All the puzzles from last week’s variety mix can be found in this PDF.
This next week will feature a set of classic puzzles and variations on Fillomino. Puzzles will be from Hans van Stippent, Grant Fikes, Prasanna Seshadri, and Robert Vollmert.
The bonus puzzle for our high-level supporters will also be a Fillomino by Grant Fikes.
or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between Sudoku = big digits and Number candidate = small entries in the corners of cells.)
Theme: Logical
Author/Opus: This is the 2nd puzzle from guest contributor Robert Vollmert. You can find more Fractional Skyscrapers, including an example, on his blog.
Rules: Variation of Skyscrapers. Place a digit from 1 to 6 into each cell (including one digit in each half of the split cells) so that no digit repeats in any row or column. The building heights in the split cells are evaluated as fractions (e.g. 5/2 = 2.5) when considering their heights. A building hides all other buildings behind it that are the same height or lower in height.
Answer String: Enter the 1st row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 3rd row from left to right. Enter the split cells in the order they are seen from the left (the upper triangle = numerator before the lower triangle = denominator).
Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 4:15, Master = 8:00, Expert = 16:00
Solution: PDF
Note: Follow this link for other classic Skyscrapers and this link for variations on Skyscrapers puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Skyscrapers to get started on.
or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to shift between shading mode and the linex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s)
Theme: Primes
Author/Opus: This is the 14th puzzle from guest contributor Murat Can Tonta.
Rules: Standard Cave rules.
Answer String: Enter the length in cells of each of the cave segments from left to right for the marked rows, starting at the top. Separate each row’s entry with a comma.
Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 3:45, Master = 5:30, Expert = 11:00
Solution: PDF; a solution video is available here.
Note: Follow this link for other classic Caves. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Cave Puzzles to get started on.
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: White Hole 2 (extending on John’s earlier White Hole).
Author/Opus: This is the 3rd puzzle from guest contributor John Bulten.
Rules: Standard Tapa 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 = 2:15, Master = 4:00, Expert = 8:00
Solution: PDF
Note: Follow this link for other classic Tapa. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Tapa to get started on.
(View image directly for larger form)
or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools in linex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s)
Theme: Dominoes
Author/Opus: This is the 13th puzzle from guest contributor Murat Can Tonta.
Rules: Standard Masyu rules.
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 = 2:45, Master = 3:45, Expert = 7:30
Solution: PDF
Note: Follow this link for other classic Masyu. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Masyu to get started on.
or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; in default linex mode: left-click+drag draws line, right click marks X on edge)
Theme: Logical
Author/Opus: This is the 10th puzzle from guest contributor Hans van Stippent.
Rules: Draw a single loop in the grid which may cross itself orthogonally, but otherwise does not touch or retrace itself. The clue numbers to the left/right of the rows indicate the number of squares visited by the nearest section of the loop that travels horizontally in the rows. The clue numbers to the top/bottom of the columns indicate the number of squares visited by the nearest section of the loop that travels vertically in the columns.
Also, see this example:
Answer String: Enter the number of empty squares for each row from top to bottom, followed by a comma, and then the number of turns for each row from top to bottom. This example has the key “100000,422224”.
Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 1:45, Master = 3:00, Expert = 6:00
Solution: PDF
Note: Follow this link for other Round Trip puzzles. Some more Round Trip puzzles can be found in the book Loop Variety Collection by Ashish Kumar and Murat Can Tonta.
or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use the tab key to alternate between shading and number entry modes)
Theme: Clueless
Author/Opus: This is the 1st puzzle from guest contributor Carl Worth.
Rules: Standard Nanro rules.
Answer String: Enter the length in cells of each of the segments labeled with numbers 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 = 1:30, Master = 2:00, Expert = 4:00
Solution: PDF
Note: Click here for other Nanro puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, please first try out the example on the Rules and Info page as well as this easy Nanro post.
All the puzzles from last week’s Letters and Numbers (Pentominous/Sudoku) collection can be found in this PDF.
This next week will feature a variety of styles from guest contributors. Specifically:
Monday: Nanro by Carl Worth
Tuesday: Round Trip by Hans van Stippent
Wednesday: Masyu by Murat Can Tonta
Thursday: Tapa by John Bulten
Friday: Cave by Murat Can Tonta
Saturday: Fractional Skyscrapers by Robert Vollmert
The bonus puzzle for our high-level supporters will also be a Pentominous by Grant Fikes.
or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools)
Theme: Postage Stamps (Originally for 2014 Arlington Puzzle Festival — this was the playoff finals puzzle)
Author/Opus: This is the 210th puzzle from Thomas Snyder, aka Dr. Sudoku.
Rules: Standard Sudoku rules.
Answer String: Enter the 3rd row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 9th row from left to right.
Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 3:15, Master = 5:00, Expert = 10:00
Solution: PDF
Note: Follow this link for other classic Sudoku. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Sudoku to get started on. More classic Sudoku puzzles can be found in The Art of Sudoku, The Art of Sudoku 2 and in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli.
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 letter entry mode.)
Theme: Logical
Author/Opus: This is the 147th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Grant Fikes.
Rules: Divide the grid into 20 pentominoes so that no two pentominoes of the same shape (including rotations/reflections) share an edge. Each number in this grid represents a clue for a different letter/pentomino as in a regular Pentominous puzzle; all instances of a number must represent the same letter. An inventory of possible pentominoes is given below the puzzle.
Answer String: Enter the letter associated with the pentomino occupying each cell in the marked row from left to right and then the marked column from top to bottom, separating the groups with a comma. Use CAPITAL LETTERS!
Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 6:30, Master = 9:00, Expert = 18:00
Solution: PDF; a solution video is available here.
Note: Follow this link for other Pentominous puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Pentominous to get started on.