PDF

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

Theme: GM Puzzles

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

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.

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between a composite mode for line/edge drawing and a letter entry mode.)

Theme: Logical

Rules: Variation of Fillomino rules where regions with the same shape must avoid each other instead of regions with the same size (all regions in a pentominous puzzle are pentominoes).

Specifically, divide the grid into 20 pentominoes so that no two pentominoes of the same shape (including rotations/reflections) share an edge. A cell with a letter in it must be part of the pentomino shape normally associated with that letter as given below the grid. Not all pentomino shapes need appear.

Answer String: Enter the letter associated with the pentomino occupying each cell in the two marked rows from left to right, separating the rows with a comma. Use CAPITAL LETTERS!

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 2:00, Master = 4:00, Expert = 8:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other puzzles involving Pentominoes.

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools using a composite mode where left click inside cell shades square, left click + drag draws line segment, right click inside cell adds dot, and right click on cell edge adds an x; an additional shading mode is available by hitting the tab button if that is preferred.)

Theme: Hidden

Rules: Blacken some cells and then draw a single non-intersecting loop through all remaining white cells. Outside clues indicate the size of all groups of blackened cells in that row or column in order. There must be at least one white cell between each of these groups. When no clues are given, any number of cells may be shaded in that row/column. Or see here.

Answer String: For each column from left to right, enter the number of turns the loop makes. Enter your result as a single string (eg “202204…”).

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 1:45, Master = 2:30, Expert = 5:00

Solution: PDF

PDF

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

Theme: Logical (Note: This puzzle was one of the qualifying round puzzles from this year’s Arlington Puzzle Festival)

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules.

Answer String: Enter the 4th row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 6th row from left to right.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 2:00, Master = 2:45, Expert = 5:30

Solution: PDF

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 classic Sudoku puzzles can be found in The Art of Sudoku, The Art of Sudoku 2 and in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli.

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to shift between number entry and shading modes.)

Theme: 22nd WPC in 2013 (the shaded box is just meant to accentuate the theme and has no role in solving). This puzzle type appeared in Round 7 of the WPC from the Serbian constructors under the name “False Doppelblock”

Rules: Fill each row and column of the grid with the numbers 1-6 and two blackened cells. In this false variation, clue numbers outside the grid are either one higher or one lower than the sum of the digits between the two blackened cells in that row/column. True sums can equal zero if the black cells touch. Or see here, but remember this puzzle is a “false” variation with +1/-1 clues unlike that example.

Answer String: Enter the 1st row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 8th row from left to right. Use an X (capital letter) for each blackened square.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 10:00, Master = 17:30, Expert = 35:00

Solution: PDF

PDF

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

Theme: Triple Play

Rules: Standard Cross the Streams rules.

Answer String: Enter the length in cells of each of the black segments from top to bottom for the marked columns, going in order from A to B to C to D and separating each entry with a comma.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 4:00, Master = 6:30, Expert = 13:00

Solution: PDF

PDF

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

Theme: Clipped Rectangles

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 = 2:15, Master = 3:15, Expert = 7:00

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.

PDF

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

Theme: Windmill (Note: This puzzle was the Team USA contribution to the Sudoku Grand Prix Final recently held in Beijing)

Rules: Standard Even/Odd Sudoku rules (i.e., cells with a square contain an even digit; cells with a circle contain an odd digit).

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

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 3:00, Master = 4:30, Expert = 9:00

Solution: PDF

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

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between a composite mode for line/edge drawing and a number entry mode.)

Theme: 28 Dice (Opus #6 in Grant’s series; also the first one with no border clues.)

Rules: Standard Fillomino rules.

Answer String: For each cell in the marked rows/columns, enter the area of the polyomino it belongs to. Start with the 6th column, followed by a comma, followed by the 10th column.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 1:15, Master = 1:45, Expert = 3:30

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other classic Fillomino and this link for more variations on Fillomino puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Fillomino puzzles to get started on.

PDF

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

Theme: Clue Symmetry; also, each row has 1 clue

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 = 1:15, Master = 1:45, Expert = 3:30

Solution: PDF