Slitherlink (Star Battle) by Serkan Yürekli
or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between edgex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s and a star placement mode)
Author/Opus: This is the 332nd puzzle from our managing editor Serkan Yürekli.
Rules: Standard Slitherlink rules. Also, each row and column must contain exactly two stars (one in the example). Stars cannot touch each other, even diagonally, and all stars must be inside the loop. Stars cannot be placed in the numbered cells.
See also this example:
Difficulty: 4.5 stars
Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 7:00, Master = 14:15, Expert = 28:30
Solution: PDF; a solution video is also available here.
Note: Follow this link for classic Slitherlink and this link for Slitherlink variations. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Slitherlink puzzles to get started on. More Slitherlink puzzles can be found in The Art of Puzzles, Slitherlink and Variations, and our beginner-friendly book Logic Puzzles 101.
It’s so late that I suppose I should just wait until Sunday, but I feel like I’m missing something in this puzzle. I’ve solved all the Slitherlink elements I can solve before doing the Star Battle, and:
Fb gurer boivbhfyl arrqf gb or n fgne va bar bs gur gjb yrsgzbfg fcnprf va gur gbc ebj naq bar bs gur gjb fcnprf orgjrra gur 1f va gur gbc ebj. Ohg guvf qbrfa’g frrz gb yrnir ebbz sbe gjb fgnef va gur ebj orybj – gur bayl fcnprf gb chg gurz ner gjb gb gur yrsg bs gur 3, gjb/guerr gb gur evtug bs gur 3, naq orgjrra gur 1 naq gur 2f. Ohg gur svefg naq guveq bs gubfr pna’g or hfrq orpnhfr bs gur gbc ebj fgnef. V pna’g gryy vs V’z zvfernqvat gur ehyrf be zvffvat n qrqhpgvba!
I made a mistake that I think you made as well. Zl zvfgnxr jnf va gur hccre-yrsg pbeare. V qvqa’g ernyvmr gung gurer jnf npghnyyl gjb rkgen cnguf gung gur ybbc pbhyq rfpncr guebhtu hc gurer, fb V qvqa’g arprffnevyl unir gb wbva gur gjb cvrprf gung jrer nyernql gurer.