In Sudoku, the mission is eliminating numbers that are unlikely to fit the empty spaces. While most people spend a lot of time trying to unravel the numbers that are supposed to fill the spaces, this should not be so. The game is quite clear; do not repeat the same number in a row or column. Therefore, you do not have to think too much.
For rookies, this might sound like an understatement. Hence, to make it easy for you, start with the simpler Sudoku puzzles. The best way to play the game is to find the right square to fit your numbers. Perhaps the best method you can use at the beginning of the game is ‘cross hatching’. For instance, find a specific number, which is missing in all the squares in the first row. Once you established the number and the row, you would have uncovered one clue.
Repeat the same thing with the first column for the puzzle. Again, do not enter the numbers in the squares having the number in question. Instead, find a square that does not have the number and include it there. The main advantage when using cross hatching, is that the moment you enter a particular number in its rightful box, the remaining numbers should come with ease.
Another neat method you can use in solving Sudoku is slicing and dicing. This is quite similar to cross hatching, only with a slight twist. The slicing and dicing method only changes the way you look at the squares you solve. For instance, by solving one box, you are solving the top, middle and lower box. This is because; solving one causes a chain reaction.
In any case, you can use both methods interchangeably in solving the whole puzzle. This will make the puzzle seem simple by changing your attitude and improving your chances of including all the missing numbers.