Puzzle No 171: NonConsecutive Sudoku

Rules: Place numbers in the grid such that each row, column, and 3*3 box contain the numbers 1-9. Additionally, orthogonally adjacent cells must not contain consecutive digits.

Penpa+: Online Solving

Puzzle: 

Puzzle No 170: Double Statue Park Twilight

This Puzzle was created during the speed setting contest over Cracking The Cryptic discord server within a time limit of 60 min. The contest was "Statues in the Twilight Zone".

The goal was to create a Statue Park puzzle with an added Twilight twist (Rules explained below).

Edit 22nd August 9 PM ET: Simplified the Rules.

Rules:

Statue Park Rules (Uses 2 Full Pentomino Sets):

A bank of shapes is given with the grid, usually with each shape labeled for your convenience. Place each of the shapes exactly once into the grid, with rotations and reflections allowed. No two shapes can overlap or be orthogonally adjacent, and all of the space not occupied by shapes must be connected. Black circles in the grid represent spaces that must be contained in one of the shapes, and white circles represent spaces that may not be contained in a shape.

Additionally, The number clues act as minesweeper clues (i.e. clues addressing the neighboring 8 cells) i.e. if there is a number in a white circle it gives the number of black circles around it.

Theme: Double Pentomino Set

Penpa+: Online Solving

Puzzle: 

Puzzle No 169: Square Root Nurikabe

A Micro Puzzle to test out a new concept.

Later, Eric suggested, it can also be called Square Nurikabe by giving clues square way. Since the original idea struck me as Square root, I have left it as-is for this puzzle but may change the name in the future.

Have fun solving.

Rules:

Shade some blank cells so that the grid is divided into white regions. Each white region contains exactly one numbered cell and has the same area as the number. Two white regions may only touch each other diagonally. All shaded cells are connected to each other horizontally or vertically. Shaded cells do not form 2X2 squares.

Additionally, each clue behave as given or it can be replaced with the square root of its value

Penpa+: Online Solving

Puzzle: 

Puzzle No 168: Hybrid Sudoku (Quad Sums + Numbered Rooms)

A Micro Puzzle for Fun.

Rules:

Necklace Rules:

1.Quad Sums: 

A circle at a corner implies that one digit is the sum of the remaining three digits at that corner. Not all possible circles are given.

2.Numbered Rooms

Apply classic sudoku rules.

Clues outside the grid indicate the digit which has to be placed in the Xth cell in the corresponding direction, where X is the digit placed in the first cell in that direction.

Penpa+: Online Solving

Puzzle: 

Puzzle No 167: Regional Necklace Tapa Loop

This Puzzle was created during the speed setting contest over Cracking The Cryptic discord server within a time limit of 60 + (30 extended) min.

The goal was to add our own rules to the pre-defined ruleset (Necklace Rules) and create a puzzle within the time limit. Almost at the end had a unique-ness issue and had to place an unsymmetric clue to resolve it but overall happy with the puzzle.

Rules:

Necklace Rules:

1) Shade some cells in the grid such that all shaded cells form one orthogonally connected region, and no 2x2 region is completely shaded.

2) Draw an orthogonally connected, nonintersecting loop through some cells in the grid such that the loop path alternates between shaded and unshaded cells (i.e. before and after every shaded cell on the loop is an unshaded cell and vice versa).

Additional Rules:

3) Number of turns in each region must be the same and is to be determined by the solver.

4) Loop can pass through Number cells but Numbers cannot be Shaded.

5) Number clues are regular Tapa clues.

6) Loop must pass through given circles.

Penpa+: Online Solving

Puzzle: 

Puzzle No 166: Surplus Sudoku

This Puzzle was created during the speed setting contest over Cracking The Cryptic discord server within a time limit of 45 min.

Rules:

Insert a number in the indicated range into each cell so that no number repeats in any row or column. Some regions appear with more cells than there are numbers in the indicated range. Some number(s) repeat in these regions, but all numbers in the indicated range must appear at least once within each of these regions.

