SudoQ -- a quantum variant of the popular game

TL;DR

SudoQ is a novel quantum adaptation of Sudoku where entries are projections, leading to a larger solution space, with a randomized algorithm for solving and conjectures linking quantum and classical solutions.

Contribution

The paper introduces SudoQ, a quantum version of Sudoku, and provides an algorithm for solving it along with conjectures connecting quantum and classical solutions.

Findings

Solution space of SudoQ is larger than classical Sudoku.

A randomized algorithm effectively computes SudoQ solutions.

Conjectures relate quantum solutions to classical counterparts, supported by evidence.

Abstract

We introduce SudoQ, a quantum version of the classical game Sudoku. Allowing the entries of the grid to be (non-commutative) projections instead of integers, the solution set of SudoQ puzzles can be much larger than in the classical (commutative) setting. We introduce and analyze a randomized algorithm for computing solutions of SudoQ puzzles. Finally, we state two important conjectures relating the quantum and the classical solutions of SudoQ puzzles, corroborated by analytical and numerical evidence.