Dr. Sudoku Prescribes #105 – Slitherlink (Hex)
or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools in edgex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s)
This is a “Franken-Friday” puzzle variation.
Theme: Hex Pill
Rules: Standard Slitherlink rules.
Answer String: Enter the length in cells of each of the internal loop segments following the arrows for the marked rows, starting at the top. Separate each row’s entry with a comma.
Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 4:45, Master = 7:30, Expert = 15:00
Solution: PDF
I like hexagonal slitherlink, and I’ve solved a number of these puzzles, but it didn’t help me at all here. It took me much longer than it should have to work out the logic in the bottom or the upper-left, for example. As always, though, a good sense of accomplishment after completing a challenging puzzle. Thank you!
(Incidentally, if you like slitherlink variations, there are hundreds of free puzzles at KrazyDad.com. They’re all computer-generated, with all of the downsides that entails, but as far as I know it’s the only place that has many sliterlinks with variant grids.)
My guess is the generators (at the site you linked to, or even crocopuzzle.com) more commonly use larger clusters of clues and 0’s or clear max/min situations to get started quite frequently. Hex Fences is one of my solving specialties so I got a few different logical work-ins that you may not have seen before that involve combinations of clues.
I think you’re right; this puzzle had a lot more logic based on the edge clues than I’m used to seeing (although also, looking at it now, I see I also missed a pretty straightforward deduction involving the adjacent 5s which would have helped speed things along). This puzzle also had much less loop completion, for whatever that’s worth.
Do you have a good source for hex (or any other variant grid) slitherlink? I think I’ve seen it on some USPC sets, but those are few and far between. (I hope I’m not embarrassing myself by not realizing they’re in one of your published books.)
The entire right edge after getting the part in the top middle with the 5s was one of the cuter parts of the construction in my opinion. Most of the border 4 sections flow really fast once you actually have some context around them.
I have not written any books with hex slitherlinks yet. But it might be a theme in a future puzzle pack or edition of Art of Puzzles down the line after I put out my first title with regular square-grid Slitherlink (and other classic puzzles).
Challenging but fun. I found breaking out the “shade the interior of the loop” technique useful with this one.