Largest smallest value in sudoku like puzzle
$begingroup$
In this post, a sudoku like math puzzle is proposed.
The grid must be filled while respecting a unique constraint : the sum of all $3times3$ sub-squares must equal $2019$.
It is not that difficult to complete the grid, and there are many different solutions. I have noticed empirically that in every solution, the smallest value (among all cells) is at most $4$.
Question : is there an algebraic reason for this ?
The grid is in the picture below.

Note : the statement is easy to prove with a linear solver. Solving the following problem shows that the largest smallest possible value is indeed $4$.
$$
max left{ min{ {x_{ij}} } right}
$$
subject to
$$
sum_{k=i}^{i+2}sum_{ell=j}^{j+2} x_{kell} = 2019 quad forall i,j = 1,...,5
$$
where $x_{ij}$ is the value in cell $(i,j)$.
combinatorics number-theory recreational-mathematics puzzle
$endgroup$
|
show 4 more comments
$begingroup$
In this post, a sudoku like math puzzle is proposed.
The grid must be filled while respecting a unique constraint : the sum of all $3times3$ sub-squares must equal $2019$.
It is not that difficult to complete the grid, and there are many different solutions. I have noticed empirically that in every solution, the smallest value (among all cells) is at most $4$.
Question : is there an algebraic reason for this ?
The grid is in the picture below.

Note : the statement is easy to prove with a linear solver. Solving the following problem shows that the largest smallest possible value is indeed $4$.
$$
max left{ min{ {x_{ij}} } right}
$$
subject to
$$
sum_{k=i}^{i+2}sum_{ell=j}^{j+2} x_{kell} = 2019 quad forall i,j = 1,...,5
$$
where $x_{ij}$ is the value in cell $(i,j)$.
combinatorics number-theory recreational-mathematics puzzle
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
Just to be clear; your observation is that there is always a number less than $5$?
$endgroup$
– Servaes
Dec 3 '18 at 9:12
$begingroup$
@Servaes : Yes exactly.
$endgroup$
– Kuifje
Dec 3 '18 at 9:13
2
$begingroup$
The number in middle cell of the bottom row is $4$. So the smallest value of any solution has to be at most $4$.
$endgroup$
– achille hui
Dec 3 '18 at 9:16
$begingroup$
Also just to be clear; all entries must be positive integers?
$endgroup$
– Servaes
Dec 3 '18 at 9:17
$begingroup$
@achillehui : aaaaa yes....of course. Thanks :) But how do you know another cell does not take value $3$ for example ?
$endgroup$
– Kuifje
Dec 3 '18 at 9:18
|
show 4 more comments
$begingroup$
In this post, a sudoku like math puzzle is proposed.
The grid must be filled while respecting a unique constraint : the sum of all $3times3$ sub-squares must equal $2019$.
It is not that difficult to complete the grid, and there are many different solutions. I have noticed empirically that in every solution, the smallest value (among all cells) is at most $4$.
Question : is there an algebraic reason for this ?
The grid is in the picture below.

Note : the statement is easy to prove with a linear solver. Solving the following problem shows that the largest smallest possible value is indeed $4$.
$$
max left{ min{ {x_{ij}} } right}
$$
subject to
$$
sum_{k=i}^{i+2}sum_{ell=j}^{j+2} x_{kell} = 2019 quad forall i,j = 1,...,5
$$
where $x_{ij}$ is the value in cell $(i,j)$.
combinatorics number-theory recreational-mathematics puzzle
$endgroup$
In this post, a sudoku like math puzzle is proposed.
The grid must be filled while respecting a unique constraint : the sum of all $3times3$ sub-squares must equal $2019$.
It is not that difficult to complete the grid, and there are many different solutions. I have noticed empirically that in every solution, the smallest value (among all cells) is at most $4$.
Question : is there an algebraic reason for this ?
The grid is in the picture below.

Note : the statement is easy to prove with a linear solver. Solving the following problem shows that the largest smallest possible value is indeed $4$.
$$
max left{ min{ {x_{ij}} } right}
$$
subject to
$$
sum_{k=i}^{i+2}sum_{ell=j}^{j+2} x_{kell} = 2019 quad forall i,j = 1,...,5
$$
where $x_{ij}$ is the value in cell $(i,j)$.
combinatorics number-theory recreational-mathematics puzzle
combinatorics number-theory recreational-mathematics puzzle
edited Dec 3 '18 at 9:16
Kuifje
asked Dec 3 '18 at 9:06
KuifjeKuifje
7,1302725
7,1302725
$begingroup$
Just to be clear; your observation is that there is always a number less than $5$?
