Need help or a clue in my super fiendish sudoku puzzle please

[LindorDoubleChoc]

Been stuck on this one for days! Has anyone got a hint they can give me? I'm going to be VV embarrassed if it turns out to be something obvious 🤣

No you're wrong, @BIWI is right. The hidden triple is what it says, hidden. In the scenario you refer to the triple would be obvious, not hidden, if that 6 wasn't in the other square. The hidden part means that those 3 numbers, when looked at as a triple numbered entity, only appear 3 times in that square, even though the individual digits appear elsewhere.

No. The hidden part is that other numbers can also be in the squares with the triple. But the numbers in the triple cannot occur outside the three squares.

Even in the example on sudoku.com that @BIWI quoted, the numbers in the "triple" only occur in 3 squares.

Look - I've actually solved this puzzle. Have you @peekaboopumpkin?!

You've solved it because that square can either be a 6 or a 9, you've guessed 9 and luckily got it right. That's trial and error.

OK. Whatever.

Agree, if cells within any 9 have the same 3 options and only those 3 as options then you can scrub those numbers as options from the other 6. Same as you do if there is a pair of 2 as options within any 9, you know the other 7 can't be that pair of numbers.

For goodness sake, don't be so silly, why do you insist that what you say is right, when the hidden triple, as described on numerous sudoku websites, is as @BIWI says. Have you even looked at those websites and inwardly digested what they say about hidden triples or pairs? And have you actually solved it using logic, not guesswork?

I'm not being silly, I'm correct. Yes I have, I quoted another website. The three numbers in the "triple" have to be in exactly three squares. In this case, they occur across 4 squares.

The logic of the "triple" is that those three numbers can only occur in three squares, therefore you can remove all other possibilities from those three squares.
In this example, the 6 can occur in 4 squares, making the argument null and void.

Please can you explain, without further solving the puzzle and using trial and error, why the top right square cannot look like this?

C7R1 is 3 or 5, C9R1 is 3 or 5
C8R2 is 6 or 9 and C8R3 is 6 or 9

So have you actually solved the puzzle @peekaboopumpkin?

I haven’t solved this puzzle but I’ve just tried the hidden triple technique on another puzzle on the sudoku app I’ve got and I found a “hidden triple” as described above by BIWI etc and it gave me a suggested number for one of the other squares, because I could remove one of those 3 numbers. Bit it was wrong…

I've just had a go (ignoring the numbers you managed to put in OP) so starting from scratch.
I've now come to a halt and discovered I'm at exactly the same point that you were when you asked for help!

So will persevere...

Several clues on this thread @HighburyLass !

I'm at the same place as you @peekaboopumpkin. I cannot see how knowing that row 1 columns 7 and 9 can only be 3, 5 or 6 is helpful. It would be helpful if there was another square in that row or block with exactly the same three options and no other options. But there isn't.

Reading back for other comments now. Let's not argue everyone!

Let me know your next move @HighburyLass ! good luck.

I agree with peekaboo pumpkin, I don't think you can remove the 6 or 9 at that point with logic (even if you do get lucky...)

But please try my x -wing tip!

My pencil marks are exactly the same as Biwi's further down the thread, except the last square in row 5 can only be 3 or 6 (not 7).

BIWI think I might need to look at some of the pointers on this thread!

LindorDoubleChoc haven't managed another number yet but will keep you posted!

The last square in row 5 (column 9) is 3

BIWI I just followed your info re the top right box triple (356) and it was like a lightbulb moment! So thank you 😊

Your row 1 is wrong - column 4 is a 1, which is one of the given numbers. (Haven't looked at the rest!)

This is the correct way to solve it 😊

I've done an illustration on @BIWI helpful version

in order, you do blue, then yellow, then orange, then red. The red is the x-wing thing, the 4 can only go in the red circled boxes therefore all other 4s in those columns can go. You should be able to solve it from there.

Bollocks!

I mean bollocks I messed it up, not you're talking 😁