Dr. Sudoku Prescribes #79 – Skyscrapers

Skyscrapers by Thomas Snyder

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools)

Theme: 2 to 5, twice

Rules: Standard Skyscrapers rules.

Answer String: Enter the 3rd row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 4th row from left to right.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 5:00, Master = 7:30, Expert = 15:00

Solution: PDF

  • Aaron Chan says:

    This one was pretty hard, or I suck at Skyscrapers.

    • Avatar photo drsudoku says:

      A small puzzle with that Master time is certainly on the hard side. This one definitely can hit some gaps in skyscraper ability too with its narrow path.

  • hagriddler says:

    Very impressive both in design and solve path !
    Nice to see how so few clues can nicely constrain the entire puzle.
    I’m anxious to learn how you constructed this one !

  • skynet says:

    15:26

  • Francis says:

    Didn’t time myself, but it took a good chunk of my train ride. Rather a tight solution path. Very nice construction!

  • I thought “oh, come on! This thing is easy, I can practically get to the solution in my head!” and then I printed it out and realized the grid is 6×6, not 5×5.

    Then I found some pretty nice logic! Still took me a few seconds past 5 minutes to finish, but I was pretty happy with that time given your benchmarks.

    The way the crossing of small clues and big clues fits together is fantastic! I think I learned a whole new skyscraper idea here.

  • chaotic_iak says:

    13:46…sigh. I think I shouldn’t do puzzles at midnight.

    A great theme, and a neat solving path with a tricky opening. That’s all I can say.

  • Roland Voigt says:

    Nice construction. In my opinion the hardest Skyscraper puzzle on your site so far.
    RV

  • Ours brun says:

    3’20. It feels good after having screwed up several times puzzle #80. Hard one indeed, but the small number of clues and their disposition made the search of the break-ins rather quick. Really nice solving path.

  • DGPArtist says:

    Any chance of an opening hint, have a few 6s in place, but not sure where to go next on this…

    • Avatar photo drsudoku says:

      Assuming you have 6’s in R1C6, R3C5, R4C1, R6C2, here are a few of the next steps (with rot13.com obscuring):

      N) Gur ahzore va E5P6 vf rvgure bar, gjb, be guerr. Ohg gur ahzore va E5P6 vf nyfb terngre guna gur ahzore va E5P5, juvpu vgfrys vf terngre guna gur ahzore va E6P5. Fb chg va gubfr guerr qvtvgf (naq E6P6 ol pbafrdhrapr gbb).

      O) Ybbx ng gur qvtvg 1 abj. Lbh fubhyq or noyr gb cynpr gjb bs gubfr naq gura gur erznvavat fvkrf.

      P) Ybbx ng pbyhza guerr, cnegvphyneyl ubj vg vagrefrpgf gur svefg ebj.

      Q) Genpxvat qvtvgf fubhyq fubj jurer gur guerr va gur svefg pbyhza tbrf juvpu svavfurf E2P2 nf jryy. Ubj vf gur 5 va gur frpbaq pbyhza svavfurq?

      It should then be easy from there.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.