$endgroup$
– Servaes
Dec 3 '18 at 9:12
$begingroup$
@Servaes : Yes exactly.
$endgroup$
– Kuifje
Dec 3 '18 at 9:13
2
$begingroup$
The number in middle cell of the bottom row is $4$. So the smallest value of any solution has to be at most $4$.
$endgroup$
– achille hui
Dec 3 '18 at 9:16
$begingroup$
Also just to be clear; all entries must be positive integers?
$endgroup$
– Servaes
Dec 3 '18 at 9:17
$begingroup$
@achillehui : aaaaa yes....of course. Thanks :) But how do you know another cell does not take value $3$ for example ?
$endgroup$
– Kuifje
Dec 3 '18 at 9:18
|
show 4 more comments
$begingroup$
Just to be clear; your observation is that there is always a number less than $5$?
$endgroup$
– Servaes
Dec 3 '18 at 9:12
$begingroup$
@Servaes : Yes exactly.
$endgroup$
– Kuifje
Dec 3 '18 at 9:13
2
$begingroup$
The number in middle cell of the bottom row is $4$. So the smallest value of any solution has to be at most $4$.
$endgroup$
– achille hui
Dec 3 '18 at 9:16
$begingroup$
Also just to be clear; all entries must be positive integers?
$endgroup$
– Servaes
Dec 3 '18 at 9:17
$begingroup$
@achillehui : aaaaa yes....of course. Thanks :) But how do you know another cell does not take value $3$ for example ?
$endgroup$
– Kuifje
Dec 3 '18 at 9:18
$begingroup$
Just to be clear; your observation is that there is always a number less than $5$?
$endgroup$
– Servaes
Dec 3 '18 at 9:12
$begingroup$
Just to be clear; your observation is that there is always a number less than $5$?
$endgroup$
– Servaes
Dec 3 '18 at 9:12
$begingroup$
@Servaes : Yes exactly.
$endgroup$
– Kuifje
Dec 3 '18 at 9:13
$begingroup$
@Servaes : Yes exactly.
$endgroup$
– Kuifje
Dec 3 '18 at 9:13
2
2
$begingroup$
The number in middle cell of the bottom row is $4$. So the smallest value of any solution has to be at most $4$.
$endgroup$
– achille hui
Dec 3 '18 at 9:16
$begingroup$
The number in middle cell of the bottom row is $4$. So the smallest value of any solution has to be at most $4$.
$endgroup$
– achille hui
Dec 3 '18 at 9:16
$begingroup$
Also just to be clear; all entries must be positive integers?
$endgroup$
– Servaes
Dec 3 '18 at 9:17
$begingroup$
Also just to be clear; all entries must be positive integers?
$endgroup$
– Servaes
Dec 3 '18 at 9:17
$begingroup$
@achillehui : aaaaa yes....of course. Thanks :) But how do you know another cell does not take value $3$ for example ?
$endgroup$
– Kuifje
Dec 3 '18 at 9:18
$begingroup$
@achillehui : aaaaa yes....of course. Thanks :) But how do you know another cell does not take value $3$ for example ?
$endgroup$
– Kuifje
Dec 3 '18 at 9:18
|
show 4 more comments
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
fleablood's answer to the previous question fills in some more cells. Labelling the remaining ones with variables we get $$begin{matrix}10 & a_{12} & a_{13} & 8 & a_{15} & a_{16} & 11 \
a_{21} & a_{22} & a_{23} & a_{24} & a_{25} & a_{26} & a_{27} \
a_{31} & a_{32} & a_{33} & a_{34} & a_{35} & a_{36} & a_{37} \
7 & a_{42} & a_{43} & 5 & a_{45} & a_{46} & 8 \
a_{51} & a_{52} & a_{53} & a_{54} & a_{55} & a_{56} & a_{57} \
a_{61} & a_{62} & a_{63} & a_{64} & a_{65} & a_{66} & a_{67} \
6 & a_{72} & a_{73} & 4 & a_{75} & a_{76} & 7end{matrix}$$
Then the constraints on the 3x3 subsquares give 25 0-1 linear equations, each involving 8 unknowns, and there are 40 unknowns in total so the system is very underdetermined. Write them all out as a matrix, perform row reduction, and some rows drop out as linear combinations of others, leaving 21 rows in row-reduced echelon form, many of which are the original constraints. The simpler equations relate pairs: e.g. $a_{21} + a_{31} + 2 = a_{24} + a_{34}$. But none of the remaining unknowns is determined, and there's nothing stopping them all from being approximately $frac{2000}{8} = 250$. For example, working by hand with one particular rref filling in 250s where not otherwise constrained I get a solution
