This is the first of three puzzles today, completing the Finals puzzle set.

PDF

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 577th 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 would have been 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.