Dr. Sudoku Prescribes #128 – TomTom

TomTom by Thomas Snyder

PDF

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

Theme: 4x4x4 – A puzzle with lots of tetromino cages packed into 4×4 squares.

Rules: Standard TomTom rules, using digits from 1-8.

Answer String: Enter the 5th row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 7th column from top to bottom.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 6:00, Master = 7:45, Expert = 15:30

Solution: PDF

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

Dr. Sudoku Prescribes #127 – Thermo-Sudoku

Thermo-Sudoku by Thomas Snyder

PDF

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

Theme: 4x4x4 (Note: this sudoku also appeared on the recent Indian Sudoku Championship).

Rules: Standard Thermo-Sudoku rules. Range is 1-9.

Answer String: Enter the 5th row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 5th column from top to bottom.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 3:00, Master = 4:00, Expert = 8:00

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.

Dr. