Just One Cell Thermo-Sudoku by Thomas Snyder
This is the first of two puzzles posting today in this style, both of similar difficulty.
or solve online in Penpa, or also solve online in SudokuPad as a new option (note: highly recommended to turn off “Mark Solved Digits” option if you use that in SudokuPad).
Author/Opus: This is the 571st puzzle from Thomas Snyder, aka Dr. Sudoku.
Rules: This Sudoku does not have a unique solution for the full grid (it actually has a large number of solutions), but there is exactly one cell in which a number can be logically placed that is fixed across all solutions. Find this cell and its unique value.
This puzzle follows Thermo-Sudoku rules, so no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region. Some thermometer shapes are in the grid; numbers must be strictly increasing from the round bulb to the flat end.
Time Standards: This competition had 1-point (easy), 2-point (medium), 3-point (hard), or higher value puzzles. This was worth 2 points (medium category), roughly 1.5-2 minute target.
Solution: PDF
Note: Follow this link for other Just One Cell Sudoku.
Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Just One Cell Sudoku Discussion post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.