I find it helpful to knock out one number at a time, like start with 1 and see how many 1s you can fill in, then just go through them getting more and more numbers filled in; but make sure you check if it works after every time you fill in a number, its a hassle to go back and check your work at the end.
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It's not much of an answer but you can check out this resource:

http://www.sudokuessentials.com/sudoku_tips.html
Source(s):
http://www.sudokuessentials.com/sudoku_tips.html

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My biggest tip - figure out a good note taking system, and go through the entire board checking for a single number at a time. I usually make a mental grid:
123
456
789

As I go through the 1's, I put a little "1" in the 1 spot for each box that could possibly be a 1. I don't stop until I check _every_ box. I go through every number that way. By the time I'm done, every box shows every potential number. Kinda messy, but it works.

Of course, there's lots of sites with tips via google searches. This one's pretty good. http://www.sudokuessentials.com/sudoku-hints.html
Source(s):
http://www.google.com/search?q=sudoku+help

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I find its best when u work at it in 2 ways simultaneously. First, after u've chkd out the individual letters, go for it lin-by-line... but u shd keep an eye on the numbers in any given box. For example, if ur working on a line that needs ust 3 no's to be fille din, but 2 of those are already in the larger box, then the 3rd no is obviously the answer.
Hope this helps :)
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Usually the best strategy that works for me is to first get at least one cell filled in that I KNOW is correct.

I do this by first eyeballing a number of cells that look like they'd have the least number of possibilities, then writing the possibilities in the corners. Then I 'assume' one cell is a certain number, and see if it makes an impossible situation, which means that cell cannot be that number. Finally, the number left over must be the number for the cell. I then try this for other cells until I get a starting few filled in.

Also, probably the best tip is to figure out a way to organize the information you have. If you can't cleanly write the possible numbers in the corners of the cells, then you might need to figure out a different strategy, because halfway through the puzzle will look like a warzone, and you won't be able to figure out what's happening at all.
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you have to start with the number that intersects with itself most often. This is also often the most frequently occuring number. When finished with that number move on to the next most frequent number keeping in mind columns and rows with a majority of the numbers filled. This will keep your time down and provide a more fluid experience. Ya dig?
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1) Go by number 1,2,3,4 etc. until you can no longer figure out the obvious ones.

2) Then I like to look at the rows as a whole and find out which numbers are missing and try to fit in some. For example. If you notice there are three numbers are missing from a certain row, you look at the perpendicular row to see if it contains two of those three. You then only have one option for that square.

3) Lather, Rinse, Repeat...
Source(s):
The Sudoku has been a practice of mine for quite sometime. I am a fifth don Sudoku Master Ninja...

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This is how I do it, and seems to be the fastest way -

First: Find the 3 x 3 square with the most given numbers. Use the process of elimination to figure out which numbers could possibly be in the remaining squares. Usually this turns up a box that can for sure only be one number. After this, move on to the next box with the most given numbers.

OR

First: Look and see what numbers appear the most on the board. Use the process of elimination to figure out which other 3 x 3 blocks those numbers will be in.

Second: Start finding rows and columns that have many given numbers in them, and go through the possibilities of the empty boxes in that row or column one at a time.

This should be done at all times:
If there are any numbers that only appear in two pairs in a 3 x 3 box or in a horizontal or vertical line, you can eliminate those two numbers from the rest of the box or vertical/horizontal line.

an example is here:
http://www.sudokuessentials.com/images/column_hidden_single.gif

in this example, you notice that the 2 and the 6 are the only options in two of the boxes. Since you know that those numbers are the only possibilities for those two boxes, you can eliminate the 2 and the 6 from all the other boxes in that row. That will narrow down three of the boxes to only one possibility. You can do this same thing in a horizontal line or within a 3 x 3 box.

IMPORTANT THINGS that will make your puzzle solving easier :

1. Don't fill in boxes willy nilly. stick to filling in a row, column, or 3 x 3 square at a time. It's much easier to notice patterns and eliminate numbers if
you do this.

2. Don't stop in the middle of figuring out all the possible answers for a single square. If you leave a box unfinished, you will get confused later when you are eliminating answers.

3. DO go through all the numbers 1 through 9 in your head while checking the possibilities on an open box. I've made a lot of mistakes just because i've been hasty and skipped the first few numbers for some reason.

For more useful tips, go here: http://www.sudokuessentials.com/sudoku_tips.html
Source(s):
http://www.sudokuessentials.com/sudoku_tips.html

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