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Sudoku solver: Backtracking with recursion. Program in C.
Source code and explanations.

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 • Code
 • Objective
 • Execution
 • Principle of solution
 • What kinds of puzzles are solved?
 • Compilation
 • General information

 Code 


/************
SUDOKU SOLVER
BACKTRACKING
March 2013
*************/


#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
/* Size of the sub-squares also called "blocks", "boxes", "regions" */
#define MIN 3
/* Size of the large square also called "grid" */
#define MAX 9
/* Return code functions */
#define FALSE 0
#define TRUE 1

char grid[MAX][MAX]; /* The grid */
long int g_test_counter; /* Test counter */
int g_display_flag; /* Flag for displaying set by the option -a */
/********/
int main(int argc, char *argv[]);
int display_parameter(char t[]);
/**** INPUTS AND CHECKS ****/
int input_grid(void);
int input_a_line(int row);
int check_input_grid(void);
int check_input_rows(void);
int check_input_a_row(int row);
int check_input_columns(void);
int check_input_a_column(int col);
int check_input_sub_squares(void);
int check_input_a_sub_square(int sub_square);
void trans_sub_square(char buffer[], int sub_square);
/**** RESOLUTION ****/
void resolve(void);
int free_cell_for_number(int number, int row, int col);
void trans_sub_square_of_cell(char buffer[], int row, int col);
/**** MISCELLANEOUS ****/
void display_grid_waiting(void);
void display_grid(void);
void display_string(int number);
int finished_grid(void);
void waiting(void);

/******/
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
/******/
{
.   /* Display option in resolve() function. */
.   g_display_flag = ((argc >= 2) && (display_parameter(argv[1])));
.   /**********/
.   printf("\n******* SUDOKU *******\n\n");
.   printf("The option sudoku -a displays the solution step by step.\n\n");
.   printf("Enter %d lines of %d digits.\n", MAX, MAX);
.   printf("Numbers may be separated by any character.\n");
.   printf("Tuck a 0 for each blank.\n");
.   printf("To exit the sudoku program, confirm with the letter Q.\n\n");
.   while (input_grid()) {
.   .   g_test_counter = 0;
.   .   resolve();
.   .   display_grid();
.   .   if (! finished_grid()) printf("Wrong problem...\n");
.   .   printf("Tests: %ld\n\n", g_test_counter);
.   }/* end while */
.   printf("\n");
.   return 0;
}

/*******************/
int display_parameter(char t[])
/*******************/
{
.   /* Return TRUE if the user has typed an application with a display option
.   in the form: a, A, or /a, /A, or -a, -A, etc ... otherwise return FALSE. */

.   char param;
.   if (strlen(t) == 1) param = t[0];
.   else if (strlen(t) == 2) param = t[1];
.   else param = 0;
.   return ((param == 'A') || (param == 'a'));
}/* end display_parameter */

/***************************/
/**** INPUTS AND CHECKS ****/
/***************************/

/************/
int input_grid(void)
/************/
{/* User inputs 9 lines of 9 digits. */
.   int row;
.   printf("Enter your Sudoku puzzle: \n");
.   while (TRUE){
.   .   for (row = 0; row < MAX; row++){
.   .   .   if (! input_a_line(row)) return (FALSE);
.   .   }/* end for */
.   .   printf("\nSudoku problem: \n");
.   .   display_grid();
.   .   if (check_input_grid()) return(TRUE);
.   .   else printf("\n");
.   }/* end while */
}/* input_grid */

/**************/
int input_a_line(int row)
/**************/
{
/* The user must enter a line from 0 to 9 digits
separated or not by one or more characters.
Only the first 9 digits are retained.
The most practical: Numerical keypad and
put a point after every 3rd number.
Avoid using gets() because of overflows.
In this case, remember to completely empty the buffer. */

.   int c, i;
.   int col = 0;
.   int result = TRUE;
.   /* Reset to zero of the cells in the row. */
.   for (i = 0; i < MAX; i++) {
.   .   grid[row][i] = 0;
.   }/* for */
.   /*******/
.   printf("row %d : ", row+1);
.   while(TRUE){
.   .   c = fgetc(stdin);
.   .   if (c == feof(stdin) || c == 0x0A) return result;
.   .   else if ((c == 'Q') || (c == 'q')) result = FALSE;
.   .   /* Transfer the keyboard input line into the row of the grid. */
.   .   else if ( (result) && (col < MAX) && (c >= '0') && (c <= '9')) {
.   .   .   grid[row][col++] = c-48;
.   .   }/*end if */
.   }/* end while */
}/*end input_a_line */

