10.10 Sudoku Solver

Link: https://oj.leetcode.com/problems/sudoku-solver/

Write a program to solve a Sudoku puzzle by filling the empty cells.

Empty cells are indicated by the character '.'.

You may assume that there will be only one unique solution.

A sudoku puzzle...

(Figure: Leetcode) 

My thought: I can create three hashsets, one rowSet to check duplicate for each row, one colSet to check duplicates for each col, and one hashSet to check duplicates in each 3*3 square. However, for each row/col/square, how do Irandomlyassign numbers available? 

My original code: 

public class Solution {
    public void solveSudoku(char[][] board) {
        HashSet<Integer> rowSet = new HashSet<Integer>();
        for(int i = 1; i < 10; i++){
            rowSet.add(i);
        }
        HashSet <Integer> colSet = new HashSet<Integer>();
        for(int i = 1; i < 10; i++){
            colSet.add(i);
        }
        dfs(board, rowSet, colSet, 0, 0);
    }
    
    public void dfs(char[][] board, HashSet<Integer> rowSet, HashSet<Integer> rowSet){
        
    }
}

Correct Answer:

public class Solution {
    public void solveSudoku(char[][] board) {
        if(board == null || board.length == 0 || board[0].length == 0) return;
        solve(board);
    }
    
    public boolean solve (char[][] board){
        for(int i = 0; i < board.length; i++){
            for(int j = 0; j < board[0].length; j++){
                if(board[i][j] == '.'){//if it's an empty cell
                    for(int k = 1; k < 10; k++){//fill in a bumber between [1, 9]
                        board[i][j] = (char) (k + '0');//k + ASCII of 0 = ASCII of k
                        if(isValid(board, i, j) && solve(board)){
                            return true;
                        }
                        board[i][j] = '.';
                    }
  //tried 1-9, but "solve(board)" all = F, go back to previous cell and change it 
                    return false; 
                }
            }
        }
        return true;
    }
    
    public boolean isValid (char[][] board, int row, int col){
        //check row
        for(int k = 0; k < 9; k++){
            if(k!=col && board[row][k] == board[row][col]) return false;
        }
        //check col
        for(int k = 0; k < 9; k++){
            if(k!=row && board[k][col] == board[row][col]) return false;
        }
        //check 3*3 squares
        int a = row/3*3;//the start row index for each 3*3 square
        int b = col/3*3;//the start col index for each 3*3 square
        for(int i = 0; i < 3; i++){
            for(int j = 0; j < 3; j++){
                if(a+i == row && b+j == col) continue;
                if(board[row][col] == board[a+i][b+j]){
                    return false;
                }
            }
        }
        return true;
    }
}

相关题目： N-Queens

Note in N-Queens, we check valid before placing a Queen. Here, we place a number before checking validation.