(This post is part of: “A Story of Self-setting Sudoku”.)
Even with basic models of self-setting sudoku intelligence, it is good to have some simplified rules to check for. Repeating clear patterns helps the superior intellect of our models learn to stay on the road.

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: {Cars, The Right Side of}

Author/Opus: This is 4th puzzle from “Dr. Sudoku”, our AI-powered puzzle engine pushing the limits of sudoku intelligence.

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 6 into each white cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region.

Difficulty (highlight to view): 2.5 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 2:15, Master = 4:00, Expert = 8:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for classic Sudoku. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Sudoku to get started on. More classic Sudoku puzzles can be found in The Art of Sudoku, The Art of Sudoku 2 and in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Twelve Months of Sudoku? post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
Unlike a June GAS puzzle where the circled numbers marked the sums of neighboring cells, the arithmetic variation is reversed to refer to the maximum difference this time.

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or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 33rd puzzle from Clover, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). A circled number in a cell must equal the difference between the largest and smallest values in the orthogonally adjacent (up to 4) surrounding cells.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 7:00; One party hat (🥳): 13:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: different Diceratops.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:27, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for other less common variations of Sudoku.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Daily GAS discussion post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

We wanted to share a “the story so far” kind of update for “A Story of Self-setting Sudoku” since a lot of people have not been following very deeply. Importantly, if you just like solving really elegant Sudoku puzzles, please just solve the Sudoku. You can ignore the author, title, and flavor text; the provided difficulties suggest what you’ll be getting on any post. However, the posts do link together so…

For the light summary (web view only):
In the first week, Thomas shared a set of 4 (of 5) puzzles on a box-like grid, titled “Intelligence is Thinking * The Box” which each had very different solving structures. The flavor text suggested some may have been hand-set but by the end he was possibly enjoying time at the beach and a computer was doing most of the work. While getting to full self-setting AI was problematic, adding in new training sources besides just Classic Sudoku got some more curious puzzles and better AI. Finally, on Monday, the “Dr. Sudoku” system launched on its own, exceeding the typical 9×9 space of a sudoku puzzle.

We’ve been told that each week (roughly) there will be a new theme for the Sudoku, and this is now the second day for an apparent “self-driving” theme. The puzzles seem easier so far — at least today’s only needs 1-6 placed — but who knows what is down the road.

For the heavy summary (web and discord rabbithole):
Besides the story above, the president of GMPuzzles, mars, has been using their own HAL 12000 AI system to analyze and solve the puzzles. They have been finding occasional traces of puzzle hunt-like signals in the sudoku, and with the help of Tane, HAL was able to hack into the Dr. Sudoku system but has since gone quiet.

We await further word, but this might be a battle of intelligence against intelligence. We’ll need help eventually. There is a spoiler-free place in the Discord just for the HAL 12000 messages and a cooperative discussion space. But first you may have to join.

(This post is part of: “A Story of Self-setting Sudoku”.)
Even with basic models of self-setting sudoku intelligence, it is good to have some simplified rules to check for. Repeating clear patterns helps the superior intellect of our models learn to stay on the road.

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: {People, The Sides of}

Author/Opus: This is 3rd puzzle from “Dr. Sudoku”, our AI-powered puzzle engine pushing the limits of sudoku intelligence.

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 6 into each white cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region.

Difficulty (highlight to view): 3 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 2:15, Master = 4:00, Expert = 8:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for classic Sudoku. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Sudoku to get started on. More classic Sudoku puzzles can be found in The Art of Sudoku, The Art of Sudoku 2 and in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Twelve Months of Sudoku? post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
Literally no one is here to get this Sudoku started, so you’ll have nine to place before reaching the solution to this Nonconsecutive Sudoku by Philip Newman.

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or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: Literally No One

Author/Opus: This is the 14th puzzle from Philip Newman, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (Insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). No two orthogonally adjacent cells can be consecutive (i.e., differ by 1).

