Improved ant colony genetic algorithm hybrid for Sudoku solving

Abstract

In this paper we introduce our new improved version of ant colony optimization/genetic algorithm hybrid for Sudoku puzzle solving. Sudoku is combinatorial number puzzle that had become worldwide phenomenon in the last decade. It has also become popular mathematical test problem in order to test new optimization ideas and algorithms for combinatorial problems. In this paper we present our new ideas for populations sorting and elitism rules in order to improve our earlier evolutionary algorithm based Sudoku solvers. Experimental results show that the new ideas significantly improved the speed of Sudoku solving.