$$begin{matrix}10 & 246 & 250 & 8 & 246 & 250 & 11 \
251 & 262 & 250 & 253 & 262 & 250 & 250 \
250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 \
7 & 249 & 250 & 5 & 249 & 250 & 8 \
251 & 262 & 250 & 253 & 262 & 250 & 250 \
250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 \
6 & 250 & 250 & 4 & 250 & 250 & 7end{matrix}$$
$endgroup$
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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$begingroup$
fleablood's answer to the previous question fills in some more cells. Labelling the remaining ones with variables we get $$begin{matrix}10 & a_{12} & a_{13} & 8 & a_{15} & a_{16} & 11 \
a_{21} & a_{22} & a_{23} & a_{24} & a_{25} & a_{26} & a_{27} \
a_{31} & a_{32} & a_{33} & a_{34} & a_{35} & a_{36} & a_{37} \
7 & a_{42} & a_{43} & 5 & a_{45} & a_{46} & 8 \
a_{51} & a_{52} & a_{53} & a_{54} & a_{55} & a_{56} & a_{57} \
a_{61} & a_{62} & a_{63} & a_{64} & a_{65} & a_{66} & a_{67} \
6 & a_{72} & a_{73} & 4 & a_{75} & a_{76} & 7end{matrix}$$
Then the constraints on the 3x3 subsquares give 25 0-1 linear equations, each involving 8 unknowns, and there are 40 unknowns in total so the system is very underdetermined. Write them all out as a matrix, perform row reduction, and some rows drop out as linear combinations of others, leaving 21 rows in row-reduced echelon form, many of which are the original constraints. The simpler equations relate pairs: e.g. $a_{21} + a_{31} + 2 = a_{24} + a_{34}$. But none of the remaining unknowns is determined, and there's nothing stopping them all from being approximately $frac{2000}{8} = 250$. For example, working by hand with one particular rref filling in 250s where not otherwise constrained I get a solution
$$begin{matrix}10 & 246 & 250 & 8 & 246 & 250 & 11 \
251 & 262 & 250 & 253 & 262 & 250 & 250 \
250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 \
7 & 249 & 250 & 5 & 249 & 250 & 8 \
251 & 262 & 250 & 253 & 262 & 250 & 250 \
250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 \
6 & 250 & 250 & 4 & 250 & 250 & 7end{matrix}$$
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
fleablood's answer to the previous question fills in some more cells. Labelling the remaining ones with variables we get $$begin{matrix}10 & a_{12} & a_{13} & 8 & a_{15} & a_{16} & 11 \
a_{21} & a_{22} & a_{23} & a_{24} & a_{25} & a_{26} & a_{27} \
a_{31} & a_{32} & a_{33} & a_{34} & a_{35} & a_{36} & a_{37} \
7 & a_{42} & a_{43} & 5 & a_{45} & a_{46} & 8 \
a_{51} & a_{52} & a_{53} & a_{54} & a_{55} & a_{56} & a_{57} \
a_{61} & a_{62} & a_{63} & a_{64} & a_{65} & a_{66} & a_{67} \
6 & a_{72} & a_{73} & 4 & a_{75} & a_{76} & 7end{matrix}$$
Then the constraints on the 3x3 subsquares give 25 0-1 linear equations, each involving 8 unknowns, and there are 40 unknowns in total so the system is very underdetermined. Write them all out as a matrix, perform row reduction, and some rows drop out as linear combinations of others, leaving 21 rows in row-reduced echelon form, many of which are the original constraints. The simpler equations relate pairs: e.g. $a_{21} + a_{31} + 2 = a_{24} + a_{34}$. But none of the remaining unknowns is determined, and there's nothing stopping them all from being approximately $frac{2000}{8} = 250$. For example, working by hand with one particular rref filling in 250s where not otherwise constrained I get a solution
$$begin{matrix}10 & 246 & 250 & 8 & 246 & 250 & 11 \
251 & 262 & 250 & 253 & 262 & 250 & 250 \
250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 \
7 & 249 & 250 & 5 & 249 & 250 & 8 \
251 & 262 & 250 & 253 & 262 & 250 & 250 \
250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 \
6 & 250 & 250 & 4 & 250 & 250 & 7end{matrix}$$
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
fleablood's answer to the previous question fills in some more cells. Labelling the remaining ones with variables we get $$begin{matrix}10 & a_{12} & a_{13} & 8 & a_{15} & a_{16} & 11 \