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 7:30; One party hat (🥳): 15:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: Conniving Cienciargentina.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 3:22, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

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

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Daily GAS discussion post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

(This post is part of: “A Story of Self-setting Sudoku”.)
Our testing is showing that we may have an ASI (believe the hype!), but not a GASI (Genuinely Approachable Sudoku Intelligence) without more prompting. So we’ve started to use prompts to get data for reinforcement learning with way mo’ focus on Sudoku-based decision making. This one starts with the basics, going from 0 to 9 in 8.1 seconds, a new sudoku speed record.

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is 2nd puzzle from “Dr. Sudoku”, our AI-powered puzzle engine pushing the limits of sudoku intelligence.

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 9 into each white cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region.

Difficulty (highlight to view): 1.5 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 1:00, Master = 1:45, Expert = 3:30

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for classic Sudoku. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Sudoku to get started on. More classic Sudoku puzzles can be found in The Art of Sudoku, The Art of Sudoku 2 and in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Twelve Months of Sudoku? post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
Only notes, not sure givens, are in this Pencilmark Sudoku by Bill Murphy but if you can find the key break-ins you should be able to get sprinting even with nothing big at the start.

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: Gazillion Ear

Author/Opus: This is the 11th puzzle from Bill Murphy, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (Insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). The given pencilmarks represent the only numbers that can appear in those cells.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 7:00; One party hat (🥳): 13:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: Inspired Ignavusaurus.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:23, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for other less common variations of Sudoku.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Daily GAS discussion post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

(This post is part of our series: “A Story of Self-setting Sudoku”.)
I see you have constructed a new Sudoku. Your skills are complete.

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 1st puzzle from “Dr. Sudoku”, our AI-powered puzzle engine pushing the limits of sudoku intelligence.

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 9 into each white cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region.

Difficulty (highlight to view): 3.5 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 12:00, Master = 16:00, Expert = 32:00

Solution: PDF

Editor’s Note: For this post, the AI borrowed heavily, but with permission, from Friday Puzzle #1 from a 2009 motris livejournal post. This was revealed in the YouTube video “How Ideas Get Spirited Away” after no one noticed for about a month.

Note: Follow this link for classic Sudoku. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Sudoku to get started on. More classic Sudoku puzzles can be found in The Art of Sudoku, The Art of Sudoku 2 and in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Twelve Months of Sudoku? post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.
Returning again after several days, but with a slight orientation change showing another use of the sum arrows, here is Sum Detector Sudoku (Again) by clover!

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 32nd puzzle from Clover, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Also, the number in each cell with an arrow must equal the sum of the values in one or more cells along the direction pointed at by the arrow, starting with the cell that the arrow points to directly. (For instance, R3C2 could equal R3C3 + R3C4 or R3C3 + R3C4 + R3C5.)

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 7:30; One party hat (🥳): 14:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: sharp-eyed Shamosaurus.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:20, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for other less common variations of Sudoku.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Daily GAS discussion post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

As we master self-setting, we may need to start dialing back the AI so that even beginners can catch up to the awesome logic hidden by Dr. Sudoku. In the future, no more unsolvable puzzles until we see signs of intelligence to rival ours. Today, we’ll share some assistance from our deep sea radar to show the shallow waters.
No more missed promises. We’re launching “Full Setting Automation” tomorrow.

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: Red Fish, Blue Fish (4.875 of 5)

Author/Opus: This is the 590th puzzle from Thomas Snyder.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules.

Difficulty (highlight to view): 4.5 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 9:00, Master = 15:00, Expert = 30:00

Solution: PDF and solving video from Unshackling Sudokus & Puzzles.

Note: Follow this link for all entries in A Story of Self-setting Sudoku. Follow this link for other classic Sudoku. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Sudoku to get started on. More classic Sudoku puzzles can be found in The Art of Sudoku, The Art of Sudoku 2 and in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Twelve Months of Sudoku? post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.