/******************/
int check_input_grid(void)
/******************/
{/* Check whether any duplicate throughout the grid. */
.   int result = TRUE;
.   if (! check_input_rows()) result = FALSE;
.   if (! check_input_columns()) result = FALSE;
.   if (! check_input_sub_squares()) result = FALSE;
.   return result;
}/* end check_input_grid */

/******************/
int check_input_rows(void)
/******************/
{/* Checks if no duplicate into the rows. */
.   int row;
.   int result = TRUE;
.   for (row = 0; row < MAX; row++) {
.   .   if (! check_input_a_row(row)) result = FALSE;
.   }/* end for */
.   return result;
}/* end check_input_rows */

/*******************/
int check_input_a_row(int row)
/*******************/
{/* Checks if no duplicate into the row. */
.   int i,j;
.   for (i = 0; i < MAX-1; i++) {
.   .   if ( grid[row][i] == 0 ) continue;
.   .   for (j = i+1; j < MAX; j++) {
.   .   .   if (grid[row][i] == grid[row][j]) {
.   .   .   .   printf("Error row %d: equal numbers\n", row+1);
.   .   .   .   return FALSE;
.   .   .   }/* end if */
.   .   }/* end for j */
.   }/* end for i */
.   return TRUE;
}/* end check_input_a_row */

/*********************/
int check_input_columns(void)
/*********************/
{/* Checks if no duplicate into the columns. */
.   int col;
.   int result = TRUE;
.   for (col = 0; col < MAX; col++) {
.   .   if (! check_input_a_column(col)) result = FALSE;
.   }/* end for */
.   return result;
}/* end check_input_columns */

/**********************/
int check_input_a_column(int col)
/**********************/
{/* Checks if no duplicate into the column. */
.   int i, j;
.   for (i = 0; i < MAX-1; i++) {
.   .   if ( grid[i][col] == 0 ) continue;
.   .   for (j = i+1; j < MAX; j++) {
.   .   .   if (grid[i][col] == grid[j][col]) {
.   .   .   .   printf("Error column %d: equal numbers\n", col+1);
.   .   .   .   return FALSE;
.   .   .   }/* end if */
.   .   }/* end for j */
.   }/* end for i */
.   return TRUE;
}/* end check_input_a_column */

/*************************/
int check_input_sub_squares(void)
/*************************/
{/* Checks if no duplicate into the sub-squares of 3 x 3. */
.   int sub_square;
.   int result = TRUE;
.   for (sub_square = 0; sub_square < MAX; sub_square++) {
.   .   if (! check_input_a_sub_square(sub_square)) result = FALSE;
.   }/* end for */
.   return result;
}/* end check_input_sub_squares */

/**************************/
int check_input_a_sub_square(int sub_square)
/**************************/
{/* Checks if no duplicate into the sub-square of 3 x 3. */
.   char buffer[MAX+10];
.   int i, j;
.   trans_sub_square(buffer, sub_square);
.   for (i = 0; i < MAX-1; i++) {
.   .   if (buffer[i] == 0 ) continue;
.   .   for (j = i+1; j < MAX; j++) {
.   .   .   if (buffer[i] == buffer[j]) {
.   .   .   .   printf("Error sub-square %d: equal numbers\n", sub_square+1);
.   .   .   .   return FALSE;
.   .   .   }/* end if */
.   .   }/* end for j */
.   }/* end for i */
.   return TRUE;
}/* end check_input_a_sub_square */

/*******************/
void trans_sub_square(char buffer[], int sub_square)
/*******************/
{/* Transfer the sub-square of 3 x 3 into a one-dimensional array. */
.   int i,j, x,y,z;
.   x = (((sub_square) % MIN)*MIN);
.   y = (((sub_square+MIN) / MIN)*MIN)-MIN;
.   z = 0;
.   for (j = y; j < y+MIN; j++) {
.   .   for (i = x; i < x+MIN; i++) {
.   .   .   buffer[z++] = grid[j][i];
.   .   }/* end for i */
.   }/* end for j */
}/* end trans_sub_square */

