Dr. Sudoku Prescribes #17 – Thermo-Sudoku
or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools)
Theme: Boxed In
Rules: Standard Thermo-Sudoku rules. Range is 1-9.
Answer String: Enter the 9th row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 5th column from top to bottom.
Time Standard: Thermo-Sudoku Master = 5:00, Expert = 15:00, Novice = 50:00
Solution: PDF and solving video.
Note: Follow this link for more Thermo-Sudoku puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Thermo-Sudoku to get started on. More Thermo-Sudoku puzzles can be found in The Art of Sudoku 2.
Nice use of hidden pointing pairs at the beginning.
Excelent start, i really enjoy solving this one.
One of the reasons I guessed thermo-sudoku last week for the next variant (besides the hint that it was one you came up with) is puzzles like this one. Hand-made puzzles (the cause we’re promoting, essentially) can be elegant in visual design or elegant in logical design. This sort of puzzle does both with the same stroke — pretty/interesting 8-cell square thermometers, leading to a nifty hidden pairs break.
21’29” on this one.
I got off to a pretty good start considering the length 8 thermometers and was able to fill in almost all of the left hand side of the puzzle, but I got stuck for quite a while after that. It was finally considering where the 8 could go in the bottom right hand box that got me rolling again. I could see that it had to be in the left column of that box, which let me fill in the 1 and 8 in the top right box, and then things ran pretty smoothly after that.
Great puzzle Thomas! I just love these one that let me sink my teeth in. Thanks!
32 mins 18 sec!
And i was thinking that a good strong classic sudoku solver will hunt these variants any day any time.I understand now that i m very wrong.
This is not one of those sudokus where you can expect to fill those starting narrow points and expect to be in a beach resort honeymoon destination for filling the rest of the cells coolly.
This is the kind of sudoku where i had to contemplate whether a particular number comes in a particular cell of a thermometer.I was doing that almost till the end.
Without doubt Hardest of the week so far!!I am split for choice between star battle and this thermo sudoku in this weeks ask doctor…(A bit disappointed ..in fact very .. that i took that much time)…
Very pleasant Thomas I do prefer these without givens.
Have you tried these with non-consecutive – the doublets and triplets created work well.
Maurice Smith
Are you saying to not allow consecutives anywhere in the grid at the same time as having thermometer shapes? So longest thermometer is now 5? That does seem to offer new opportunities to constrain cells to pairs faster, but I’m not sure if the double hybrid is worth more than 5-10 puzzles.
Correct interpretation
You may be right about the 5-10 puzzles. I’ve been doing them as general “Greater Than” with “Non-Consecutive” this allows for much more varied shapes. Also I have not stuck to standard 9*9.
I’ve done about 20 but only posted a few as there was not much interest on the player’s forum or the assassins.
I’d be happy to go over my old puzzles and submit a couple of the better ones for you to consider.
I’d gladly see some of your better ones — I’ll be making a general call for submissions around the end of the month so I’ll include your email in that distribution list.
Somehow this one doesn’t seem as hard as some of the other Friday. The hidden pairs are relatively easy to see when you make a habit of writing down the possible ranges on the thermometers.