Puzzle No 173: Yajilin

While doing the Yajilin Yacht Contest on Logic Masters India, I got this idea. Yajilin Yacht is a ongoing Daily Puzzle Series contest by IHNN (Jeffrey Bardon) , highly recommend to check it out if you haven't already.

It took a while to get this working, but I am very happy with it. I promise no bashing is required, there is an interesting hard step that opens the puzzle.

Rules: Shade some white cells and then draw a single closed loop (without intersections or crossings) through all remaining white cells. Shaded 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 Shaded cells that exist in that direction in the grid.

Penpa+: Online Solving

Puzz.link: Online Solving

Puzzle: 

Have Fun!

EDIT: 19th August 2022 [Spoiler]

Intended Solve Path Logic can be seen in this replay - https://tinyurl.com/2luxxnt7#Replay

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 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 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 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 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 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 143: Diagonally Miracle Sudoku

Rules:

After several tries, I was finally able to create this variant, inspired by miracle sudoku.

Rules:

1. Normal classic rules apply

2. Same digits cannot touch each other diagonally (Diagonally Untouch / Antiking)

3. Consecutive digits don't touch diagonally (Diagonally nonconsecutive)

4. Same digits cannot be at diagonally knight positions (Diagonally Antiknight)

Note Diagonally knight - Also known as monkey step - 3 cells in one direction and one to the side. E.g. The 2 cant be in shaded positions.

Difficulty: Hard

Puzzle: 

Solve Online: Answer check is also enabled if you use blue or green color digits

Puzzle No 142: Classic Sudoku

Challenging classic sudoku.

Rules:

Place numbers in the grid such that each row, column, and 3*3 box contain the numbers 1-9. 

Difficulty: Hard

Puzzle:

Online Link: ClassicSudoku 

(If you're solving on the phone, click on the "Panel" option to turn it on. It will then display numbers to select.)

Any queries please leave a comment or reach out to me.

Have Fun !!!

Puzzle No 141: Untouchable Mystery Sandwich Sudoku

Here is tricky challenging sudoku.

Rules - Classic Sudoku Rules.

Inspired from recent Richard Stolk Post (https://logic-masters.de/Raetselportal/Raetsel/zeigen.php?id=0003QI).

Thanks to Prasanna and Ashish for test solving it.

LMD link - https://logic-masters.de/Raetselportal/Raetsel/zeigen.php?id=0003ZR

Online Solving - https://git.io/JJgUJ

Rules:

1) Classic rules apply.

2) Two same digits do not touch each other diagonally.

3) Additionally, the outside number is the sum of the digits between X and Y. X and Y to be found by the solver. X and Y remain the same throughout the grid.

Difficulty: Hard

Puzzle:

Puzzle No 139: Nurikabe

This one was created for the Puzzle Ramayan Round 3, but the difficulty was high, so I created another easier one for the contest. Here it goes the challenging one.

Stay Safe. Stay Healthy.

Have Fun.

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.

Difficulty: Hard

Solve Online

Puzzle:

Puzzle No 136: Braille Sudoku

I am creating this Sudoku as a Practice puzzle for upcoming Sudoku GP 2019 Round 2. For more details check out: http://gp.worldpuzzle.org/content/sudoku-gp

Thanks to Kishore for test-solving the sudoku.

Enjoy Solving and Have Fun. 

Please provide feedback in the comment section.

Rules:

Place numbers in the grid such that each row, column, and 3*3 box contain the numbers 1-9. Additionally, the dots given inside some cells form part (or all) of the Braille representation of the digit.

Braille Representation:

Theme: Symmetric

Difficulty: Hard

Puzzle:

Puzzle No 133: Spot the Differences

Happy Independence Day !!!

Independence Day Special Puzzle -- As a practice towards upcoming Indian Puzzle Championship 2018, National Finals to be held at Mumbai on 19th August 2018.

Can you Spot the Differences between two images? How Many? Put your answer in the comment box.

The answer will be revealed in 2 days.

Have fun.

Answer: 9 (Now that you know the quantity, Can you still find it?)

For Solution if necessary, can check out here.

