All the puzzles from the recent Loop week can be found in this PDF.

Next week we’ll have a variety week, just from guest contributors that send their ideas to us here at GMPuzzles. The exact schedule is this:
Monday: Nurikabe by Tapio Saarinen
Tuesday: Fillomino by Murat Can Tonta
Wednesday: Masyu (Deformable) by Murat Can Tonta
Thursday: Pentopia by Carl Worth
Friday: Pentopia by Carl Worth
Saturday: 2D Top Heavy Number Place by James McGowan

The bonus puzzle for our high-level supporters will be a Cross the Streams by Grant Fikes.

PDF

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: Digit Series

Author/Opus: This is the 224th puzzle from Thomas Snyder, aka Dr. Sudoku.

Rules: (Standard Balance Loop rules.) Draw a single, non-intersecting loop that passes through all circled cells. All white circles must have equal segment lengths on both sides of the circle before turning. All black circles must have unequal segment lengths on both sides of the circle before turning. Numbers indicate the sum of the segment lengths on both sides of the circle.
Also, see this example:

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. This example has the key “11,311”.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 4:00, Master = 8:00, Expert = 16:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other Balance Loops.

PDF

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

Theme: Logical

Author/Opus: This is the 223rd puzzle from Thomas Snyder, aka Dr. Sudoku.

Rules: Standard Yajilin 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 = 2:00, Master = 5:15, Expert = 10:30

Solution: PDF; a solution video is available here.

Note: Follow this link for other classic Yajilin. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Yajilin to get started on.

All the puzzles from our “Will Shortz’s Sudoku” teaser week can be found in this PDF.

This next week will start with a special giant puzzle on Monday, marking Prasanna’s Birthday, and then our regular difficulty trend will start on Tuesday. The specific focus is loop puzzles, with Castle Wall, Masyu, Yajilin, Balance Loop, and Round Trip all appearing.

The bonus puzzle for our high-level supporters will be a TomTom by Grant Fikes.

PDF

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

Theme: Self-Titled

Author/Opus: This is the 222nd puzzle from Thomas Snyder, aka Dr. Sudoku.

Rules: Standard Thermo-Sudoku rules.

Answer String: Enter the 8th row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 3rd column from top to bottom.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 9:45, Master = 12:45, Expert = 25:30

Solution: PDF

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

PDF

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

Theme: Fountain

Author/Opus: This is the 221st puzzle from Thomas Snyder, aka Dr. Sudoku.

Rules: Standard Arrow Sudoku rules.

Answer String: Enter the 5th row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 9th row from left to right.

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

Solution: PDF

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.

All the puzzles from the antisymmetry-themed variety week can be found in this PDF.

We’ve been engaging in some new sudoku projects over the last half year; specifically, Grandmaster Puzzles has been supplying hand-crafted sudoku variations to a new magazine called “Will Shortz’s Sudoku”. While the first issue just hit bookstores and newstands, we’ve now completed submissions for three issues. Our Tight Fit Sudoku, Thermo-Sudoku, Arrow Sudoku, Even/Odd Sudoku, Consecutive Sudoku, and Isodoku (nine puzzles from each genre per issue) sit alongside more typical sudoku offerings from Penny Publications.

This next week I wanted to bring together some of the “extra” submissions I’ve gotten in from our authors for that magazine, with two sudoku in each of these styles: Tight Fit, Thermo-Sudoku, and Arrow Sudoku

The bonus puzzle for our high-level supporters will be a Star Battle by Thomas Snyder.

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: Antisymmetry

Author/Opus: This is the 220th puzzle from Thomas Snyder, aka Dr. Sudoku.

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 = 3:00, Master = 5:45, Expert = 11:30

Solution: PDF

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.

All the puzzles from last week’s Balance Loop/Fillomino mix can be found in this PDF.

Next week we’ll have a variety week, but with a common theme throughout all the puzzles. The exact schedule is this:
Monday: Masyu by Tom Collyer
Tuesday: Nanro by Grant Fikes
Wednesday: Tapa by Tapio Saarinen
Thursday: Cave by Thomas Snyder
Friday: Balance Loop by Prasanna Seshadri
Saturday: Statue Park by Palmer Mebane

The bonus puzzle for our high-level supporters will be a Skyscrapers by Thomas Snyder.

All the hexagonal puzzle variations from last week can be found in this PDF.

Next week will feature a combination of something old (Fillomino by Grant Fikes) and something new (Balance Loop by Prasanna Seshadri).

The bonus puzzle for our high-level supporters will be a Cave by Grant Fikes.