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: High and Low (prepared for the 2017 Puzzle Grand Prix)

Author/Opus: This is the 271st puzzle from Thomas Snyder, aka Dr. Sudoku.

Rules: Standard Battleships rules. Use the indicated fleet.

Answer String: For each row from top to bottom, enter the number of the first column from the left where a ship segment appears (enter just the last digit for any two-digit number). If the row is empty, enter 0. Enter these numbers as a single string with no separators.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 2:15, Master = 5:00, Expert = 10:00 (*Estimates from competition scoring, not our usual process)

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other classic Battleships. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Battleships to get started on. More Battleships puzzles can be found in The Art of Puzzles collection.

PDF

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

Theme: Star Frame (prepared for the 2017 Puzzle Grand Prix)

Author/Opus: This is the 270th puzzle from Thomas Snyder, aka Dr. Sudoku.

Rules: Standard Star Battle rules. Two stars per row, column, and region.

Answer String: For each row from top to bottom, enter the number of the first column from the left where a star appears. Enter these numbers as a single string with no separators.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 2:30, Master = 5:15, Expert = 10:30 (*Estimates from competition scoring, not our usual process)

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other classic Star Battles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Star Battles to get started on. More Star Battle puzzles can be found in The Art of Puzzles.

We’ve just released a new print book and a new e-book from our Grandmaster Puzzles authors.

Logic Puzzles 101: Previously released as an ebook, this collection of 101 puzzles including Masyu, Slitherlink, Yajilin, Nurikabe, and Fillomino from Grant Fikes is now available in paperback form. Find it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other fine retailers.

Slitherlink and Variations: New to our e-store is this fourth part to Serkan Yürekli’s Classics and Variations series featuring 13 new classic Slitherlink (including 1 giant puzzle) and 40 new puzzles spread across 10 variations that will truly test your loop drawing skills.

The recent Patrons Week of puzzles can be found in this PDF.

This coming weekend is the US Round for the WPF Puzzle Grand Prix. There are 35 puzzles by Thomas Snyder split across three different rounds. The A and B rounds include the ten “The Art of Puzzles” styles while the C round has some less common styles like Numberlink and Letter Pairs. Given the range of difficulties, there should be something fun for everyone. We’ll post some of the highlights from the competition next week after the competition closes.

This coming Saturday is also the US Sudoku Qualifier.

We’re working to get another e-book and another print book released this soon. Come back next weekend for more details.

The recent LITS and Double LITS week can be found in this PDF. If you enjoyed this week, you’ll find 25 more LITS and 25 more Double LITS puzzles in The Art of Puzzles 2 section recently added to our estore.

This coming week is another Patrons’ Week with puzzle styles requested by our top patrons. The difficulty is higher than usual. Our patrons will also be receiving a bonus Fillomino by Grant Fikes, access to puzzle solutions, and a video walkthrough of the Friday puzzle. If you’d like to receive some of these special rewards, please click here for more info.

PDF

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

Theme: Boxed In

Author/Opus: This is the 269th puzzle from Thomas Snyder, aka Dr. Sudoku.

Rules: Same as LITS, except that each region must contain two shaded tetrominoes. These two tetrominoes within a region cannot touch each other, and can be the same or different shapes.

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 = 2:45, Master = 4:00, Expert = 8:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for more variations of LITS and this link for classic LITS. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest LITS to get started on. More LITS puzzles can be found in LOTS O’ LITS by Grant Fikes and Prasanna Seshadri and in The Art of Puzzles 2.

This week we’ve added the LITS section of The Art of Puzzles 2 to our estore, and we are marking the week with six original puzzles including LITS and Double LITS as in that 50 puzzle e-book.

Our supporters will also be receiving a bonus LITS (Liar) by Grant Fikes, access to puzzle solutions, and a written walkthrough of the Friday puzzle. If you’d like to receive some of these special rewards, please click here for more info.

[Note: We swapped the order of the next Patrons’ Week with this LITS week to make sure we had puzzles ready on time today. Next Sunday will feature the Patrons’ Week collection.]

The recent week of Yajilin and Double Yajilin puzzles can be found in this PDF.

I’ve been a bit slowed by illness recently, so the next week of puzzles will come in May. We’re working on another Patrons’ Week of requested puzzles and on a week featuring LITS and Double LITS puzzles, the next section in The Art of Puzzles 2.

The recent mini-week of puzzle “leftovers” can be found in this PDF.

This week we’ve added the Yajilin section of The Art of Puzzles 2 to our estore, and we are marking the week with six original puzzles including Yajilin and Double Yajilin as in that 50 puzzle e-book.

Our supporters will also be receiving a bonus Yajilin (Total False) by Murat Can Tonta, access to puzzle solutions, and a video walkthrough of the Wednesday and Saturday puzzles. If you’d like to receive some of these special rewards, please click here for more info.

PDF

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

Theme: Half and Half

Author/Opus: This is the 268th puzzle from Thomas Snyder, aka Dr. Sudoku.

Rules: Standard TomTom rules, using the integers 1-8.

Answer String: Enter the 3rd row from left to right followed by the 5th row from left to right. Separate the entries with a comma.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 8:00, Master = 15:00, Expert = 30:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other classic TomTom. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest TomTom to get started on. More TomTom puzzles can be found in The Art of Puzzles.