PDF

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

Theme: Visual and logical

Rules: Variation of standard Fillomino rules. All polyominoes of same size besides 4 cannot touch. But all tetrominoes — polyominoes of size 4 — must be connected as in a LITS puzzle. All “4” clues have been replaced by letters indicating which tetromino type they belong to.

Answer String: For each cell in the marked rows, enter the area of the polyomino it belongs to. For the tetrominoes, instead of numbers use capital letters (L, I, T, S) in the appropriate cells. Start with the 6th row, followed by a comma, followed by the 14th row.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 7:00, Master = 10:30, Expert = 21:00

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; use tab to alternate between a composite mode for line/edge drawing and a number entry mode.)

Theme: 28 “dice”, opus #2 (See here for the first in Grant’s 28-given series of Fillominoes.)

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 5th row, followed by a comma, followed by the 9th row.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 2:20, Master = 3:30, Expert = 7:00

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; use tab to alternate between a composite mode for line/edge drawing and a number entry mode.)

Theme: 28 “dice”

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 7th row, followed by a comma, followed by the 7th column.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 1:40, Master = 2:30, Expert = 5:00

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.

Today’s surprise comes from Hans van Stippent, who sent several creative submissions in for The Art of Puzzles. For this book I’m mostly avoiding “variations”, but I found this puzzle to be a surprising twist perfect for this spot.

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: Diagonals

Rules: Variation of standard Fillomino rules. Some clues are not fully specified, and must simply follow the inequality value given in the cell.

Answer String: For each cell in the marked rows/columns, enter the area of the polyomino it belongs to. Start with the 2nd row, followed by a comma, followed by the 8th row.

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; use tab to alternate between a composite mode for line/edge drawing and a number entry mode.)

This is a “Franken-Friday” puzzle variation.

Theme: Mostly themeless, besides the variation itself

Rules: Variation of standard Fillomino rules. All polyominoes must be rectangles.

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 9th column.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 3:45, Master = 5:00, Expert = 10:00

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; use tab to alternate between a composite mode for line/edge drawing and a number entry mode.)

This is a “Twisted Tuesday” puzzle variation.

Theme: Mostly themeless, besides the variation itself.

Rules: Variation of standard Fillomino rules. In addition to polyominoes of the same size not being allowed to touch, polyominoes that differ in size by one (for example, 3 and 4) also cannot touch.

Answer String: For each cell in the marked rows/columns, enter the area of the polyomino it belongs to. Start with the 5th row, followed by a comma, followed by the 8th row.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 2:30, Master = 3:15, Expert = 6:30

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; use tab to alternate between a composite mode for line/edge drawing and a number entry mode.)

Theme: Tornado

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 row, followed by a comma, followed by the 10th column.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 5:00, Master = 8:00, Expert = 16:00

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; use tab to alternate between a composite mode for line/edge drawing and a number entry mode.)

Theme: Parquet

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 5th column, followed by a comma, followed by the 7th column.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 1:30, Master = 2:00, Expert = 4:00

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.

Tenth in a series with puzzle solving tips. This time with advice on Fillomino puzzles and hidden polyominoes.

Fillomino is one of my favorite puzzle styles, in part because it is one of the few where I think the author’s touch can come across in the puzzle in so many different ways. In the set of Fillominoes I’ve gotten from different authors, I think I can pick out some authors from others just based on how much they use visual patterns, one-option polyomino growth, crowding, counting, how well they conceal hidden pentominoes, and so on. While having a variety of puzzle constructors will improve most sections of The Art of Puzzles, Fillomino is hands-down in my mind the one where having many authors will have the greatest effect on quality.

I wanted to talk about one of my own constructing trends which I learned this week after writing 7 Fillomino puzzles (only a few that went online; some are going to GAMES and others are being saved). That is what I’ll call the “known unknowns”. The picture you should have in your head when considering a choice based on the hidden polyominoes you’ll leave behind. The contradictions in the “known unknowns” are the basis for the Saturday Fillomino.

(more…)

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: Squeeze Play

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 7th row, followed by a comma, followed by the 9th column.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 4:30, Master = 9:00, Expert = 18:00

Note: Advice on solving this puzzle has now been posted in “Ask Dr. Sudoku #10”

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.