Puzzle No 117: Diagonal Sudoku

Recently I contributed few puzzles to 

Czech Republic National Academic Championship 2014 

which was held on 15th November 2014. As competition is over now and with consent of Karel Tesar (Organizer) I would like to share my contribution on my blog. Here is the 2nd one. You can check 1st one here.

Remember that you can solve this puzzle from the League  online on the Sudokucup Guest League page with a 24 hr delay.

Rules:Place numbers in the grid such that each row, column and 3*3 box contain the numbers 1-9.  Main Diagonals (marked for clarification) also contain numbers 1-9.

Theme: Symmetric

Difficulty: Medium-

Sudoku:

Thanks to Prasanna for creating the image for me, as I am out of home.
Also thanks to Ashish for test solving it.

Puzzle No 114: Renban Groups Sudoku

Here goes one more to the series of Diagonals-Themed.

This is my 15th Sudoku contribution to:

Daily League! The League of Extraordinary Ladies and Gentlemen

Remember that you can solve this puzzle from the League  online on the Sudokucup Guest League page with a 24 hr delay.

Rules:

Place numbers in the grid such that each row,column and 3*3 box contain the numbers 1-9. Additionally, shaded cells inside each 3*3 box contains consecutive digits.

Theme: Spiral X-Box

Difficulty: Hard

Puzzle:

Puzzle No 114: Yajilin

This one is my first Yajilin creation. I hope you enjoy it.

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.

Theme: Symmetric

Difficulty: Very Hard

Puzz.link: Solve Online

Puzzle: 

Enjoy Solving

Puzzle No 109: Diagonal Sudoku

Rules:
Place numbers in the grid such that each row,column and 3*3 box contain the numbers 1-9.  Main Diagonals (marked for clarification) also contain numbers 1-9.

Theme: Almost Consecutive Groups

Difficulty: Hard

Sudoku:

Puzzle No 107: Anti-Diagonal Sudoku

Edited: Sudoku Image Modified (Marked Diagonals are Shown)

This is my 9th Sudoku contribution to:

Daily League! The League of Extraordinary Ladies and Gentlemen

Remember that you can solve this puzzle from the League  online on the Sudokucup Guest League page with a 24 hr delay.

Rules:
Fill in the grid with numbers 1-9 so that each row, column and outlined 3x3 box contains each number exactly once. Exactly three distinct numbers appear on each of the marked diagonals.

Theme: P^2 (Literally two P's and two Squares) :)

Difficulty: Hard

Sudoku:

Puzzle No 104: Trio Sudoku

This is my 6th Sudoku contribution to:

Daily League! The League of Extraordinary Ladies and Gentlemen

Remember that you can solve this puzzle from the League  online on the Sudokucup Guest League page with a 24 hr delay. The design concept inspired from the Trio Sudoku recently appeared in July Beginners Sudoku Contest on LMI orgainzed by Rohan Rao.

Rules:

Place numbers in the grid such that each row,column and 3*3 box contain the numbers 1-9. Additionally, some cells will have circles inside and some others will have squares. Cells with circles must contain the digits 1,2 and 3. Cells with squares must contain the 4,5 and 6. Blank cells must contain the digits 7,8 and 9.

Theme: 1-9

Difficulty: Hard (Not literally hard, But hard considering the difficulty of usual TRIO Sudoku)

Sudoku: 

Special / Bonus 3 - Arrow Sudoku (Double Special)

As said earlier, I will be posting some puzzles even during other days as and when possible apart from regular posting on Friday. It is also somewhat fixed on every alternate Wednesday as contributing to Daily League.

This is my 3rd Sudoku contribution to:
Daily League! The League of Extraordinary Ladies and Gentlemen

Now there is something about the name i mentioned (Double Special), yes there are two arrow Sudoku today. The 1st one is officially for Daily League and remember that you can solve this puzzle from the League  online on the Sudokucup Guest League page with a 24 hr delay. 

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

Theme: 2 9's

Difficulty: Hard

Sudoku: 

( Here goes the 2nd one - Well it is similar to above with just Mirror image theme of above - that's why calling it dual - I created the above one and was just trying other combination of clues and realized that both Sudoku has few different solve techniques - couldn't discard either - so publishing both)

Theme: 2 P's (P for Parallel)

Difficulty: Easy

Sudoku: