PDF

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: Knight Steps

Author/Opus: This is the 15th puzzle from our new contributing puzzlemaster JinHoo Ahn.

Rules: Variation of Cave rules. Instead of their usual meaning, interior clues indicate the number of shaded cells in neighboring cells, including diagonally adjacent cells. Cells with numbers cannot be shaded.

See also this example:

Difficulty: 3 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 4:00, Master = 5:15, Expert = 10:30

Solution: PDF; a solution video (with info on an Easter Egg for this puzzle) is also available here.

Note: Follow this link for other classic Caves and this link for Cave variations. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Cave Puzzles to get started on. More Cave puzzles can be found in Roger Barkan’s Colossal Cave Collection, in The Art of Puzzles, and in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli.

PDF

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

Theme: Double X

Author/Opus: This is the 14th puzzle from our new contributing puzzlemaster JinHoo Ahn.

Rules: Variation of Arrow Sudoku rules. Instead of the usual meaning, the digit in the circled cell of each arrow must equal the product of the digits along the path.

Difficulty: 3 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 3:30, Master = 4:45, Expert = 9:30

Solution: PDF; a solution video (with info on an Easter Egg for this puzzle) is also available here.

Note: Follow this link for more Arrow Sudoku. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Arrow Sudoku to get started on. More Arrow Sudoku puzzles can be found in The Art of Sudoku 2 and Masterpiece Sudoku Mix 3.

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between ship placement and shading modes. In ship placement mode, right click gives sea, left click gives circle/square, left click and drag for rounded ships.)

Theme: Rise and Fall

Author/Opus: This is the 13th puzzle from our new contributing puzzlemaster JinHoo Ahn.

Rules: Variation of Battleships rules. Instead of their usual meaning, exterior clues indicate the length of the first ship seen from the corresponding direction.

See also this example:

Difficulty: 2 stars

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

Solution: PDF; a solution video (with info on an Easter Egg for this puzzle) is also available here.

Note: Follow this link for classic Battleships and this link for Battleships variations. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Battleships to get started on. More Battleships puzzles can be found in Battleships and Variations, in The Art of Puzzles, and in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli.

PDF

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

Theme: Pairs of Clues

Author/Opus: This is the 12th puzzle from our new contributing puzzlemaster JinHoo Ahn.

Rules: Variation of Skyscrapers rules. Instead of their usual meaning, exterior clues indicate the height of one of the visible buildings that can be seen from that direction.

See also this example:

Difficulty: 2 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 1:15, Master = 2:00, Expert = 4:00

Solution: PDF; a solution video (with info on an Easter Egg for this puzzle) is also available here.

Note: Follow this link for classic Skyscrapers puzzles and this link for variations on Skyscrapers puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Skyscrapers Puzzles to get started on. More Skyscrapers puzzles can be found in The Art of Puzzles, in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli, and in the e-book Skyscrapers by Ashish Kumar.

You can find all the puzzles from our Kurotto week in this PDF and the solutions are all grouped in this PDF. If you enjoyed this style, please check out the book Kurotto by Prasanna Seshadri that we published at the end of last year.

We have three solving videos this week using our Penpa-Edit solving interface. This starts with the Kurotto (Connections) by Prasanna Seshadri:

Next is a video for the “Pairs” Kurotto by Swaroop Guggilam:

Finally, we have a solving video for the Saturday “Empty Columns” Kurotto by Prasanna Seshadri:

This coming week is a special one. For the first time in over a year we will be adding a new contributing puzzlemaster to the site. In this debut week for JinHoo Ahn, you’ll find a set of variations where the clues — instead of their usual meaning — have a new twist to think about.

PDF

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

Theme: Empty Columns

Author/Opus: This is the 197th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Prasanna Seshadri.

Rules: Standard Kurotto rules.

Difficulty: 3.5 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 4:30, Master = 8:45, Expert = 17:30

Solution: PDF; a solution video is also available here.

Note: Follow this link for classic Kurotto puzzles and this link for variations on Kurotto puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Kurotto to get started on. More Kurotto puzzles can be found in the ebook Kurotto by Prasanna Seshadri.

PDF

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

Theme: Pairs

Author/Opus: This is the 11th puzzle from guest contributor Swaroop Guggilam.

Rules: Standard Kurotto rules.

Difficulty: 3 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 2:00, Master = 5:45, Expert = 11:30

Solution: PDF; a solution video is also available here.

Note: Follow this link for classic Kurotto puzzles and this link for variations on Kurotto puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Kurotto to get started on. More Kurotto puzzles can be found in the ebook Kurotto by Prasanna Seshadri.

PDF

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

Theme: The Eye

Author/Opus: This is the 316th puzzle from our managing editor Serkan Yürekli.

Rules: Standard Kurotto rules.

Difficulty: 3 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 2:00, Master = 5:30, Expert = 11:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for classic Kurotto puzzles and this link for variations on Kurotto puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Kurotto to get started on. More Kurotto puzzles can be found in the ebook Kurotto by Prasanna Seshadri.

PDF

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

Theme: Quarters

Author/Opus: This is the 196th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Prasanna Seshadri.

Rules: Standard Kurotto rules. Also, ALL circles that share a shaded group with at least one other circle are given in gray.

See also this example:

Difficulty: 2.5 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 1:15, Master = 3:15, Expert = 6:30

Solution: PDF; a solution video is also available here.

Note: Follow this link for classic Kurotto puzzles and this link for variations on Kurotto puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Kurotto to get started on. More Kurotto puzzles can be found in the ebook Kurotto by Prasanna Seshadri.

PDF

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

Theme: Sweet Sixteen

Author/Opus: This is the 336th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Grant Fikes.

Rules: Standard Kurotto rules.

Difficulty: 2 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 1:00, Master = 2:15, Expert = 4:30

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for classic Kurotto puzzles and this link for variations on Kurotto puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Kurotto to get started on. More Kurotto puzzles can be found in the ebook Kurotto by Prasanna Seshadri.