Statue Park by Prasanna Seshadri
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.
Utterly incredible. My solution path in rotated Conway notation was dhlebmicgkjf. To place the second pentomino I ended up listing possibilities for placing eight at a time (though there were easier paths). Once I had seven, I found myself literally “CJArq” (in this puzzle’s notation) by two different pieces at the same time, though one of them I should have read with fewer possibilities. The other one, which I placed eighth, held me up because I logically eliminated all possible locations for the pentomino I ultimately placed ninth; I rewrote the entire puzzle to realize the eighth actually had MORE possibilities. Then of course I attempted to click Solve on the honor system without bothering to write the solution strings because I was so bamboozled, and grumped at the screen, c’mon, how COULD that be incorrect, oh wait, I didn’t type it out at all. My path may be unique, but all that plus the symmetry and nontrivial dual puzzle makes this an outstanding favorite.
The part a good chunk of the way in where there was only one possible spot for one of the pentominoes was a nice observation test.
The “other” puzzle is a nice touch too–a nice compliment to the one earlier this week.
So, the puzzle types this week are:
Gncn
Fgnghr Cnex
Gncn
Fgne Onggyr
Fhqbxh
Znflh
I am asking this because there are 2 Gncn’s on the list.
Yes, there were 2 Gncn’s. And this is a Znflh.
Given the concern of people getting the gimmick at all when it would be hidden, doubling the types (as in Tues/Sat) was one idea we had for getting more solvers into the gimmick easier without comments/spoilers. That didn’t become 3 pairs though by the time I selected the puzzles for this week. So some, but not enough, repetition remains in what appeared.
I spent some time trying for a ahevxnor-pnir which I know is possible but not trivial. That would have replaced Monday’s puzzle. Eventually I settled on just putting the time in to make what became my Friday puzzle.
I would probably have missed the hidden theme without the comments, so I’m glad I read them this week. Nice to see the black-and-white-circle presentation of statue park (which I’ve always found nonintuitive) pay off somehow!
35:39