(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
This W (or M) pattern reappears but now with a different rule zipping everything together with a key sum value tied to the center cell.

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: W is for Wumbo

Author/Opus: This is the 92nd 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). For each line, the numbers in each pair of cells an equal distance away from the center of the line must sum up to the value in the central cell of the line. (For example, R2C4 + R3C3 = R2C3 = 5 from the Zipper Lines rule.)

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

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 3:08, 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; solving video with explanation to be added later 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.