PDF

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

Theme: Parquet

Rules: Standard Arrow Sudoku rules.

Answer String: Enter the 1st row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 9th row from left to right.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 6:00, Master = 9:00, Expert = 18:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for more Arrow Sudoku. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Arrow Sudoku to get started on. More Arrow Sudoku puzzles can be found in The Art of Sudoku 2.

PDF

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

Theme: Gift

Rules: Standard Star Battle rules. Two stars per row, column, and region. Note: the coloring is just to emphasize the theme and is not involved in the solve.

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 = 4:00, Master = 6:00, Expert = 12:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other classic Star Battles and this link for Star Battle variations. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Star Battles to get started on. More Star Battle puzzles can be found in The Art of Puzzles, in the book Star Battle by JinHoo Ahn, and in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli.

PDF

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

Theme: 12/23

Rules: Standard Yajilin rules.

Answer String: Enter the length in cells of the horizontal loop segments from left to right in the marked rows, starting at the top. If the loop only has vertical segments in the marked row, enter 0. Separate each row’s entry with a comma.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 0:40, Master = 1:00, Expert = 2:00

Solution: PDF

Last week’s puzzles are grouped together in this PDF.

This week completes our first year of puzzles at GMPuzzles. After this week, we will take some time out to share solving stats, discuss favorite puzzles of 2013, and offer some thoughts on what is to come for us in 2014.

First, though, here are the puzzles coming in this 52nd week (highlight to view):
Monday – Yajilin by Thomas Snyder
Tuesday – Fillomino by Grant Fikes
Wednesday – Star Battle by Thomas Snyder
Thursday – LITS by Grant Fikes
Friday – Arrow Sudoku by Thomas Snyder
Saturday – Cross the Streams by Grant Fikes

PDF

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

Theme: XMas Tree

Rules: Standard Thermo-Sudoku rules.

Answer String: Enter the 1st column from top to bottom, followed by a comma, followed by the 9th column from top to bottom.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 5:00, Master = 7:15, Expert = 14:30

Solution: PDF

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 The Art of Sudoku 2.

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: Grouped Clues

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 = 3:00, Master = 4:15, Expert = 8:30

Solution: PDF

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.

Last week’s puzzles are grouped together in this PDF. And no, there is no hidden puzzle in the names of these weekly files. I’m merely making the extensions unguessable since they are often up far in advance.

These are the puzzles coming this week (highlight to view):
Monday – Tapa by Palmer Mebane
Tuesday – Battleship/Masyu Hybrid by Grant Fikes
Wednesday – Cave by Thomas Snyder
Thursday – Thermo Sudoku by Thomas Snyder
Friday – Slitherlink (Domino) by Palmer Mebane
Saturday – Different Neighbors by Serkan Yürekli
and I promise no more than 2 Christmas trees this week!

PDF

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

Theme: It’s Sudoku Time

Rules: Standard Arrow Sudoku rules.

Answer String: Enter the 4th row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 8th row from left to right.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 4:30, Master = 6:45, Expert = 13:30

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for more Arrow Sudoku. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Arrow Sudoku to get started on. More Arrow Sudoku puzzles can be found in The Art of Sudoku 2.

Last week’s puzzles are grouped together in this PDF.

Another week, and more creative puzzles for all to enjoy. These are the puzzles coming this week (highlight to view):
Monday – TomTom by Serkan Yürekli
Tuesday – Cross the Streams by Grant Fikes
Wednesday – Masyu by Tom Collyer
Thursday – Arrow Sudoku by Thomas Snyder
Friday – Digital Snail by Palmer Mebane
Saturday – Fillomino (LITS) by Grant Fikes

PDF

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

Theme: “The Star Battle for Christmas”

Rules: Standard Star Battle rules. Two stars per row, column, and region. Note: the shading is just to emphasize the theme and is not involved in the solve.

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 = 2:15, Master = 5:15, Expert = 10:30

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other classic Star Battles and this link for Star Battle variations. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Star Battles to get started on. More Star Battle puzzles can be found in The Art of Puzzles, in the book Star Battle by JinHoo Ahn, and in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli.