37. Sudoku Solver

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

A sudoku solution must satisfy all of the following rules:

1. Each of the digits 1-9 must occur exactly once in each row.
2. Each of the digits 1-9 must occur exactly once in each column.
3. Each of the the digits 1-9 must occur exactly once in each of the 9 3x3 sub-boxes of the grid.

Empty cells are indicated by the character '.'.

A sudoku puzzle...

...and its solution numbers marked in red.

如果当前位置是空，则尝试1到9中所有的数字，如果对于1到9中的某些数字，当前是合法的，则继续尝试下一个位置（调用自身）。

public class Solution {
    public void solveSudoku(char[][] board) {
        if(board == null || board.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] == '.'){
                    for(char c = '1'; c <= '9'; c++){//trial. Try 1 through 9
                        if(isValid(board, i, j, c)){
                            board[i][j] = c; //Put c for this cell
                            
                            if(solve(board))
                                return true; //If it's the solution return true
                            else
                                board[i][j] = '.'; //Otherwise go back
                        }
                    }
                    
                    return false;
                }
            }
        }
        return true;
    }
    
    private boolean isValid(char[][] board, int row, int col, char c){
        for(int i = 0; i < 9; i++) {
            if(board[i][col] != '.' && board[i][col] == c) return false; //check row
            if(board[row][i] != '.' && board[row][i] == c) return false; //check column
        }
        for(int i = 3*(row/3);i<3*(row/3+1);i++)
            for(int j = 3*(col/3);j<3*(col/3+1);j++)
            if(board[i][j] != '.' && board[i][j] == c) return false; //check 3*3 block
        
        return true;
    }
}