 17:32