This is a Melon puzzle. (14 – Tapa)
(View image directly for larger form.)
or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to shift between shading mode and the composite Yajilin mode where left click marks cells, right click marks dots in cells or X’s on edges, left click+drag draws lines.)
Theme: Logical
Answer String: Enter the length in cells of each of the shaded segments from left to right for the marked rows, starting at the top. Separate each row’s entry from the next with a comma.
Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 8:30, Master = 14:00, Expert = 28:00
Solution: PDF
This was NASTY. I considered myself to be somewhat decent at Tapa, but this puzzle has completely gotten me. Gbbx zr sberire gb frr gung gur 113 va gur zvqqyr zhfg oernx n pregnva jnl gb unir gur gbc yrsg pbaarpg gb gur erfg, naq gung’f jvgu n snve ovg bs gevny naq reebe gbb.
“Nasty” is most certainly the best way to describe this puzzle. Though I didn’t require much trial and error (at least, not on the actual grid itself; I did it all in my mind’s eye), I don’t think I would ever have spotted that break-in for the puzzle, had I not read your comment. Abgr: jura Nneba fnlf “gbc yrsg”, vg frrzf ur zrnaf “gur gbc yrsg rkvg bs gur pyhfgre lbh fubhyq or frrvat, vs lbh’ir tbggra gung sne”.
Yeah, this one may have taken just about the longest of any “normal” puzzle I’ve done on this site. Watching Game 3 while working on it didn’t help, but still. Ouch.
I finished in 7:30. Top-left and bottom-right corners provided a good opening. I was amazed that the 113s,especially in the bottom half, could constrain the path the way they did. Great tapa!