Fillomino by Thomas Snyder
or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between a composite mode for line/edge drawing and a number entry mode.)
Theme: Hearts and Kisses (a visual theme for 2/14)
Author/Opus: This is the 161st puzzle from Thomas Snyder aka Dr. Sudoku.
Rules: Standard Fillomino rules.
Answer String: For each cell in the marked rows/columns, enter the area of the polyomino it belongs to. Enter both digits of any two-digit values. Start with the 5th row, followed by a comma, followed by the 7th row.
Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 4:00, Master = 7:00, Expert = 14:00
Solution: PDF; a solution video is available here.
Note: Follow this link for other classic Fillomino. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Fillomino puzzles to get started on.
05:03.
That was tough and fantastic. Nice play of large polyominoes.
18:53 .Excellent fillomino.I enjoyed the solve path very much.Took a lot of time finding some of the crucial deductions
This one was hard…… If anything I would like to see the walk through to this one as opposed to the one tomorrow.
I am in complete agreement with you – I think there is much to be gained for beginner and enthusiast alike by studying the rare examples of new and hard examples of common puzzles. If I had more time (and perhaps, understanding!) I;d have done such a walk through myself!
As I tried to respond to Tom last week with our internal discussion, I think for two fairly different reasons both today’s puzzle and tomorrow’s puzzle will want some detail for different groups of solvers. I think it is also very informative to see how different constructors think which is why I tried to not volunteer this week (and every week) as I have a lot to manage with the site as is and Grant writing a meaty puzzle is a pleasant surprise.
That said, because of how momentum with this group of solvers works and the risk this puzzle will have both a walkthrough and a LITS/Double Back version posted before tomorrow, I should spoil the surprise and say I am doing my walkthrough of this fillomino over on Patreon on Sunday so everyone as an extra bonus can see it there. Hopefully people who like walkthroughs (and extra puzzles) may decide to start sponsoring the website as occasionally we will post “extra” content there (it will always be linked to here so you know when it happens).
I feel like wanting to write a walkthrough for this puzzle (partly because I want to practice making walkthroughs, even though I have so much puzzles on my blog without solutions yet, partly because I don’t have anything to do 😛 ). But I do remember about this (the backstory) with practically the same problem (free walkthrough competing with a paywalled walkthrough), so I’ll just ask straight away whether I can do it. Of course, quality differs, and I’m not sure when I’ll finish my version if ever, while GMPuzzles will surely finish theirs by Sunday…
You are free to do as you want. My opinion is the community in general will be better served by more walkthroughs/solutions to puzzles that don’t have any rather than multiple ones on the same puzzle, but maybe there are other ways to look at the puzzle than the author intended. So perhaps the best answer is to wait and see if there is something new to add. To be clear, this walkthrough won’t be paywalled (four others this month are only for patrons and effectively are).
I also found this puzzle pretty hard, but in retrospect I think the key to a step-by-step solve is quite simple to express.
When I started, I spent a long time jbexvat bhg ubj gur gjb sbhegrra funcrf jbhyq svg gbtrgure, but that is a false lead.
Based on where I eventually got stuck, I went all the way back to the beginning and instead started by ernfbavat ubj gur tvira fvkrf zhfg fcyvg vagb guerr funcrf. Once that’s clear, it determines how gur frira rfpncrf gur pbeare, chfuvat gur fvk nobir hc, pybfvat gur rfpncr bs gur gra naq cvaavat qbja jurer vg zhfg or. Everything flows simply after that.
Wow, that was cool. I think I somewhat guessed in my solve path, though. After some initial stuff I think the big logic is that gur fvkrf va gur obggbz evtug unir gb pbaarpg, fb gur arkg fvk bire pna’g pbaarpg gb gurz, ohg vg jnf fgvyy abg boivbhf gb zr jul gur gbc yrsg fvk unq gb pbaarpg qbjajneq gb gur bgure fvk; vg frrzrq yvxr gurer jrer gjb cbffvovyvgvrf va gung nern (gung vf, gur fvk ng e7p2 pbhyq pbaarpg hc gb gur bgure fvk be vg pbhyq pbaarpg gb vgf arneol arvtuobe). Pbaarpgvat vg hc yrq gb n cerggl dhvpx fbyir bs rirelguvat, naq V qvqa’g ernyyl rkcyber jul vg pbhyqa’g pbaarpg gb vgf arneol arvtuobe.
Vs vg qbrfa’g, gura gurer vfa’g rabhtu ebbz sbe gur gra.