Araf by Serkan Yürekli
or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between a composite mode for line/edge drawing and a shading mode.)
Theme: Fource Field
Author/Opus: This is the 46th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Serkan Yürekli.
Rules: Divide the grid into some regions formed of edge-adjacent squares. Each cell is part of one region, and each region should contain exactly two given numbers. Each region must have an area that is strictly between those numbers (This means, for two number clues A and B with A < B, the area C fulfills A < C < B).
Answer String: Enter the number of cells in each connected group (between bold lines) in the marked rows. For the example above, this is “34,121111,4111”.
Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 2:45, Master = 5:00, Expert = 10:00
Solution: PDF; a solution video is available here.
Note: Araf is a relatively new puzzle for us on GMPuzzles. Follow this link for other Araf.
I loved this puzzle. Major spoiler (do not read unless you need a puzzle solving hint or already solved it): Vg jnf terng gb frr gung svir pbaarpgf gb gjragl-bar npebff gur oebnq jvgu rknpgyl gjragl fdhnerf hfrq; gung nyy shgher ertvbaf unir rknpgyl bar fdhner yrff guna gur ynetre ahzore. Nyy orsber gur svefg cra znex jnf znqr. Irel avpr.
I figured out the first half of that fairly early in the process, but the deduction that really made the puzzle solve itself was: gur tevq pbagnvaf gjragl ahzoref, gra bs juvpu ner rvgure sbhe be svir, gurersber rirel ertvba pbagnvaf rknpgyl bar bs gurz.
With the theme/title, I feel like this one needs a talkthrough in a thick Chicago accent. “Da trick to diss puzzle is da fourss in da middle…”
Fun logic, and does have that nice quality good Arafs tend to of alternately not being sure how it could have any solution and not being sure it could have a unique solution until everything just snaps into place.
That’s a good description of my araf solving experiences in general. This one was far and away my favorite of the ones on the blog so far. Very nice.
05:12.
So much global logic. Has a Numberlink flavor to it, but still a great puzzle. Which, by the way, tells me that I need a good notation to mark which numbers must be paired in Araf…
Love it ! That was fun !