Penpa+: Online Solving

Puzzle:  Range (1-6)

Puzzle No 165: Heyawake

This Puzzle was created during the speed setting contest over Cracking The Cryptic discord server within a time limit of 90 min.

Host provided two custom boards (Hash and Ring) shaped. Here are the links if you want to create one.

1. Hashtag

2. Coin with hole

More importantly, finally, this entry made me win the contest :)

Rules:

Paint some cells black. Black cells are not allowed to touch each other on the sides. The remaining white area has to be connected. The white area can't span over two consecutive boundaries in a single row or column. The numbers in the rooms indicate how many cells are to be painted black.

Penpa+: Online Solving

Puzzle: 

Puzzle No 164: Tapa Palindrome

This Puzzle was created during the speed setting contest over Cracking The Cryptic discord server within a time limit of 60 min.

Rules:

Shade some empty cells black to create a single connected wall. Numbers in a cell indicate the length of consecutive shaded blocks in the neighboring cells. If there is more than one number in a cell, then there must be at least one white (unshaded) cell between the black cell groups. Cells with numbers cannot be shaded, and the shaded cells cannot form a 2×2 square anywhere in the grid.

Additionally, the grey lines must be palindrome in terms of shaded/unshaded cells. 

Penpa+: Online Solving

Puzzle: 

Puzzle No 163: Yajilin Twist

This puzzle was entered into Logic Showcase #25 (Ubnique Tilings).

The challenge was to create a logic puzzle using a grid-based on any tiling other than the standard square tiling.

Rules:

Blacken some white cells and then draw a single closed loop (without intersections or crossings) through all remaining white cells. Blackened cells cannot share an edge with each other. Some cells are outlined and in gray and cannot be part of the loop. Numbered arrows in such cells indicate the total number of blackened cells that exist in that direction in the grid.

Additionally, Numbered arrows also indicate the total number of cells where the loop turns. Loop cannot cross on given edges.

Theme: Ones and Twos

Penpa+: Online Solving

Puzzle:

Puzzle No 162: Double Thermo Sudoku

This Sudoku was created in an attempt to invent a new variant. Although later I was notified that a similar (but not exact) variant already appeared on the Cracking The Cryptic youtube channel. Anyways this should be still fun to solve and explore.

Rules:

-Normal sudoku rules apply: In a row, column, or box, the digits 1-9 have to appear exactly once.

-Thermos: Along the thermos, divide the numbers as a group of 2 digit numbers and these two-digit numbers must increase from the bulb to the end. 2 digit numbers are read in the direction from the bulb to the end.

Theme: 33

Difficulty: Medium

Penpa+: Online Solving

Sudoku: 

Puzzle No 161: Pentominous

This Puzzle I created while recording a video on PenpaPlus Channel. It's easy but fun and teaches you the basic fundamental rules of the Pentominous puzzle genre.

Rules:

Divide the grid into pentominoes (five-cell regions) 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. An inventory of pentominoes is given below the puzzle but not all shapes must be used.

Difficulty: Easy

Penpa+: Online Solving

Puzzle: 

Puzzle No 160: Hybrid Sudoku

I created this Sudoku to exploit an interesting discovery I found in a "No Even Neighbor Sudoku".

I have also published this Sudoku on the LMD website, if you would like to go over there and provide your rating, I would really appreciate it.

Rules:

1. Normal classic rules apply. i.e. Place numbers in the grid such that each row, column, and 3*3 box contain the numbers 1-9.

2. Thermo rules apply. i.e. Some thermometer shapes are in the grid, digits must be strictly increasing from the round bulb to the flat end.

3. Little Killer rules apply. i.e. Outside clues are the sum of digits along the pointed arrow direction, digits may repeat as long as classic rules are satisfied.

4. No Even Neighbor rules apply. i.e. No Two Even digits can be orthogonal to each other. (i.e. they can't share an edge)

Difficulty: Hard

Penpa+: Online Solving

Trick/Hint: Spoiler

Sudoku: 

Puzzle No 159: Slitherlink

This Puzzle is to promote the new grid type on Penpa+.