/********************/
/**** RESOLUTION ****/
/********************/

/**********/
void resolve(void)
/**********/
{/* Attention, recursive function... */
.   int row, col, number, buffer_number;
.   for (row = 0; row < MAX; row++) {
.   .   for (col = 0; col < MAX; col++) {
.   .   .   if (grid[row][col]) continue;
.   .   .   for (number = 1; number <= MAX; number++) {
.   .   .   .   if (! free_cell_for_number(number, row, col)) continue;
.   .   .   .   buffer_number = grid[row][col];
.   .   .   .   grid[row][col] = number;
.   .   .   .   g_test_counter++;
.   .   .   .   if (g_display_flag) display_grid_waiting();
.   .   .   .   resolve();
.   .   .   .   if (finished_grid()) return;
.   .   .   .   /* To see all the solutions of the grids
.   .   .   .   with multiple solutions,
.   .   .   .   switch the line above as a comment and
.   .   .   .   remove the comment command of the line below. */

.   .   .   .   /* if (finished_grid()) display_grid_waiting(); */
.   .   .   .   grid[row][col] = buffer_number;
.   .   .   }/* end for number */
.   .   .   return;
.   .   }/* end for col */
.   }/* end for row */
.   return;
}/* end resolve */

/**********************/
int free_cell_for_number(int number, int row, int col)
/**********************/
{
/* Test if the number is already in
the line, or the column, or the sub-square of 3 X 3
afferent at the cell pointed to by line and column. */

.   char buffer[MAX+10];
.   int i;
.   /* If the number is used in the line return FALSE */
.   for (i = 0; i < MAX; i++) if (grid[row][i] == number) return(FALSE);
.   /* If the number is used in the column return FALSE */
.   for (i = 0; i < MAX; i++) if (grid[i][col] == number) return(FALSE);
.   /* If the number is used in the sub-square of 3 X 3 return FALSE */
.   trans_sub_square_of_cell(buffer, row, col);
.   for (i = 0; i < MAX; i++) if (buffer[i] == number) return (FALSE);
.   /* whereby the number is available for the cell, return TRUE. */
.   return(TRUE);
}/* end free_cell_for_number */

/***************************/
void trans_sub_square_of_cell(char buffer[], int row, int col)
/***************************/
/* Transfer the sub-square of 3 x 3 of
the cell into a one-dimensional array. */

{
.   int i, j, k;
.   while ((row % MIN) != 0) row--;
.   while ((col % MIN) != 0) col--;
.   k = 0;
.   for (j = row; j < row+MIN; j++) {
.   .   for (i = col; i < col+MIN; i++) {
.   .   .   buffer[++k] = grid[j][i];
.   .   }/* end for i */
.   }/* end for j */
}/* end trans_sub_square_of_cell */

/***********************/
/**** MISCELLANEOUS ****/
/***********************/

/***********************/
void display_grid_waiting(void)
/***********************/
{/* Display the grid with wait for the enter key on the keybord. */
.   display_grid();
.   printf("%ld, hit the enter key for continuation.", g_test_counter);
.   waiting();
}/* display_grid_waiting */

/***************/
void display_grid(void)
/***************/
{/* Display the grid. */
.   int row, col;
.   for (row = 0; row < MAX; row++) {
.   .   for (col = 0; col < MAX; col++) {
.   .   .   printf(" %1d ", grid[row][col]);
.   .   .   if ( ((col % MIN) == MIN-1) && (col < MAX-1) ) {
.   .   .   .   printf(" | ");
.   .   .   }
.   .   }/* end for col */
.   .   printf("\n");
.   .   if ( ((row % MIN) == MIN-1) && (row < MAX-1) ) {
.   .   .   display_string(33);
.   .   }
.   }/* end for row */
.   printf("\n");
}/* end display_grid */

/*****************/
void display_string(int number)
/*****************/
{/* Displays a sequence of asterisk character. */
.   int i;
.   for (i = 1; i <= number; i++) {
.   .   printf("*");
.   }
.   printf("\n");
}/* end display_string */

