Archive for the ‘Puzzle’ Category:

Killer Sudoku by clover!

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
Today’s Killer Sudoku is a very interesting construction; will you be able to find the solution path intended by clover!?

Killer Sudoku by clover!

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 68th puzzle from Clover, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Also, the sum of the numbers in each cage must equal the value given in the upper-left corner of that cage. Numbers cannot repeat inside a cage.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 7:00; One party hat (🥳): 13:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: big Bicentenaria.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:18, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for more Killer Sudoku and this link for classic Sudoku. More Killer Sudoku puzzles can be found in Killer Sudoku by Serkan Yürekli.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Daily GAS discussion post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

German Whispers Sudoku by Philip Newman

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
Can you work out a path of logic around this large German Whispers shape?

German Whispers Sudoku by Philip Newman

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: Cubist Phase

Author/Opus: This is the 49th puzzle from Philip Newman, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Numbers in cells directly connected on a green line must differ by at least 5.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 8:00; One party hat (🥳): 18:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: Calm Cathetosaurus.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 4:38, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for other less common variations of Sudoku.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Daily GAS discussion post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

Sandwich Sudoku by Bill Murphy

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
This Sandwich Sudoku serves up an extra helping of approachable logic. Can you solve this puzzle by Bill Murphy?

Sandwich Sudoku by Bill Murphy

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: American Food

Author/Opus: This is the 46th puzzle from Bill Murphy, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Clues outside the grid give the sum of numbers in the cells between the 1 and the 9 in that row or column. (For example, the 11 clue in row 2 means R2C3 + R2C4 + R2C5 = 11 as those are the cells between the 9 in R2C2 and the 1 in R2C6.)

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 7:00; One party hat (🥳): 13:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: Pastrami Paluxysaurus.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:25, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for other less common variations of Sudoku.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Daily GAS discussion post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

XIIVII Pairs Sudoku by clover!

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
The sum constraint insanity continues. When, across these Serbian Frames and XxVx Pairs puzzles, can we agree to just put the normal representation of sum values directly on the edges of the added cells? Maybe those comments to simplify Sudoku variations are for another day; enjoy thinking about all the VII and XII values today!

XIIVII Pairs Sudoku by clover!

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 67th puzzle from Clover, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Whenever an XII or VII, reflecting the numbers 12 or 7 in Roman numerals, is placed on the edge between cells, the numbers in the two adjacent cells must sum to exactly 12 or 7. (Pairs of cells without an XII or VII can have any sum value.)

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 7:30; One party hat (🥳): 14:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: moderate Metriacanthosaurus.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 3:43, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for other less common variations of Sudoku.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Daily GAS discussion post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

Anti-King Sudoku by Philip Newman

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
There will be no king’s moves in this Sudoku, so sayeth the rules. What this means is a number cannot share a corner with itself (in addition to all the regular Sudoku rules), ensuring things are more spread out.

Anti-King Sudoku by Philip Newman

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: Chess729

Author/Opus: This is the 48th puzzle from Philip Newman, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (Insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Also, cells sharing a corner cannot contain the same number (as if adding a chess king’s move constraint to each cell).

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 8:00; One party hat (🥳): 17:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: Crowned Campylodon.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:51, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for other less common variations of Sudoku.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Daily GAS discussion post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

Sudoku by Bill Murphy

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
Today’s GAS is a Genuinely Approachable (classic) Sudoku so no special rules should be needed, just solid scanning and logic.

Sudoku by Bill Murphy

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: Dress Down

Author/Opus: This is the 45th puzzle from Bill Murphy, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 5:00; One party hat (🥳): 10:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: City Pop Colepiocephale.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 1:41, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for other classic Sudoku. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Sudoku to get started on. More Sudoku including variations can be found in these books in our e-store. Also, visit this page to purchase all of the puzzles from the 16th World Sudoku Championship including classic Sudoku.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Daily GAS discussion post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

XIVI Pairs Sudoku by clover!

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
What some may have seen as a typo of a 6 for a 5 in an earlier XV Pairs Sudoku by clover! may have merely been a new “portal of discovery”. Here we have XIs and VIs and the logic still has a certain kind of rhyme.

XIVI Pairs Sudoku by clover!

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 66th puzzle from Clover, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Whenever an XI or VI, reflecting the numbers 11 or 6 in Roman numerals, is placed on the edge between cells, the numbers in the two adjacent cells must sum to exactly 11 or 6. (Pairs of cells without an XI or VI can have any sum value.)

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 6:00; One party hat (🥳): 11:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: gentle Guaibasaurus.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:03, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for other less common variations of Sudoku.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Daily GAS discussion post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

Renban Sudoku by Philip Newman

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
Today a familiar pattern pops up again from Philip but with consecutive Renban sets serving as the glue this time for an approachable yet somewhat challenging grid.

Renban Sudoku by Philip Newman

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: Consfounded

Author/Opus: This is the 47th puzzle from Philip Newman, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Numbers along each line must form a non-repeating consecutive set, in any order. (For example, a 4-cell Renban line could be 4352, but not 5679 or 2312.)

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 7:30; One party hat (🥳): 15:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: Brooding Brachyrophus.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 3:18, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for other less common variations of Sudoku.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Daily GAS discussion post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

Serbian Frame Sudoku by Bill Murphy

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
This outside clue puzzle style uses different sets of paired cells to indicate sum constraints. Can you figure out all the arithmetic to get back to Sudoku logic?

Serbian Frame Sudoku by Bill Murphy

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 44th puzzle from Bill Murphy, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Clues to the left and right of the grid indicate the sum of the values in the second and third cells seen in that direction; these pairs of cells are also marked by white dots. Clues to the top and bottom of the grid indicate the sum of the values in the third and fourth cells seen in that direction; these pairs of cells are also marked by gray dots.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 7:00; One party hat (🥳): 13:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: Additive Aragosaurus.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:37, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for other less common variations of Sudoku.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Daily GAS discussion post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

Slingshot Sudoku by clover!

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
In this Sudoku variation, some special “slingshot” cells show how far one number above/below the cell is slung to the left/right in the next row. Can you follow all the leaps of logic?

Slingshot Sudoku by clover!

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 65th puzzle from Clover, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (Insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Also, there are some “slingshot” cells marked in the grid with a circle and arrow. The circle indicates an adjacent cell whose value will be slingshot in the direction of the arrow. The number in the slingshot cell indicates how many cells away that circled cell’s value lands in the arrow’s direction. (For example, if a 4 is in R2C2 (the slingshot cell), and if the value in R1C2 pointed at by the circle is 3, then there would be another 3 four steps to the right of the slingshot in R2C6.)

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 7:30; One party hat (🥳): 14:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: perceptive Pelorosaurus.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 3:12, with Penpa Plus replay this time.

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for other less common variations of Sudoku.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Daily GAS discussion post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.