a_{21} & a_{22} & a_{23} & a_{24} & a_{25} & a_{26} & a_{27} \
a_{31} & a_{32} & a_{33} & a_{34} & a_{35} & a_{36} & a_{37} \
7 & a_{42} & a_{43} & 5 & a_{45} & a_{46} & 8 \
a_{51} & a_{52} & a_{53} & a_{54} & a_{55} & a_{56} & a_{57} \
a_{61} & a_{62} & a_{63} & a_{64} & a_{65} & a_{66} & a_{67} \
6 & a_{72} & a_{73} & 4 & a_{75} & a_{76} & 7end{matrix}$$
Then the constraints on the 3x3 subsquares give 25 0-1 linear equations, each involving 8 unknowns, and there are 40 unknowns in total so the system is very underdetermined. Write them all out as a matrix, perform row reduction, and some rows drop out as linear combinations of others, leaving 21 rows in row-reduced echelon form, many of which are the original constraints. The simpler equations relate pairs: e.g. $a_{21} + a_{31} + 2 = a_{24} + a_{34}$. But none of the remaining unknowns is determined, and there's nothing stopping them all from being approximately $frac{2000}{8} = 250$. For example, working by hand with one particular rref filling in 250s where not otherwise constrained I get a solution
$$begin{matrix}10 & 246 & 250 & 8 & 246 & 250 & 11 \
251 & 262 & 250 & 253 & 262 & 250 & 250 \
250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 \
7 & 249 & 250 & 5 & 249 & 250 & 8 \
251 & 262 & 250 & 253 & 262 & 250 & 250 \
250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 \
6 & 250 & 250 & 4 & 250 & 250 & 7end{matrix}$$
$endgroup$
fleablood's answer to the previous question fills in some more cells. Labelling the remaining ones with variables we get $$begin{matrix}10 & a_{12} & a_{13} & 8 & a_{15} & a_{16} & 11 \
a_{21} & a_{22} & a_{23} & a_{24} & a_{25} & a_{26} & a_{27} \
a_{31} & a_{32} & a_{33} & a_{34} & a_{35} & a_{36} & a_{37} \
7 & a_{42} & a_{43} & 5 & a_{45} & a_{46} & 8 \
a_{51} & a_{52} & a_{53} & a_{54} & a_{55} & a_{56} & a_{57} \
a_{61} & a_{62} & a_{63} & a_{64} & a_{65} & a_{66} & a_{67} \
6 & a_{72} & a_{73} & 4 & a_{75} & a_{76} & 7end{matrix}$$
Then the constraints on the 3x3 subsquares give 25 0-1 linear equations, each involving 8 unknowns, and there are 40 unknowns in total so the system is very underdetermined. Write them all out as a matrix, perform row reduction, and some rows drop out as linear combinations of others, leaving 21 rows in row-reduced echelon form, many of which are the original constraints. The simpler equations relate pairs: e.g. $a_{21} + a_{31} + 2 = a_{24} + a_{34}$. But none of the remaining unknowns is determined, and there's nothing stopping them all from being approximately $frac{2000}{8} = 250$. For example, working by hand with one particular rref filling in 250s where not otherwise constrained I get a solution
$$begin{matrix}10 & 246 & 250 & 8 & 246 & 250 & 11 \
251 & 262 & 250 & 253 & 262 & 250 & 250 \
250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 \
7 & 249 & 250 & 5 & 249 & 250 & 8 \
251 & 262 & 250 & 253 & 262 & 250 & 250 \
250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 & 250 \
6 & 250 & 250 & 4 & 250 & 250 & 7end{matrix}$$
answered Dec 3 '18 at 10:27
Peter TaylorPeter Taylor
8,80312341
8,80312341
add a comment |
add a comment |
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$begingroup$
Just to be clear; your observation is that there is always a number less than $5$?
$endgroup$
– Servaes
Dec 3 '18 at 9:12
$begingroup$
@Servaes : Yes exactly.
$endgroup$
– Kuifje
Dec 3 '18 at 9:13
2
$begingroup$
The number in middle cell of the bottom row is $4$. So the smallest value of any solution has to be at most $4$.
$endgroup$
– achille hui
Dec 3 '18 at 9:16
$begingroup$
Also just to be clear; all entries must be positive integers?
$endgroup$
– Servaes
Dec 3 '18 at 9:17
$begingroup$
@achillehui : aaaaa yes....of course. Thanks :) But how do you know another cell does not take value $3$ for example ?
$endgroup$
– Kuifje
Dec 3 '18 at 9:18