Tapa (Skyscrapers) by Prasanna Seshadri

Tapa (Skyscrapers) by Prasanna Seshadri

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PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to shift between shading mode and the composite Yajilin mode where left click marks cells, right click marks dots in cells or X’s on edges, left click+drag draws lines.)

Theme: Clue Symmetry and Logic

Author/Opus: This is the 99th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Prasanna Seshadri.

Rules: Standard Tapa rules. Also, numbers outside the grid show the number of separate wall segments visible in that direction. A segment of length N in a given direction is taken as a building of height N. Buildings of height N block the view of all buildings behind them of equal or lesser height.

See also this example (by Serkan Yürekli):

Tapa (Skyscrapers) Example by Serkan Yürekli

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 = 7:30, Master = 10:00, Expert = 20:00

Solution: PDF

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

Fillomino by Grant Fikes

Fillomino by Grant Fikes

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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: 2 × 2 × 20

Author/Opus: This is the 184th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Grant Fikes.

Rules: Standard Fillomino rules.

Answer String: For each cell in the marked rows/columns, enter the area of the polyomino it belongs to. Enter just the last digit for any two-digit number. Start with the 15th row, followed by a comma, followed by the 10th column.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 5:45, Master = 7:45, Expert = 15:30

Solution: PDF

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

Crisscross with Pentominoes by Serkan Yürekli

Crisscross with Pentominoes by Serkan Yürekli

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between a letter entry mode and a shading mode to mark off cells).

Theme: Just Pentomino Letters

Author/Opus: This is the 86th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Serkan Yürekli.

Rules: Locate the given words in the grid, reading across and down. All words should be interconnected and no words other than those in the word list should appear. All cells that are not part of the crisscross belong to one of the twelve pentominoes. Pentominoes can only touch each other at corners. Rotations and reflections of the pentominoes are allowed. The letters inside the grid are either part of the words, or part of a pentomino (and they must belong to a pentomino shape with that letter).

Or see this example:

Crisscross with Pentominoes by Serkan Yürekli

Answer String: Enter all crisscross letters (ignore pentominoes) from left to right for the marked rows, starting at the top. Separate each row’s entry with a comma. Use CAPITAL LETTERS.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 7:45, Master = 10:15, Expert = 20:30

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other puzzles involving Pentominoes.

Frozen Pentominoes by Serkan Yürekli

Frozen Pentominoes by Serkan Yürekli

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: Clue Symmetry and Logic

Author/Opus: This is the 85th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Serkan Yürekli.

Rules: Place all twelve pentominoes into the grid a single time, rotations and reflections allowed. Pentominoes can touch each other, but cannot overlap. When all pentominoes are placed, none of them should be able to move in any of the four directions; pentomino movement is blocked by other pentominoes and by clue cells. Each clue cell contains the letters of all pentominoes that touch that cell, even diagonally. (A blank, black cell has no pentominoes touching it.)

Or see this example:

Frozen Pentominoes by Serkan Yürekli

Answer String: Enter a single CAPITAL letter representing each pentomino appearing 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 = 4:30, Master = 7:00, Expert = 14:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other puzzles involving Pentominoes.

Tapa (Pentomino) by Serkan Yürekli

Tapa by Serkan Yürekli

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to shift between shading mode and the composite Yajilin mode where left click marks cells, right click marks dots in cells or X’s on edges, left click+drag draws lines.)

Theme: Clue Symmetry and Logic

Author/Opus: This is the 82nd puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Serkan Yürekli.

Rules: Standard Tapa rules. Also, the Tapa wall in this puzzle is made using one of each pentomino given below the grid with no overlaps. Rotations and reflections are allowed. (Note: There is no P pentomino here because it would violate Tapa 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 = 6:15, Master = 8:45, Expert = 17:30

Solution: PDF

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

[Extra] Shape Minesweeper by Thomas Snyder

Minesweeper Pentomino by Thomas Snyder

PDF

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

Theme: Paired Clues (Written for 2015 Puzzle Grand Prix Finals but not used)

Author/Opus: This is the 230th puzzle from Thomas Snyder, aka Dr. Sudoku.

Rules: Place the ten indicated tetrominoes into the grid, rotations and reflections allowed. Tetrominoes cannot cover the numbered cells, and tetrominoes cannot be placed in adjacent cells that share an edge or corner. Numbered cells indicate how many of the surrounding cells (including diagonally adjacent cells) contain parts of tetrominoes.

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 = 7:30, Expert = 15:00

Solution: PDF

[Extra] Cave by Thomas Snyder

Cave 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: Clue Symmetry and Logic (Written for 2015 Puzzle Grand Prix Finals)

Author/Opus: This is the 229th 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 = 4:45, Master = 8:00, Expert = 16:00

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.

Fillomino by Grant Fikes

Fillomino by Grant Fikes

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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. Note that the default puzzle info is too long — even for an url shortener — so copy and paste all the text in this file into the “Load” option in the upper-right of the penpa-edit interface to access.)

Theme: I/O Problem

Author/Opus: This is the 181st puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Grant Fikes.

Rules: Standard Fillomino rules.

Answer String: For each cell in the marked rows/columns, enter the area of the polyomino it belongs to. Enter just the last digit for any two-digit number. Start with the 19th row, followed by a comma, followed by the 26th row.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 16:30, Master = 24:00, Expert = 48:00

Solution: PDF

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

Nanro by Grant Fikes

Nanro by Grant Fikes

PDF

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

Theme: Stripes

Author/Opus: This is the 180th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Grant Fikes.

Rules: Standard Nanro rules.

Answer String: Enter the length in cells of each of the segments labeled with numbers 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 = 3:30, Master = 5:30, Expert = 11:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Click here for other Nanro puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, please first try out the example on the Rules and Info page as well as this easy Nanro post.

S, as in Sudoku by Bryce Herdt

S, as in Sudoku by Bryce Herdt

PDF

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

Theme: ¿¡¿Dos Unos en Una Fila?!? (“Translated” from a puzzle by Thomas Snyder on the 3rd SudokuCup

Author/Opus: This is the 4th puzzle from guest contributor Bryce Herdt.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules. Also, in the cells with red letters, a number can only be entered if it contains that letter when spelled out in Spanish.

Answer String: Enter the 1st column from top to bottom, followed by a comma, followed by the 9th column from top to bottom.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 7:30, Master = 12:00, Expert = 24:00

Solution: PDF

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