(no subject)
Nikoli.com started today and I decided, seeing as how my Nikoli supply is dwindling and the easiest way to control the need may be to get just 3-4 new puzzles a day, to join.
I started by solving all the puzzles I wouldn't enjoy and therefore did all the Hitori.
My problem with Hitori seems to be that, as I solve them, I need to use "uniqueness" a lot of the time and then deal with the consequences. Most often its "if this was shaded this way, then I'd have too many options, so its not shaded that way" but it rears its head in other ways too. While my intuition of how a Hitori must look when solved is strong, the necessity of many of the moves on a hard 17x17 never feels as sound even if it converges on a solution. So I solve them and never feel too satisfied.
I have a feeling though that I'll be always assuming uniqueness on nikoli.com. It helps a lot on slitherlink and kakuro and sudoku and certainly hitori. While I'd never use uniqueness when solving recreationally, I always do when I feel comfortable with it in competition, and I certainly feel comfortable using it with Nikoli's puzzles given their track record.
I started by solving all the puzzles I wouldn't enjoy and therefore did all the Hitori.
My problem with Hitori seems to be that, as I solve them, I need to use "uniqueness" a lot of the time and then deal with the consequences. Most often its "if this was shaded this way, then I'd have too many options, so its not shaded that way" but it rears its head in other ways too. While my intuition of how a Hitori must look when solved is strong, the necessity of many of the moves on a hard 17x17 never feels as sound even if it converges on a solution. So I solve them and never feel too satisfied.
I have a feeling though that I'll be always assuming uniqueness on nikoli.com. It helps a lot on slitherlink and kakuro and sudoku and certainly hitori. While I'd never use uniqueness when solving recreationally, I always do when I feel comfortable with it in competition, and I certainly feel comfortable using it with Nikoli's puzzles given their track record.