or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools)
Theme: Boxes upon Boxes
Rules: Standard Consecutive Sudoku rules.
Answer String: Enter the 7th row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 9th column from top to bottom.
Time Standard: Consecutive Sudoku Master = 4:00, Expert = 12:00, Novice = 40:00
Solution: PDF
or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools in linex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s)
Theme: Smiley Face – our first (but probably not last) use of this theme here.
Answer String: Enter the length in cells of the horizontal loop segments from left to right in the marked rows, starting at the top. If the loop only has vertical segments in the marked row, enter 0. Separate each row’s entry with a comma.
Time Standard: Masyu Master = 1:00, Expert = 3:00, Novice = 10:00
Solution: PDF
or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools)
Theme: Hashtag Fun? A consecutive sudoku with a large # in the middle.
Rules: Standard Consecutive Sudoku rules.
Answer String: Enter the 5th row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 7th row from left to right.
Time Standard: Consecutive Sudoku Master = 2:00, Expert = 6:00, Novice = 20:00
Solution: PDF
or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools in linex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s)
Theme: Our 25th prescription! Enjoy this easy Masyu puzzle.
Answer String: Enter the length in cells of the horizontal loop segments from left to right in the marked rows, starting at the top. If the loop only has vertical segments in the marked row, enter 0. Separate each row’s entry with a comma.
Time Standard: Masyu Master = 0:30, Expert = 1:30, Novice = 5:00
Solution: PDF
Fourth in a series with puzzle solving tips. This time, basic steps to get through Cave puzzles.
While I’ve already written a good description of solving Cave (Corral) puzzles for the USPC, I’ve never drawn up some of the steps for more visual solvers. This week I hope to fix that by highlighting one of the more fundamental logic steps behind these puzzles.
Still recovering from my trip to Boston so this week’s note will be brief. I hope you enjoyed the Arrow Sudoku and Cave Puzzles. This coming week will bring the first of the loop puzzle genres, Masyu, and Consecutive Sudoku, another of my favorite sudoku variants from the past, in this case from explorations in Mutant Sudoku.
As the topic for this week, I want to know what you think of the times given with the puzzle each day. For the competitive puzzlers, do you like seeing these times? Is the master time a bit too hard to reach? Would a slightly easier standard give a better target? For the recreational puzzlers, does seeing a time change how you approach the puzzle to care more about the clock than otherwise? Would you like an option to keep them hidden instead?
I am considering adding a self-reporting of times to the solve box once there is a finishers page for each puzzle. It is not a high priority at the moment as I view the times as a guideline to set an expectation for the puzzle, and not yet that my site is a “competitive puzzle site” like some others that record solving histories and such. But I welcome your input on any changes you might like me to think about going forward since I do have several excellent testers that have been giving me good data every day.
Cheers,
Dr. S
or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools)
Theme: Multi-arrow Challenge! Also, there is a 1-9 “digit pangram” in the nine givens.
Rules: Standard Arrow Sudoku rules.
Answer String: Enter the 4th row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 2nd column from top to bottom.
Time Standard: Arrow Sudoku Master = 6:00, Expert = 18:00, Novice = 1:00:00
Solution: PDF and solving video.
Note: Follow this link for more Arrow Sudoku. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Arrow Sudoku to get started on. More Arrow Sudoku puzzles can be found in The Art of Sudoku 2.
or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to shift between shading mode and the linex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s)
Theme: An Almost Perfect 10? The border of this Cave puzzle is almost completely uniform.
Answer String: Enter the length in cells of each of the cave segments from left to right for the marked rows, starting at the top. Separate each row’s entry with a comma.
Time Standard: Cave Master = 3:30, Expert = 10:30, Novice = 33:00
Solution: PDF and solving video.
Note: Follow this link for other Cave variations and this link for other classic Caves. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Cave Puzzles to get started on.
or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools)
Theme: Flower Blossom – The cells with arrows look a little like the petals of a flower and are heavily involved in the solving path.
Rules: Standard Arrow Sudoku rules.
Answer String: Enter the 1st row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 4th column from top to bottom.
Time Standard: Arrow Sudoku Master = 4:00, Expert = 12:00, Novice = 40:00
Solution: PDF
Note: Follow this link for more Arrow Sudoku. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Arrow Sudoku to get started on. More Arrow Sudoku puzzles can be found in The Art of Sudoku 2.
or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to shift between shading mode and the linex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s)
Theme: “23” – Both today’s date, and a fine number for themed logic puzzles, such as the Map Puzzles from Bang 23.
Answer String: Enter the length in cells of each of the cave segments from left to right for the marked rows, starting at the top. Separate each row’s entry with a comma.
Time Standard: Cave Master = 3:00, Expert = 9:00, Novice = 30:00
Note: Advice on solving this puzzle (and Cave puzzles in general) has now been posted in “Ask Dr. Sudoku #4”
Solution: PDF
Note: Follow this link for other Cave variations and this link for other classic Caves. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Cave Puzzles to get started on.