Bonus: Double Minesweeper by Serkan Yürekli

Double Minesweeper by Serkan Yürekli

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools. Use left click to place 1 or 2 mines, right click (in cell) to mark unused, right click (on edge/corner) to mark a note; hitting tab will also enable a shading mode. If you want more solving options, turn off Penpa-Lite option.)

Theme: Symmetry and Logic (Note: this puzzle originally appeared in this year’s Japan dakejanai Zukei dakejanai Puzzle Championship.)

Author/Opus: This is the 42nd puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Serkan Yürekli.

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:

Double Minesweeper by Serkan Yürekli

Answer String: For each cell in the marked rows, enter the number of mines (0, 1, 2) for each cell. Enter 0 if the cell is a number cell. Separate each row’s entry from the next with a comma. In this example, the answer is “022102,002000”.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 1:15, Master = 1:45, Expert = 3:30

Solution: PDF

Note: This is a bonus puzzle and is not tied to a normal weekly difficulty rating. Click here for other Double Minesweeper puzzles.

TomTom by Grant Fikes

TomTom by Grant Fikes

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools)

Theme: Hourglass

Author/Opus: This is the 103rd puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Grant Fikes.

Rules: Standard TomTom rules, using the integers 1-6.

Answer String: Enter the 1st row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 6th row from left to right.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 1:30, Master = 2:15, Expert = 4:30

Solution: PDF

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

Slitherlink (Sheep and Wolves) by Grant Fikes

Slitherlink by Grant Fikes

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.

Bonus: Double Minesweeper by Serkan Yürekli

Double Minesweeper by Serkan Yürekli

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools. Use left click to place 1 or 2 mines, right click (in cell) to mark unused, right click (on edge/corner) to mark a note; hitting tab will also enable a shading mode. If you want more solving options, turn off Penpa-Lite option.)

Theme: Symmetry and Logic (Note: this puzzle originally appeared in this year’s Japan dakejanai Zukei dakejanai Puzzle Championship.)

Author/Opus: This is the 41st puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Serkan Yürekli.

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:

Double Minesweeper by Serkan Yürekli

Answer String: For each cell in the marked rows, enter the number of mines (0, 1, 2) for each cell. Enter 0 if the cell is a number cell. Separate each row’s entry from the next with a comma. In this example, the answer is “022102,002000”.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 1:20, Master = 2:00, Expert = 4:00

Solution: PDF

Note: This is a bonus puzzle and is probably harder than a usual Monday/Tuesday puzzle, particularly if you have not solved many Double Minesweeper puzzles.

Battleships by Thomas Snyder

Battleships by Thomas Snyder

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between ship placement and shading modes. In ship placement mode, right click gives sea, left click gives circle/square, left click and drag for rounded ships.)

Theme: Logic and Near Symmetry (the row and column clues break into mostly symmetric groups)

Author/Opus: This is the 176th puzzle from Thomas Snyder, aka Dr. Sudoku.

Rules: Standard Battleships rules. Use the indicated fleet.

Answer String: For each row from top to bottom, enter the number of the first column from the left where a ship segment appears (enter both digits if a two-digit number). If the row is empty, enter 0. Enter these numbers as a single string with no separators.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 1:00, Master = 1:30, Expert = 3:00

Solution: PDF

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

Schedule for Next Week

All the puzzles from last week’s Skyscrapers collection have been grouped in this PDF. Many thanks again to Roland Voigt for the fantastic Skyscrapers; he even made some walkthroughs for the classic puzzles. You’ll find more of Roland’s puzzles here and other content linked from his blog.

Next week will be another variety week with a range of puzzles including a few new variations (highlight to view):

Monday: Battleships by Thomas Snyder
Tuesday: Slitherlink (Sheep and Wolves) by Grant Fikes
Wednesday: TomTom by Grant Fikes
Thursday: Dominion by Serkan Yürekli
Friday: Thermo-Skyscraper Sudoku by Hans van Stippent
Saturday: Heavy Dots by Prasanna Seshadri

The bonus puzzle for our high-level supporters will be a Fillomino by Prasanna Seshadri.

We will also have a few bonus puzzles throughout the week from the recent competition puzzles from Serkan Yürekli. This week they will all be Double Minesweeper puzzles which is a style we plan to feature in a future title from Grandmaster Puzzles.

Skyscrapers (Tight Fit) by Roland Voigt

Skyscrapers by Roland Voigt

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between Sudoku = big digits and Number candidate = small entries in the corners of cells.)

Theme: Equal Distribution and Symmetry of Clue Numbers

Author/Opus: This is the 6th puzzle from guest contributor Roland Voigt.

Rules: Standard Skyscrapers rules. Also, some cells have been split into triangles, each of which must be filled with a number. In this puzzle, the numbers 1-6 must be placed in each row and column.

(The split cells are viewed in the order they are seen from a given direction, so the upper triangles are seen first from the left/top sides and the bottom triangles are seen first from the right/bottom sides.)

Answer String: Enter the 4th row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 5th row from left to right. Enter the split cells in the order they are seen from the left (the upper triangle before the lower triangle).

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 6:00, Master = 9:00, Expert = 18:00

Solution: PDF

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

Bonus: Statue Park by Serkan Yürekli

Statue Park by Serkan Yürekli

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools)

Theme: Open Middle (Note: this puzzle originally appeared in this year’s 24HPC.)

Author/Opus: This is the 40th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Serkan Yürekli.

Rules: Standard Statue Park rules.

Answer String: Enter the length in cells of each of the shaded segments from left to right for the marked rows, starting at the top. Separate each row’s entry from the next with a comma.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 3:15, Master = 4:00, Expert = 8:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other Statue Park Puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Statue Parks to get started on.

Skyscrapers by Roland Voigt

Skyscrapers by Roland Voigt

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools)

Theme: Equal Distribution and Symmetry of Clue Numbers

Author/Opus: This is the 5th puzzle from guest contributor Roland Voigt.

Rules: Standard Skyscrapers rules.

Answer String: Enter the 1st row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 6th row from left to right.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 4:45, Master = 6:00, Expert = 12:00

Solution: PDF

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

Skyscrapers (Tight Fit) by Roland Voigt

Skyscrapers by Roland Voigt

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between Sudoku = big digits and Number candidate = small entries in the corners of cells.)

Theme: Equal Distribution and Pairing of Clue Numbers

Author/Opus: This is the 4th puzzle from guest contributor Roland Voigt.

Rules: Standard Skyscrapers rules. Also, some cells have been split into triangles, each of which must be filled with a number. In this puzzle, the numbers 1-6 must be placed in each row and column.

(The split cells are viewed in the order they are seen from a given direction, so the upper triangles are seen first from the left/top sides and the bottom triangles are seen first from the right/bottom sides.)

Answer String: Enter the 1st row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 5th row from left to right. Enter the split cells in the order they are seen from the left (the upper triangle before the lower triangle).

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 2:00, Master = 2:40, Expert = 5:20

Solution: PDF

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