Rules:

Draw a single, non-intersecting loop that only consists of horizontal and vertical segments between the dots. Numbers inside a cell indicate how many of the edges of that cell are part of the loop.

Difficulty: Easy

Penpa+: Online Solving

Puzzle: 

Puzzle No 158: Hybrid Sudoku (Thermo and Palindrome)

This Sudoku was created during the speed setting contest over Cracking The Cryptic discord server within a time limit of 1 hour.

Rules:

-Normal sudoku rules apply: In a row, column, or box, the digits 1-9 have to appear exactly once.

-Thermometer: Digits on the thermometer increase from the bulb to the end.

-Palindrome: Digits read the same from both the directions on these lines.

Theme: Carrot and Asparagus

Difficulty: Hard

Penpa+: Online Solving

Sudoku: 

Puzzle No 157: Castle Wall

This Puzzle was created during the speed setting contest over Cracking The Cryptic discord server within a time limit of 30 min.

Rules:

Draw a single closed loop (without intersections or crossings) passing through some empty cells in the grid. The grid contains some bordered or colored cells that cannot be part of the loop. Black cells must be outside the loop; white cells (with heavy borders) must be inside the loop. Numbers and arrows refer to the total sum of the lengths of loop segments in the given direction. (An equivalent way to understand these values is to count the number of cell borders crossed by the loop in that direction.)

Difficulty: Easy

Penpa+: Online Solving

Puzzle: 

Puzzle No 156: Tapa

This is a Tapa puzzle created during a collaborative fun event over Cracking The Cryptic discord server. Each author would place one clue during their turn. It was really fun to collaborate with other puzzlers and we hope you enjoy solving this one.

Authors: Myself, Priyam Bhushan, Prasanna Seshadri, Eric Fox, Murat Can Tonta, Gliperal, Botaku, Shye

Rules:

Shade some empty cells black to create a single connected wall. Numbers in a cell indicate the length of consecutive shaded blocks in the neighboring cells. If there is more than one number in a cell, then there must be at least one white (unshaded) cell between the black cell groups. Cells with numbers cannot be shaded, and the shaded cells cannot form a 2×2 square anywhere in the grid.

Penpa+: Online Solving

Puzzle: 

Puzzle No 155: Pata

Rules:

Shade some empty cells black to create a single connected wall. Numbers in a cell indicate the length of consecutive unshaded blocks in the neighboring cells. If there is more than one number in a cell, there must be at least one shaded cell between the unshaded cell groups. Shaded cells cannot form a 2x2 square anywhere in the grid. Cells with numbers count as unshaded cells for adjacent clues.

Penpa+: Online Solving

Puzzle: 

Puzzle No 154: Hybrid Sudoku (Kropki Pairs and Clones)

This Sudoku was created during the speed setting contest over Cracking The Cryptic discord server within a time limit of 1 hour.

Rules:

-Normal sudoku rules apply: In a row, column, or box, the digits 1-9 have to appear exactly once.

-Kropki pair rules apply: On a black dot, digits have to be in a 1:2 ratio. On a white dot, digits have to be consecutive. There is no negative constraint.

-Clone rules apply: There are two clones in the grid. Clones contain the same digits in the same locations.

Theme: Pentominoes

Difficulty: Hard

Penpa+: Online Solving

Sudoku:

Puzzle No 153: Slot Killer

A hybrid Sudoku combining Slot Machine and Killer variants. This puzzle got featured on the Cracking The Cryptic Youtube Channel. You can watch Mark solve this puzzle here:

Rules:

Place numbers in the grid such that each row, column, and 3*3 box contain the numbers 1-9. Additionally, the three shaded columns are like a slot machine. The 9 numbers they contain will be in exactly the same order/sequence. (The strips wrap around the grid for the ordering). The sum of all numbers in a cage must match the small number printed in its corner. No number appears more than once in a cage.