/****************/
int finished_grid(void)
/****************/
/* Test if the grid is finished.
Return TRUE if grid completed, otherwise return FALSE.
Begins with the end of the grid,
this one being completed by its beginning. */

{
.   int row, col;
.   for (row = MAX-1; row >= 0; row--) {
.   .   for (col = MAX-1; col >= 0; col--) {
.   .   .   if (grid[row][col] == 0 ) {
.   .   .   .   return FALSE;
.   .   .   }
.   .   }/* end for col */
.   }/* end for row */
.   return TRUE;
}/* end finished_grid */

/**********/
void waiting(void)
/**********/
{/* Wait for the enter key on the keybord. */
.   char c;
.   while(TRUE){
.   .   c = fgetc(stdin);
.   .   if (c == feof(stdin) || c == 0x0A) return;
.   }/* end while */
}/* end waiting */

 Objective 

The objective of this program is to resolve a sudoku puzzle in backtracking.
The core of this method is the recursive function resolve() of around 20 lines along with 5 lines of the function free_cell_for_number().
These 25 lines are at the core of the system, the rest is mainly reserved for input and verification.

 Execution 

The sudoku solver program runs in command line mode.
  >sudoku.exe (under Windows DOS emulation).
  $./sudoku (under linux).

The user inputs his sudoku problem.
The input is reduced to its simplest expression. 9 lines of 9 digits are validated. Each digit can be separated by one or more characters. The simplest example in keypad:
  060.104.050 [ Enter ]
  008.305.600 [ Enter ] etc ...
The user enters a zero for empty squares. [Ctrl C] or a line containing the letter "q" causes the program to quit.

The software displays the sudoku problem, verifies its coherence, processes it and displays the solution. The processing time is almost instantaneous for sudoku grids accepting one or more solutions. Execution time may last many minutes for sudoku puzzles having no solution.

The option [ -a ] displays the grid each time a number is assigned to a cell. It is enough to enter the name of the program followed by a space and the expression "-a".
  >sudoku.exe -a (under windows)
  $./sudoku -a (under linux)
Then the user hits the "Enter" key or holds it pressed to continue processing and display of the solution step by step.

 Principle of solution 

Recursive method:
The resolve() function finds the first free cell. Then the free cell seeks the next available number as a solution.
If there is a number available:
 • The number is assigned to the cell.
 • The function calls itself, stacking. So the program will pass to the following free cell.
Otherwise:
 • The function returns on itself, unstacking. Thus the program will pass on to the preceding free cell, which will seek the next available number as a solution.

 What kinds of problems are solved ? 

The sudoku solver program solves:
 • Any correct and complete sudoku puzzle, ie accepting only one solution.
 • Any correct and incomplete sudoku puzzle, even an empty grid, ie accepting several possible solutions.
By changing two lines in the resolve() function, see comments, the program can find the follow on solutions related to the problem.

 Compilation 

Compile in C mode. It is not necessary to compile in c++.

This program has been compiled and tested with gcc under Linux and Windows.

Example compile command on Windows:
gcc -Wall sudoku.c -o sudoku.exe

Example compile command on Linux:
gcc -Wall sudoku.c -o sudoku

We recommend the following command:
gcc -Wall -O3 -s -ansi -pedantic sudoku.c -o sudoku
  -Wall : Message alert, such as an unused variable.
  -O3 : Optimization of the code for the speed of execution. The size of the generated code is greater. The execution time is faster and can be divided by five according to the problems.
  -s : Removes debugging code so it will be shorter.
  -ansi and -pedantic : Verify the standardization of code and thus increase the portability.

For a maximum of standardization only the system functions: printf(), fgetc() and strlen() are used.

 General information 

Sudoku is based on the principles of "constraint programming", so its resolution iis of great interest to data processing specialists.

The Programming by Constraint has become essential to managing many complex problems in research and industry. For example:
 • Planning school timetables.
 • Improving airline company routes.
 • Optimizing delivery vehicle routes.
 • Planning the factory production line of a series of products.
 • Dividing the band-widths between web servers.

The solution of a sudoku is the prime example of « Programming by constraint » . For this raison it appears early on as a teaching exercise in analysis an programming.