Happy 2017 Sudoku

This is a simple Sudoku. The only thing different from a regular sudoku are the symbols used: HAPY2017*. The snowflakes (a.k.a. asterisk) are like any other character.

Wishing you a Happy New Year 2017 and have fun solving puzzles!

An entry in Fortnightly Topic Challenge #23: Seasonal

I put it into excel and solved it from there:

The step by step solution below is made up of 54 'moves' so I will write them in batches of 6 moves, giving the 9 steps below:

1.

.1..A.*Y7
*HY0.7.1A
...1*.0..
.....2.7.
..H.Y.A..
.0.P.....
..P......
.A.Y.1..P
H2.A7..*.

2.

.1.2AH*Y7
*HY0.7.1A
...1*Y0..
.....2.7.
..H.Y.A..
.0.P.....
..P....A.
.A*Y.1..P
H2.A7P.*.

3.

P102AH*47
*HY0P721A
.7.1*Y0..
.....2.7.
..H.Y.A..
.0.P.....
..P....A.
.A*Y.1..P
H21A7P.*.

4.

P102AH*Y7
*HY0P721A
.721*Y0PH
..A..2.7.
..H.Y.A..
.0.P.....
.YP....A.
.A*Y.1..P
H21A7PY*.

5.

P102AH*Y7
*HY0P721A
A721*Y0PH
..AH02.7.
..H.Y*A..
.07P.....
.YP....A.
.A*Y.1..P
H21A7PY*0

6.

P102AH*Y7
*HY0P721A
A721*Y0PH
.*AH02.7.
.PH7Y*A..
.07P1A...
.YP..0.A.
.A*Y.1..P
H21A7PY*0

7.

P102AH*Y7
*HY0P721A
A721*Y0PH
.*AH02.7.
.PH7Y*A..
.07P1AH2.
7YP*.01A.
0A*Y.1..P
H21A7PY*0

8.

P102AH*Y7
*HY0P721A
A721*Y0PH
.*AH02P7.
.PH7Y*A01
Y07P1AH2.
7YP*.01A2
0A*Y.17.P
H21A7PY*0

9.

P102AH*Y7
*HY0P721A
A721*Y0PH
1*AH02P7Y
2PH7Y*A01
Y07P1AH2*
7YP*H01A2
0A*Y217HP
H21A7PY*0

Happy New Year too and looking forward to a good year of puzzling for all!

• Your image is missing a symbol in the top row. :) Otherwise, this is the solution. – Maria Deleva Jan 6 '17 at 19:36
• @MariaDeleva oh oops! Thanks for pointing that out, will edit... – Beastly Gerbil Jan 6 '17 at 19:36
• @MariaDeleva edited to correct – Beastly Gerbil Jan 6 '17 at 19:39
• @randal'thor I didn't run a program to solve it, just used excel as paper to write on. Can't tell if you are joking if you are then :P – Beastly Gerbil Jan 6 '17 at 19:48
• @MariaDeleva adding steps now... (Doing them in batches of 6 moves, so 9 steps here total) – Beastly Gerbil Jan 6 '17 at 19:49

I'm not sure how to really explain the solution of a Sudoku, beyond writing out all the deductions square by square (which would take too long), so I'll express the solution in a series of progress reports. First stop:

Fill in all the remaining Ps, As, and 0s (in that order), then the bottom row, a few more bits and pieces, and all the remaining *s, to get:

And after the final round of deductions:

Which is the solution.

• Beastly was quicker. :) But I have upvoted your answer as well. :) – Maria Deleva Jan 6 '17 at 19:42
• @Maria Thanks :-) I hadn't even seen Beastly's answer - was so engrossed in solving this! – Rand al'Thor Jan 6 '17 at 19:47