(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
Will the “Kingbreaker” be too much for you or can you control all the zones just fine in this sudoku variation by Bill Murphy?

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: Kingbreaker

Author/Opus: This is the 22nd 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). Also, numbers given in the upper-left of a cage must appear in at least one of the cells of that cage.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 6:30; One party hat (🥳): 12:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: Who will look after the Dollodon?.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:17, 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 the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
This cute German Whispers Sudoku by Bill Murphy looks a bit more like another kind of familiar variation. Can you sort out the new logic to solve this one?

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: Hmmm

Author/Opus: This is the 21st puzzle from Bill Murphy, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (insert a number from 1 to 8 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Adjacent numbers connected by a green line must differ by at least 5.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 8:00; One party hat (🥳): 15:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: LibelingsfaCharonosaurus.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 3:57, 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 the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
In Odd-Even-Big-Small Sudoku there are lots of category clues to the first two numbers inside the grid. Can you figure out how those make a unique solution?

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 20th puzzle from Bill Murphy, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (insert a number from 1 to 8 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Clues outside the grid give the nature of the first two cells seen from the direction of the clue as follows:
O for Odd = (1,3,5,7};
E for Even = {2,4,6,8};
B for Big = {5,6,7,8};
S for Small = {1,2,3,4}.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 6:00; One party hat (🥳): 11:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: Subtle Supersaurus.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:59, 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 the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
Can you figure out the glue for this puzzle (the three number sums from the outside frame clues) to get enough going to complete the grid?

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: Wound Up Here (By Holding On)

Author/Opus: This is the 19th 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). Clues outside the grid indicate the sum of the first three numbers seen from the direction of the clue.

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

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 3:04, 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 the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
We’re huge fans of this variation that very closely resembles tradition Snyder Notation (except for the cross-region marks). Can you solve this near-classic that is a quite fun puzzle?

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 18th 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). Also, the numbers given on the edges between cells must belong to one of those two adjacent cells.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 9:00; One party hat (🥳): 18:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: Dryer Linheraptor.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 5:32 where, despite these being like TS’ normal notation, not being able to cross out used clues / having circles in SudokuPad really impacted midgame, 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.

W-W-W-W-W-W-What are you doing today? Solving this fun Thermo-Sudoku from Bill Murphy, as we all do the worm.

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: Doing the Worm

Author/Opus: This is the 16th puzzle from Bill Murphy, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Thermo-Sudoku rules. (Insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that 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.)

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

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 3:02, 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 more Thermo-Sudoku puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Thermo-Sudoku to get started on. More Thermo-Sudoku puzzles can be found in these books in our e-store. Also, visit this page to purchase all of the puzzles from the 16th World Sudoku Championship including some Thermo-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 the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
In this puzzle, evens and odds cannot have too many in a row. No Three in a Row Sudoku by Bill Murphy.

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 15th 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). Also, there may not exist a run of three or more cells horizontally or vertically in the grid that all contain numbers of the same parity (i.e., even or odd).

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 8:00; One party hat (🥳): 15:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: Paint-by-Nuthetes.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 3:00, 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 the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
Some see the world in black and white. In this puzzle, the Faded Kropki dots don’t even have two colors, and come in white and white.

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 14th 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). If a circle is given between two adjacent cells, then it either means that (A) the two numbers in those cells must differ by 1, or (B) the two numbers must have a ratio of 2. Pairs of cells without circles can have any relationship.

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

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 3:05, 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 the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
A missing “wildcard” value is important to figure out in this Sudoku variant by Bill Murphy.

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 13th 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). Also, there is a “wildcard” number to be determined while solving. Cells with a greater than (>) symbol must contain a number larger than the wildcard and cells with a less than (<) symbol must contain a number smaller than the wildcard.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 8:00; One party hat (🥳): 15:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: Magical Monoclonius.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:38, 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 the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
As a kind of variant of Outside Sudoku, in this puzzle there are strings of connected numbers that must be placed back into the grid all at once. It can make for a very fast solve if you figure out how to do the packing.

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 12th 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). Also, the clues outside the grid represent strings of numbers that must appear in order in adjacent cells, reading from top to bottom if given above the grid or from left to right if given to the left of the grid. (E.g., in the first row, 4-8-7-2 must appear in a contiguous set of four cells from left to right.)

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

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:47, 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.