Theme: CTC

Difficulty: Easy

Penpa+: Online Solving

Sudoku:

Puzzle No 152: Arrow Sudoku

Challenging classic arrow sudoku by me. This puzzle got featured on the Cracking The Cryptic Youtube Channel. You can watch Simon solve this puzzle here:

Rules:

Place numbers in the grid such that each row, column, and 3*3 box contain the numbers 1-9. Additionally, a digit in the circle is the sum of the digits along its arrow. If there are multiple arrows, each one sums up to the circled digit. Digits can repeat on arrows.

Theme: 3Some

Difficulty: Hard (Tricky Start)

Penpa+: Online Solving

Sudoku:

Puzzle No 151: Regional Loop

The last puzzle of the weekly series of Regional Loop puzzles (this type is invented by me). 

You can also find the entire series online at the Puzsq website here.

Rules:

Draw a non-crossing, non-intersecting closed loop passing through centers of the cells. Loop passes through straight through circles and all circles must be visited. Every region the loop visits, not necessarily all, the region must contain 'X' turns. 'X' to be determined by the solver.

Penpa+: Online Solving

Puzzle:

Puzzle No 150: Regional Loop

Puzzle 6 of the weekly series of Regional Loop puzzles (this type is invented by me). 

You can also find the entire series online at the Puzsq website here.

Rules:

Draw a non-crossing, non-intersecting closed loop passing through centers of the cells. Loop passes through straight through circles and all circles must be visited. Every region the loop visits, not necessarily all, the region must contain 'X' turns. 'X' to be determined by the solver.

Penpa+: Online Solving

Puzzle:

Puzzle No 149: Regional Loop

Puzzle 5 of the weekly series of Regional Loop puzzles (this type is invented by me). 

You can also find the entire series online at the Puzsq website here.

Rules:

Draw a non-crossing, non-intersecting closed loop passing through centers of the cells. Loop passes through straight through circles and all circles must be visited. Every region the loop visits, not necessarily all, the region must contain 'X' turns. 'X' to be determined by the solver.

Penpa+: Online Solving

Puzzle:

Puzzle No 148: Regional Loop

Puzzle 4 of the weekly series of Regional Loop puzzles (this type is invented by me). 

You can also find the entire series online at the Puzsq website here.

Rules:

Draw a non-crossing, non-intersecting closed loop passing through centers of the cells. Loop passes through straight through circles and all circles must be visited. Every region the loop visits, not necessarily all, the region must contain 'X' turns. 'X' to be determined by the solver.

Penpa+: Online Solving

Puzzle:

Puzzle No 147: Regional Loop

Puzzle 3 of the weekly series of Regional Loop puzzles (this type is invented by me). 

You can also find the entire series online at the Puzsq website here.

Rules:

Draw a non-crossing, non-intersecting closed loop passing through centers of the cells. Loop passes through straight through circles and all circles must be visited. Every region the loop visits, not necessarily all, the region must contain 'X' turns. 'X' to be determined by the solver.

Penpa+: Online Solving

Puzzle:

Puzzle No 146: Regional Loop

Puzzle 2 of the weekly series of Regional Loop puzzles (this type is invented by me). 

You can also find the entire series online at the Puzsq website here.

Rules:

Draw a non-crossing, non-intersecting closed loop passing through centers of the cells. Loop passes through straight through circles and all circles must be visited. Every region the loop visits, not necessarily all, the region must contain 'X' turns. 'X' to be determined by the solver.

Penpa+: Online Solving

Puzzle:

Puzzle No 145: Regional Loop

I decided to post all my puzzles which I shared on the Discord Server to the blog for easy records.

I did a weekly series of Regional Loop puzzles (this type is invented by me). So the next few posts will be this genre.

You can also find the entire series online here.

Rules:

Draw a non-crossing, non-intersecting closed loop passing through centers of the cells. Loop passes through straight through circles and all circles must be visited. Every region the loop visits, not necessarily all, the region must contain 'X' turns. 'X' to be determined by the solver.

Penpa+: Online Solving

Puzzle: