PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to shift between shading mode and the linex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s)

Theme: Diagonal Series

Author/Opus: This is the 163rd puzzle from Thomas Snyder, aka Dr. Sudoku.

Rules: Standard Cave rules.

Answer String: Enter the length in cells of each of the cave segments from left to right for the marked rows, starting at the top. Separate each row’s entry with a comma.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 3:30, Master = 5:45, Expert = 11:30

Solution: PDF; a solution video is available here.

Note: Follow this link for other classic Caves. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Cave Puzzles to get started on.

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between Sudoku = big entries and Number candidate = small entries in the corners of cells.)

Theme: Diagonal Series

Author/Opus: This is the 162nd puzzle from Thomas Snyder aka Dr. Sudoku.

Rules: Standard Tight Fit Sudoku rules. Remember, the smaller number goes above the larger number in all slashed cells. The range of this puzzle is 1-9.

Answer String: Enter the 2nd row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 6th row from left to right. (Note: for the tight fit cells, enter the top before the bottom as would be normal for the read order.)

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 2:00, Master = 3:00, Expert = 6:00

Solution: PDF

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

All the puzzles from Kurotto week have been grouped in this PDF.

Next week will be another variety week with these puzzles (highlight to view):

Monday: Nurikabe Loop by Serkan Yürekli
Tuesday: Tight Fit Sudoku by Thomas Snyder
Wednesday: TomTom by Grant Fikes
Thursday: Cave by Thomas Snyder
Friday: Nurikabe Loop by Serkan Yürekli
Saturday: Statue Park by Prasanna Seshadri

The bonus puzzle for our high-level supporters will be a Fillomino by Grant Fikes. Next weekend marks the next time that rewards will get processed, so if you don’t want to miss some things like a Giant (64×50) LITS puzzle from Grant Fikes, puzzle solution videos, or the Masyu and Slitherlink collection from The Art of Puzzles you should be sure to sponsor us before March. Thanks to all of you who are already patrons.

All the puzzles from last week have been grouped in this PDF.

And we now have a bonus video “talk-through” of the Friday Fillomino puzzle posted on our Patreon page here.

Next week we’ll be debuting a new puzzle style for all six days. What will it be? There might be a few more “easy” puzzles than usual, but with a new type it made sense to start out slow. The bonus puzzle for our high-level supporters will be a Consecutive Sudoku by Thomas Snyder.

Now that we’ve had a few weeks of a “variety one-week, focus on one style the next week” pattern, what do you think of our updated format?

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between a composite mode for line/edge drawing and a number entry mode.)

Theme: Hearts and Kisses (a visual theme for 2/14)

Author/Opus: This is the 161st puzzle from Thomas Snyder aka Dr. Sudoku.

Rules: Standard Fillomino rules.

Answer String: For each cell in the marked rows/columns, enter the area of the polyomino it belongs to. Enter both digits of any two-digit values. Start with the 5th row, followed by a comma, followed by the 7th row.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 4:00, Master = 7:00, Expert = 14:00

Solution: PDF; a solution video is available here.

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

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools)

Theme: Heart-Shaped Box

Author/Opus: This is the 160th puzzle from Thomas Snyder aka Dr. Sudoku.

Rules: Standard Isodoku rules, using numbers 1-8.

Answer String: Enter the 5th “row” from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 8th “row” from left to right.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 2:00, Master = 3:30, Expert = 7:00

Solution: PDF

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

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools)

Theme: Star-Crossed

Author/Opus: This is the 159th puzzle from Thomas Snyder aka Dr. Sudoku.

Rules: Standard Star Battle rules. Two stars per row, column, and region.

Answer String: For each row from top to bottom, enter the number of the first column from the left where a star appears. Enter these numbers as a single string with no separators.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 1:20, Master = 1:45, Expert = 3:30

Solution: PDF

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

All the puzzles from last week have been grouped in this PDF.

If you enjoyed this past week of Tapa, there are many more to enjoy in the Tapa+Nurikabe e-book we are sending out to our high-level supporters later today. This e-book will also be available here in several weeks after our website is properly set-up for PayPal purchases. The next section of The Art of Puzzles to be released will be Masyu+Slitherlink which should be ready by early March at the latest.

Next week will be another variety week with these puzzles (highlight to view):

Monday: Star Battle by Thomas Snyder
Tuesday: Skyscrapers by Tom Collyer (a related skyscrapers from Tom is this week’s bonus)
Wednesday: Nurikabe by Grant Fikes
Thursday: Isodoku by Thomas Snyder
Friday: Fillomino by Thomas Snyder
Saturday: Slitherlink variation by Grant Fikes

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to shift between shading mode and the composite Yajilin mode where left click marks cells, right click marks dots in cells or X’s on edges, left click+drag draws lines.)

Theme: Evenly Split (All symmetric spots contain two odd numbers that add up to the even number)

Author/Opus: This is the 158th puzzle from Thomas Snyder aka Dr. Sudoku.

Rules: Standard Tapa rules.

Answer String: Enter the length in cells of each of the shaded segments from left to right for the marked rows, starting at the top. Separate each row’s entry from the next with a comma.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 3:30, Master = 7:30, Expert = 15:00

Solution: PDF

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

All the puzzles from last week have been grouped in this PDF.

Next week we will focus on one puzzle type and variation (highlight to view):

Tapa (Classic and Tapa-Like Loop Variation)

The bonus puzzle this week, for our high-level supporters will be: a Tapa-Like Loop by Serkan Yürekli.