PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between linex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s and a black circle shading mode)

Theme: Antisymmetry

Author/Opus: This is the 18th puzzle from guest contributor Murat Can Tonta.

Rules: Variation of Masyu rules. In addition to the standard rules, white circles may be shaded to become black circles.

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 = 2:30, Master = 3:30, Expert = 7:00

Solution: PDF

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

(Note: This puzzle is at a Saturday+ difficulty, and is being posted today to mark the occasion of Prasanna’s birthday. Our regular “easy” puzzles will run on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.)

(View image directly for larger form.)

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools in yajilin mode where left click shades squares, left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s; 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: 24 on 03/02/15

Author/Opus: This is the 73rd puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Prasanna Seshadri.

Rules: This puzzle combines four loop varieties commonly featured at GMPuzzles: Balance Loop (upper left), Yajilin (upper right), Castle Wall (lower left), and Masyu (lower right).

Draw a single, non-intersecting loop throughout all four quadrants. The loop may enter and exit the different quadrants as many times as needed.

The standard rules for each puzzle type are true for each quadrant, with these additional considerations:

Balance Loop: Use the entire length of segments (including parts of the segments that extend into an adjacent quadrant) when determining the balanced/unbalanced status of a circle clue.

Yajilin: The arrow clues refer only to shaded cells within the Yajilin quadrant. The loop must occupy all cells adjacent to a shaded cell, even in an adjacent quadrant.

Castle Wall: Number clues can see beyond the CW quadrant ONLY IF the line segment begins from a cell within the CW quadrant. (For example, if a segment starts in the rightmost column of the CW quadrant and goes three cells further to the right into the Masyu quadrant before turning, this segment would contribute 3 to the count of segments for that row.)

Masyu: Normal rules apply for white and black circles, but the path satisfying these rules can extend into an adjacent quadrant. (For example, a white circle can be passed through crossing a quadrant edge, provided it turns immediately on one side of the circle whether the turn is in the Masyu quadrant or in another quadrant.)

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 = 30:00, Master = 55:00, Expert = 1:50:00

Solution: PDF

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools in linex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s)

Theme: Clue symmetry and logic

Author/Opus: This is the 69th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Serkan Yürekli.

Rules: Variation of Masyu. Draw a single, non-intersecting loop that passes through all circled cells. The loop can only make 120 degree turns. The loop must go straight through the cells with white circles, with a 120 degree turn in at least one of the cells immediately before/after each white circle. The loop must make a 120 degree turn in all the black circles, but must go straight in both cells immediately before/after each black circle.

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 = 7:00, Master = 10:45, Expert = 21:30

Solution: PDF

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

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between linex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s and a black circle shading mode.)

Theme: Dominoes

Author/Opus: This is the 10th puzzle from guest contributor Murat Can Tonta.

Rules: Variation of Masyu rules. In addition to the standard rules, some white circles may be shaded to become black circles.

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 = 2:30, Master = 4:30, Expert = 9:00

Solution: PDF

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

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools in linex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s)

Theme: Logical

Author/Opus: This is the 2nd puzzle from guest contributor Swaroop Guggilam.

Rules: Standard Masyu rules. Also, the loop must make the same number of turns in each bold region. It is up to you to determine how many turns this is. (Be sure to count all turns, including turns in black circles.)

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 = 4:00, Master = 5:30, Expert = 11:00

Solution: PDF

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

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between linex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s and a shading mode.)

Theme: Clue Symmetry and Logic

Author/Opus: This is the 6th puzzle from guest contributor Hans van Stippent.

Rules: Variation of Masyu rules. Exactly one circle clue in every row and column is lying. If a lying clue is a white circle, it should be black instead. If a lying clue is a black circle, if should be white instead.

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 = 2:45, Master = 3:30, Expert = 7:00

Solution: PDF

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

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between a shape/star placement mode and linex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s)

Theme: Relay of Logic

Author/Opus: This is the 28th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Prasanna Seshadri.

Rules: Standard Star Battle rules (ignore the shading). Then turn every star in a gray region into a black circle and every star in a white region into a white circle, and solve again as a standard Masyu puzzle. Ignore the region boundaries when drawing the Masyu loop.

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 = 2:00, Master = 3:00, Expert = 6:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other classic Star Battles and this link for other classic Masyu.

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools in edgex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s)

Theme: Think Positive (there are no zero clues)

Author/Opus: This is the 164th puzzle from Thomas Snyder, aka Dr. Sudoku.

Rules: Combination of Slitherlink and Masyu rules.

Specifically, draw a single closed loop by connecting neighboring dots horizontally or vertically so that each number represents the number of adjacent edges used by the loop. The loop passes through all large circles. It must go straight through the white circles with at least one side turning at the next dot; it must turn at the black circles and then go straight through the next dot in both directions.

Answer String: Enter the length in cells of each of the internal loop 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 = 3:30, Master = 5:15, Expert = 10:30

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow these links for other Slitherlink variations and Masyu variations. Or follow these links for classic Slitherlink and classic Masyu puzzles.

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between linex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s and a black circle shading mode)

Theme: Clue symmetry and logic

Author/Opus: This is the 32nd puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Serkan Yürekli.

Rules: Variation of Masyu rules. In addition to the standard rules, some white circles may be shaded to become black circles.

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 = 3:00, Master = 3:45, Expert = 7:30

Solution: PDF

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

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools in edgex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s)

Theme: Quadrants

Author/Opus: This is the 14th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Prasanna Seshadri.

Rules: Combination of Slitherlink and Masyu rules.

Specifically, draw a single closed loop by connecting neighboring dots horizontally or vertically so that each number represents the number of adjacent edges used by the loop. The loop passes through all large circles. It must go straight through the white circles with at least one side turning at the next dot; it must turn at the black circles and then go straight through the next dot in both directions.

Answer String: Enter the length in cells of each of the internal loop 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 = 1:40, Master = 2:30, Expert = 5:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow these links for other Slitherlink variations and Masyu variations. Or follow these links for classic Slitherlink and classic Masyu puzzles.