# Historical figure sudoku

This sudoku hides a famous person from the past. A solution will be accepted if the sudoku is solved (with steps to solve).

The letters used are: abceloprt (in alphabetical order).

PS. Accidentally, there is also a bonus historical figure in the middle (not diagonally).

• Without bothering with the Sudoku, is it a friend of Mark Antony? Aug 24 '16 at 18:16
• It might be. :) Aug 24 '16 at 18:28
• There should be an alphabetical-sudokus tag, considering I've done one recently too Aug 24 '16 at 18:36
• @BeastlyGerbil I think that the term is [wordoku]... Aug 24 '16 at 19:06
• @Mithrandir, well I just created the alphaduko tag but guess that could be a synonym Aug 24 '16 at 19:21

Per OP's request, here is a full solution with logical steps (except the very end, because it's too trivial to bother writing out). "Steps" uppercase-"S" are broken semi-arbitrarily at when all of a letter had been placed. Pictures are clickable to show a less-compressed version.

I use the standard coordinate system. B/R/C indicators are uppercased and letters to be placed in the grid are lowercased. “HS” means “hidden single”, “LB” means “last blank”, and “NS” means “naked single”.

Step 1:

Place all "l"s: R2 HS in R2C2, B2 HS in R1C4, R5 HS in R5C6, B6 HS in R6C7, B7 HS in R8C3.

Step 2:

Place all "b"s: R3 HS in R3C2, C7 HS in R4C7, B5 HS in R6C4, B8 HS in R8C5, B9 HS in R9C8.

Step 2.5:

Finishing off R5 in preparation for Step 3: "r" HS in R5C2 (B2 has its "r" in C5), "t" HS in R5C8, "p" LB in R5C5.

Step 3:

Place all "p"s: B1 HS in R1C2, B8 HS in R8C6, B9 HS in R7C8, B6 HS in R4C9, B4: HS in R6C3.

Step 4:

Place all "t"s: B3 HS in R3C9, B4 HS in R4C2, B9 HS in R7C7, B7 HS in R8C1, B8 HS in R9C4.

Step 4.5:

Finish B6 and place an "r" to prepare for Step 5: B6's "c" HS in R6C8 (B5 has its "c" in R4), B6's "e" LB in R4C8, B7's "r" HS in R9C3.

Step 5:

Place all "e"s: C3 HS in R3C3, C9 HS in R2C9, B2 HS in R1C5, B8 HS in R9C6, R7 HS in R7C1, C2 HS in R6C2.

Step 6:

Place all "a"s: C8 NS in R1C8 (B3's "r" must be in C7), B1 HS in R2C1, B8 HS in R8C4, B9 HS in R9C9, C3 LB in R4C3, B5 HS in R6C6, R3 HS in R3C5.

Step 7:

Place all "c"s: B1 LB in R1C1, R3 HS in R3C4, C7 HS in R2C7, B5 HS in R4C5, R9 LB in R9C2, C9 LB in R8C9.

Solution:

Place all "o"s and "r"s with trivial hidden singles.

As previous answers have pointed out, the historical figure along the diagonal is

"CLEOPATRA" and the bonus is "PLATO" (R5C5-9)

Cleopatra

And the bonus is Plato ;)

• Now if only you explain how you solved the sudoku. :) And if you name the other accidental historical figure - unfortunately, can't give bonus upvotes. :) Aug 24 '16 at 18:36
• So how specific are you wanting the steps to solve? I solved it the same way you solve any sudoku by going through the board figuring out where letters fit according the the standard rules of sudoku, I actually missed the letters being given above and scanned the board to get the nine unique letters first. Aug 24 '16 at 18:39
• Well, I hope so. Otherwise, it could be cheating a bit :) I am accepting the answer as it has an image with the Sudoku solved and named both the historical figures. :) Aug 24 '16 at 18:41

Not sure how to format - looks good in edit view...

 +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| C | p | o | l | e | t | r | a | b |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| a | L | t | p | r | b | c | o | e |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| r | b | E | c | a | o | p | l | t |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| l | t | a | O | c | r | b | e | p |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| b | r | c | e | P | l | a | t | o |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| o | e | p | b | t | A | l | c | r |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| e | a | b | r | o | c | T | p | l |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| t | o | l | a | b | p | e | R | c |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| p | c | r | t | l | e | o | b | A |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

• A solution will be accepted if the sudoku is solved (with steps to solve). This answer does not sufficiently answer the question posed.
– Will
Aug 24 '16 at 18:30
• I upvoted your answer, but accepted the other as it had more information first - the solved sudoku, the historical figure and even the bonus one. Aug 24 '16 at 18:47