Minesweeper (Pentomino) by Thomas Snyder
or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools)
Theme: Clue Symmetry and Logic
Author/Opus: This is the 199th puzzle from Thomas Snyder, aka Dr. Sudoku.
Rules: Place the twelve pentominoes into the grid, rotations and reflections allowed. Pentominoes cannot cover the numbered cells, and different pentomino shapes cannot be placed in adjacent cells that share an edge or corner. Numbered cells indicate how many of the surrounding cells (including diagonally adjacent cells) contain parts of the pentominoes.
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 = 3:30, Master = 6:45, Expert = 13:30
Solution: PDF
Note: Follow this link for other puzzles involving Pentominoes.
How come there are never answer keys? I have tried this one three times, think everything is fairly logical, and get to the same point that it is unsolvable. Yesterday’s puzzle had two answers as far as I could tell. I am sure it is me, but I don’t have any idea why I am failing if I can never at least see the answers.
Solutions and sometimes walkthroughs are rewards we make just for our patrons at the moment (see the top of the sidebar for more info). That said, many commenters here can address your sticking point if you can describe your problem or link to an image. Having posted many hundreds of puzzles here, none so far have been broken with any less/more than one answer
> Solutions and sometimes walkthroughs are rewards we make just for our patrons at the moment
I didn’t realize that, that’s fair. I will look into that, thank you.
> none so far have been broken with any less/more than one answer
I didn’t mean to imply that wasn’t the case, as I am sure it is my problem (and I am equally sure if it ever was the case, I would be FAR from the first one to spot it).
Thank you for the response.
I used a logical path going roughly: top-right, top-center, center, bottom-center, the rest of the bottom. Then there’s only one way to squeeze the remaining pentominoes in.
Tough One.Placing the last 5 pentominoes was highly tricky.I was repeatedly under the impression that I had made an error somewhere since placing the 5 final pentominoes looked impossible to me at that point of time.Finally I realized how it worked!Nice puzzle.
20:35 A great challenge. More than once I broke this and had to retrace some steps before hitting on the final solution. It’s got a tricky final step of placing the last remaining pentominoes simultaneously, (as best I could figure).
Wow, you really are getting caught up on old puzzles… Good luck making it back to Jan 2013.
Thanks! 🙂
I’ve been attacking 2014 from both ends so far, so I’ve only got about half of it remaining.