Archive for the ‘Object Placement’ Category:

Bonus: Double Minesweeper by Serkan Yürekli

Double Minesweeper by Serkan Yürekli

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools. Use left click to place 1 or 2 mines, right click (in cell) to mark unused, right click (on edge/corner) to mark a note; hitting tab will also enable a shading mode. If you want more solving options, turn off Penpa-Lite option.)

Theme: Symmetry and Logic (Note: this puzzle originally appeared in this year’s Japan dakejanai Zukei dakejanai Puzzle Championship.)

Author/Opus: This is the 41st puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Serkan Yürekli.

Rules: Place either 0, 1, or 2 mines into each empty cell so that each number represents the total count of mines in all neighboring cells, including diagonally adjacent cells. See also this example:

Double Minesweeper by Serkan Yürekli

Answer String: For each cell in the marked rows, enter the number of mines (0, 1, 2) for each cell. Enter 0 if the cell is a number cell. Separate each row’s entry from the next with a comma. In this example, the answer is “022102,002000”.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 1:20, Master = 2:00, Expert = 4:00

Solution: PDF

Note: This is a bonus puzzle and is probably harder than a usual Monday/Tuesday puzzle, particularly if you have not solved many Double Minesweeper puzzles.

Battleships by Thomas Snyder

Battleships by Thomas Snyder

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: Logic and Near Symmetry (the row and column clues break into mostly symmetric groups)

Author/Opus: This is the 176th 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 both digits if a 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 = 1:00, Master = 1:30, Expert = 3:00

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.

Bonus: Statue Park by Serkan Yürekli

Statue Park by Serkan Yürekli

PDF

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

Theme: Open Middle (Note: this puzzle originally appeared in this year’s 24HPC.)

Author/Opus: This is the 40th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Serkan Yürekli.

Rules: Standard Statue Park 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 = 3:15, Master = 4:00, Expert = 8:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other Statue Park Puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Statue Parks to get started on.

Star Battle by Thomas Snyder

Star Battle by Thomas Snyder

PDF

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

Theme: Man Made Out of Stars

Author/Opus: This is the 175th 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. If the number has two digits, just enter the unit’s digit (i.e. column “10” would be entered as 0). Enter these numbers as a single string with no separators.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 3:30, Master = 5:15, Expert = 10:30

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.

Battleships by Thomas Snyder

Battleships by Thomas Snyder

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: Unbalanced

Author/Opus: This is the 165th 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 both digits if a 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 = 1:15, Master = 1:30, Expert = 3:00

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.

Statue Park by Prasanna Seshadri

Statue Park by Prasanna Seshadri

PDF

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

Theme: 23 on 3/2 (Note: while we don’t post puzzles on Sundays, we are pleased to wish a happy (early) birthday to our puzzlemaster Prasanna Seshadri who created this puzzle to mark the occasion.)

Author/Opus: This is the 13th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Prasanna Seshadri.

Rules: Standard Statue Park 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 = 3:45, Master = 9:00, Expert = 18:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other Statue Park Puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Statue Parks to get started on.

Star Battle by Thomas Snyder

Star Battle by Thomas Snyder

PDF

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

Theme: Star-Crossed

Author/Opus: This is the 159th 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 = 1:20, Master = 1:45, Expert = 3:30

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.

Statue Park by Grant Fikes

Statue Park by Grant Fikes

PDF

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

Theme: Clue Symmetry

Author/Opus: This is the 83rd puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Grant Fikes.

Rules: Standard Statue Park 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 = 2:30, Master = 4:30, Expert = 9:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other Statue Park Puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Statue Parks to get started on.

Battleships by Thomas Snyder

Battleships by Thomas Snyder

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 Seas

Author/Opus: This is the 155th 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. If the row is empty, enter 0. Enter these numbers as a single string with no separators.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 3:00, Master = 4:15, Expert = 8:30

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.

Dr. Sudoku Prescribes #152 – Star Battle

Star Battle by Thomas Snyder

PDF

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

Theme: Gift

Rules: Standard Star Battle rules. Two stars per row, column, and region. Note: the coloring is just to emphasize the theme and is not involved in the solve.

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 = 4:00, Master = 6:00, Expert = 12:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other classic Star Battles and this link for Star Battle variations. 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, in the book Star Battle by JinHoo Ahn, and in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli.