Aqre by Prasanna Seshadri
(view directly for a larger image)
or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to shift between shading mode and the composite Yajilin mode where left click marks cells, right click marks dots in cells or X’s on edges, left click+drag draws lines.)
Theme: Stalactites and Stalagmites
Author/Opus: This is the 227th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Prasanna Seshadri.
Rules: Standard Aqre rules: Shade some cells so that all shaded cells form one connected group. Regions with numbers must contain the indicated count of shaded cells, and it is allowed to shade over the numbered cells. There may not exist a run of four or more consecutive shaded or unshaded cells horizontally or vertically anywhere in the grid.
Difficulty: 3 stars
Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 5:00, Master = 7:00, Expert = 14:00
Solution: PDF; a solution video is also available here.
Note: Follow this link for more Aqre puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Aqre to get started on. More Aqre puzzles are in Shading Variety Collection by Prasanna Seshadri.
Wow, that’s a very impressive construction. Kinda amazing how the big centre region works out uniquely.
Cool puzzle!
I’m wondering if there’s something different about the way I think, but for all smaller Aqre puzzles I’m getting time 25-50% better than ‘Expert’, but for this larger one I got 50% worse than it 🙁