PDF

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

Theme: Easy as 1, 2, 3 (made for our patron Veep)

Author/Opus: This is the 116th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Prasanna Seshadri.

Rules: Variation of standard Slitherlink rules. Exactly one clue in each row and column is lying and must represent a different number.

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 = 6:00, Master = 8:30, Expert = 17:00

Solution: PDF

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

PDF

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

Theme: Pentomino Clues

Author/Opus: This is the 81st puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Serkan Yürekli.

Rules: Draw a set of twelve pentomino-shaped loops consisting of vertical and horizontal segments between the dots. Numbers inside a cell indicate how many of the edges of that cell are part of the loops. The pentomino-shaped loops cannot touch each other, even diagonally, but may be rotated or reflected.

Or see this example (with the four indicated pentominoes):

Answer String: Enter the length in cells of each of the internal loop segments following the arrows for the marked rows, starting at the top. Separate each row’s entry with a comma.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 5:30, Master = 6:30, Expert = 13:00

Solution: PDF

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

PDF

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

Theme: Clue Symmetry and Logic (inspired by an earlier contest submission from Scott Handelman)

Author/Opus: This is the 9th puzzle from guest contributor Carl Worth.

Rules: Standard Slitherlink rules. Also, enter a number from 0 to 3 into each gray cell as additional Slitherlink clues. Numbers in the gray cells cannot repeat in any row, column, or 2×2 group of gray cells.

Answer String: Enter the length in cells of each of the internal loop segments following the arrows for the marked rows, starting at the top. Separate each row’s entry with a comma.

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

Solution: PDF

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

PDF

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

Theme: Cirrus Clouds

Author/Opus: This is the 6th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster John Bulten.

Rules: Place either 0, 1, or 2 mines into each empty cell so that each number represents the total count of mines in all neighboring cells, including diagonally adjacent cells. See also this example:

Also, all cells other than Minesweeper clues are Slitherlink clues. After solving the Minesweeper, convert these cells’ contents to numbers (use corresponding cells in additional grid), then draw a single, non-intersecting loop in the additional grid that only consists of horizontal and vertical segments between the dots, where the number inside each of these cells indicates how many of the four edges of that cell are part of the loop.

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 = 8:00, Master = 9:30, Expert = 19:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Click here for other Double Minesweeper puzzles and here for other Slitherlink puzzles.

For those who thought there would be no special puzzles on Sundays in 2014: SURPRISE!

This very creative submission comes from Nikolai Beluhov. And like his earlier Matryoshka Fillomino, this is a gift that keeps on giving. Starting with a challenging Fillomino puzzle, erasing all of the 4s leaves a Slitherlink. Then erasing all of the 3s leaves a Tapa. Then erasing all of the 2s gives a Simple Loop (treating the 1s as blackened cells).

PDF

Fillomino

Slitherlink

Tapa

Simple Loop

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to shift between a Composite Edgesub mode for Fillomino and Slitherlink, a shading mode for Tapa, a number entry mode for Fillomino, and a line drawing mode for Simple Loop.)

Rules: Standard Fillomino rules.
Then standard Slitherlink rules.
Then standard Tapa rules.
Then Simple Loop rules (draw a single closed loop, without intersections or crossings, through all empty cells; cells with 1s cannot be visited by the loop).

Answer String: None for this puzzle; simply click solved if finished.

Solution: PDF

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: The Lone Sheep

Author/Opus: This is the 8th puzzle from guest contributor Hans van Stippent.

Rules: Standard Slitherlink rules. Also, there are some sheep (marked S) that must be inside the loop and some wolves (marked W) that must be outside the loop. Also, no 2×2 square of cells can be entirely inside the loop or entirely outside the loop.

Answer String: Enter the length in cells of each of the internal loop segments following the arrows 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 = 6:15, Expert = 12:30

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other Slitherlink variations and this link for classic Slitherlink. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Slitherlink puzzles 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: Clue Symmetry and Logic

Author/Opus: This is the 3rd puzzle from guest contributor Bram de Laat.

Rules: Standard Slitherlink rules, except that the edges of the grid wrap around. The top row of dots is the same as the bottom row of dots; the left column of dots is the same as the right column of dots. The loop can now run across an outer edge and continue on the other side. This example image may help:

Answer String: Enter the size of each group of connected squares in the marked rows from left to right; in the example, the bottom row would be “112”.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 4:20, Master = 6:00, Expert = 12:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other Slitherlink variations and this link for classic Slitherlink. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Slitherlink puzzles 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: Connected Logic

Author/Opus: This is the 1st puzzle from guest contributor Bobby Liu.

Rules: Standard Slitherlink rules. Also, there are four regions (in gray) in the two grids that are portals. All edges that touch any gray squares must match across grids (without rotation or reflection). For identical shapes, it is not known which positions are matched (for example, the ring in the upper left of the first puzzle could be in either the upper left or lower right of the second puzzle).

Answer String: Enter the length in cells of each of the internal loop segments following the arrows for the marked rows, starting at the top. Separate each row’s entry with a comma.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 18:00, Master = 30:00, Expert = 1:00:00

Solution: PDF; a solution video is available here.

Note: Follow this link for other Slitherlink variations and this link for classic Slitherlink. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Slitherlink puzzles 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: Symmetrical Clues (allowing for rotations and reflections)

Author/Opus: This is the 102nd puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Grant Fikes.

Rules: Standard Slitherlink rules. Also, there are some sheep (marked by a reflected 2 in blue) that must be inside the loop and some wolves (marked by a rotated 3 in red) that must be outside the loop.

(Note: the reflected/rotated digits in blue and red do not actually serve as loop clues meaning 2 and 3, just as sheep and wolves. We chose this presentation because the theme works better with the wackiness of some 2’s and 3’s even if it needs this extra note.)

Answer String: Enter the length in cells of each of the internal loop segments following the arrows for the marked rows, starting at the top. Separate each row’s entry with a comma.

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

Solution: PDF

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