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: