Sudoku as a special transportation problem

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel approach to solving Sudoku puzzles by formulating them as a special transportation problem, enabling solutions with multiple solutions while maintaining constraints and adjusting cost matrices.

Contribution

The paper presents a new formulation of Sudoku as a transportation problem, allowing flexible solutions and cost adjustments, which is a novel perspective in puzzle solving methods.

Findings

Allows solving Sudoku with multiple solutions

Enables changing solutions by adjusting cost matrices

Maintains fixed puzzle constraints

Abstract

Sudoku is a popular combinatorial puzzle. A new method of solving Sudoku is presented, which involves formulating a puzzle as a special type of transportation problem. This model allows one to solve puzzles with more than one solution, keeping the constraints of the problem fixed, and simply changing a cost matrix between solutions.