Solving a Medium Level Sudoku Puzzle: X Wings, Locked Candidates, and Matching Pairs

E9: Here is another Medium level Sudoku puzzle from the New York Times. The puzzle can be solved using strategies such as an x-wing, locked candidates, and matching pairs, OR just use good old fashioned logic. I'll be posting one more medium level "solve with me" as Episode 10 (E10) and then I'll move on to hard level puzzles. If I go too fast (I tried to slow down) then just pause the video or rewind. I hope you try this puzzle yourself!
You can copy the numbers into an empty Sudoku grid and then solve along with me. Thanks for watching!

[@SmartHobbies]

Nice logical solve of a medium puzzle. I like how you explain and use Snyder notation as well as when to put candidates in the center of the cell vs. the corners. Thanks for sharing.

[@LearnSomethingNewEveryDay]

Thanks Smart Hobbies, I appreciate it!

[@kaykayb3413]

Thank you for your videos!

[@Toqueville2023]

You an excellent rational mind..!

[@georgesthibaudeau1533]

Well solved using the Snyder notation system. Since I like to do this kind of puzzle without notations, I found it interesting to see how differently we may come to the same result. The most striking example is how the naked 1 was found in box 9. At a stage where my given digits were exactly the same as yours, I noted that the 5247 in the middle columns of boxes 3 and 6 converged into box 9 as a quadruple on either flanks of the box, leaving only r9c8 as a free cell for a 1.

[@rosieyh]

Thank you so much for the video 😍😍

[@LearnSomethingNewEveryDay]

My pleasure 😊

[@birchandghoshdastidar1322]

I got a UR to generate #2 in Block 7 and I could solve comfortably even after restricting the notations.

[@alisheahight2268]

Where can I find and download the dataset in your excel videos?

[@sarvamj599]

I am something better watching you. Thanks

[@LearnSomethingNewEveryDay]

Glad to hear that, thank you!