Solving Sudoku with Python-Constraint: A Creative Approach to Constraint Satisfaction
The $python-constraint$ library is a powerful tool for solving constraint satisfaction problems (CSPs) in Python.
It allows you to define variables, domains, and constraints, then finds solutions that satisfy all the constraints.
While the basic usage is straightforward, here are some unconventional or “curious” ways to use $python$-$constraint$ that showcase its flexibility.
Sudoku Solver
You can use $python$-$constraint$ to solve a $Sudoku$ $puzzle$, which is a fun and challenging constraint satisfaction problem.
Here, each cell in the $Sudoku$ grid is treated as a variable, and the constraints ensure that each row, column, and $3 \times 3$ sub-grid contains unique numbers.
1 | from constraint import Problem, AllDifferentConstraint |
Output
[Output]
1 | [7, 3, 6, 4, 2, 1, 9, 8, 5] |
The result is a solution to a $Sudoku$ $puzzle$, represented as a $9 \times 9$ grid where each row is listed in sequence.
Let’s analyze the result in the context of $Sudoku$ rules.
Sudoku Rules Recap:
- Rows:
Each row must contain the digits $1$ to $9$ without repetition. - Columns:
Each column must contain the digits $1$ to $9$ without repetition. - 3x3 Sub-Grids:
Each of the nine $3 \times 3$ sub-grids must contain the digits $1$ to $9$ without repetition.
Explanation of the Result:
The grid you provided follows the standard format of a $Sudoku$ $puzzle$ solution.
Each list corresponds to a row in the grid, from top to bottom.
- Row 1:
[7, 3, 6, 4, 2, 1, 9, 8, 5]
- Row 2:
[9, 8, 4, 5, 6, 7, 3, 2, 1]
- Row 3:
[5, 1, 2, 9, 8, 3, 7, 6, 4]
- Row 4:
[8, 5, 9, 3, 4, 6, 2, 1, 7]
- Row 5:
[2, 6, 7, 8, 1, 9, 5, 4, 3]
- Row 6:
[1, 4, 3, 7, 5, 2, 8, 9, 6]
- Row 7:
[6, 9, 5, 2, 7, 4, 1, 3, 8]
- Row 8:
[4, 2, 8, 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9]
- Row 9:
[3, 7, 1, 6, 9, 8, 4, 5, 2]
Validation:
- Rows:
Each row contains the digits $1$ to $9$ without any duplicates. - Columns:
By inspecting each vertical slice (not shown explicitly), each column also contains the digits $1$ to $9$ without any duplicates. - Sub-Grids:
The $3 \times 3$ sub-grids (e.g., top-left $3 \times 3$, top-middle $3 \times 3$, etc.) contain all digits from $1$ to $9$ without repetition.
Conclusion:
This grid appears to be a valid solution to the $Sudoku$ $puzzle$.
It satisfies all the constraints of the game, ensuring that each row, column, and sub-grid contains the digits $1$ to $9$ without any repetition.