# I want to axiomatize sudoku

by TylerH
Tags: axiomatize, sudoku
 P: 737 For an exercise, I want to axiomatize sudoku. I've came up with the definition of the sudoku puzzle in mathematical terms, as well as the definition of a solved puzzle. I'm have trouble going from there to draw theorems from my newly defined system. How does one generate theorems about an abstract system like this? My definition: Generalizing for an n^2 x n^2 sudoku puzzle: Let there be a matrix, A, of deminsions, n x n, such that each element is a matrix of deminsions, n x n. Let there be a set, S = {x exists in N, 1 <= x <= n^2}. The puzzle is solved iff every element of A contains exactly one of each member of S and for every i from 1 to n, the set of elements in A(i, j) for j from 1 to n contains exactly one of each member of S. Any suggestions on changes to the definition are also appreciated.
 Mentor P: 16,613 With a sudoku puzzle, we can associate a operation * as: $$*:\{1,...,n\}\times\{1,...,n\}\rightarrow \{1,...,n\}$$ such that k*l is the number in row k, column l. Thus the Cayley multiplication table of this operation is our Sudoku puzzle. An interesting thing to find out is what properties our * satisfies. For example, you can show that * is cancelative, that is: $$a*b=a*c~\Rightarrow~b=c$$ That's a theorem you can prove. Maybe you can search some other things that hold for our *...

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