PDF

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)

Theme: Connected Logic

Author/Opus: This is the 1st puzzle from guest contributor Bobby Liu.

Rules: Standard Slitherlink rules. Also, there are four regions (in gray) in the two grids that are portals. All edges that touch any gray squares must match across grids (without rotation or reflection). For identical shapes, it is not known which positions are matched (for example, the ring in the upper left of the first puzzle could be in either the upper left or lower right of the second puzzle).

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 = 18:00, Master = 30:00, Expert = 1:00:00

Solution: PDF; a solution video is available here.

Note: Follow this link for other Slitherlink variations and this link for classic Slitherlink. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Slitherlink puzzles to get started on.

PDF

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

Theme: GEMINI / INIGEM

Author/Opus: This is the 111th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Grant Fikes.

Rules: Standard Cross the Streams rules. There are two puzzles to solve.

Answer String: Enter the length in cells of each of the black segments from top to bottom for the marked columns in the two grids, going in order from A to B to C to D and separating each entry with a comma.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 7:30, Master = 10:00, Expert = 20:00 – Note these time standards are for finishing both puzzles.

Solution: PDF 1 and PDF 2

Note: Follow this link for other Cross the Streams. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Cross the Streams to get started on.

PDF

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

Theme: Stanyon Count (The Stanyon Count, a variation of and predecessor to the Elmsley Count, is a card sleight in magic tricks that makes 3 cards appear to be 4 cards; in this puzzle, 3 can become 4 and still be solved.)

Author/Opus: This is the 110th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Grant Fikes.

Rules: Standard Nurikabe rules. There are two puzzles to solve.

Answer String: Enter the length in cells of each of the black segments (the unnumbered, connected “ocean”) from left to right for the marked rows, starting with the top grid and then the bottom grid. Separate each row’s entry from the next with a comma.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 2:00, Master = 3:30, Expert = 7:00 – Note these time standards are for finishing both puzzles.

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other classic Nurikabe. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Nurikabes to get started on.

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between a shape/star placement mode and linex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s)

Theme: Relay of Logic

Author/Opus: This is the 28th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Prasanna Seshadri.

Rules: Standard Star Battle rules (ignore the shading). Then turn every star in a gray region into a black circle and every star in a white region into a white circle, and solve again as a standard Masyu puzzle. Ignore the region boundaries when drawing the Masyu loop.

Answer String: Enter the length in cells of the horizontal loop segments from left to right in the marked rows, starting at the top. If the loop only has vertical segments in the marked row, enter 0. Separate each row’s entry with a comma.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 2:00, Master = 3:00, Expert = 6:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other classic Star Battles and this link for other classic Masyu.

PDF

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

Theme: Twin Twist

Author/Opus: This is the 109th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Grant Fikes.

Rules: Standard TomTom rules, using the integers 1-5. There are two puzzles to solve.

Answer String: Enter the 2nd and 4th rows of the top puzzle from left to right followed by the 2nd and 4th rows of the bottom puzzle from left to right. Separate all rows with a comma.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 1:00, Master = 1:40, Expert = 3:20 – Note these time standards are for finishing both puzzles.

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other classic TomTom. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest TomTom to get started on.

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between linex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s, and a shading mode.)

Theme: Birthday Mystery

Author/Opus: This is the 108th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Grant Fikes.

Rules: Draw a single loop of horizontal and vertical segments that passes through all of the white cells (and only the white cells) exactly once. Like last week’s puzzles, there is also a second puzzle style that this grid can be solved as. Doing so will help you find a secret answer word.

Answer String: Enter the final answer word in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.

Solution: PDF

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 4:15, Master = 7:00, Expert = 14:00

All the puzzles from last week have been grouped in this PDF. There were a lot of puzzles last week, so even if you think you’ve solved them all it might be worth taking another look.

This week marks Grant Fikes’ birthday, and we will have an unusual mix for the week with puzzles from Grant, Prasanna Seshadri, and guest contributor Bobby Liu. The theme will be quite obvious from the start this week at least. The bonus puzzle for our high-level supporters is a Fillomino by Grant Fikes.

PDF

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

Theme: Logical

Author/Opus: This is the 27th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Prasanna Seshadri.

Rules: Standard Statue Park rules.

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 = 3:45, Master = 7:30, Expert = 15:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other Statue Park Puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Statue Parks to get started on.

PDF

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: Logical

Author/Opus: This is the 178th 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 5th column.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 3:00, Master = 4:00, Expert = 8:00

Solution: PDF

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.

PDF

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

Theme: Logical

Author/Opus: This is the 3rd puzzle from guest contributor Craig Kasper, who also contributed these two Sunday Surprises. Craig has recently started a new puzzle blog.

Rules: Standard LITS rules.

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 = 1:45, Master = 3:00, Expert = 6:00

Solution: PDF; a solution video is available here.

Note: Follow this link for other classic LITS. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest LITS to get started on.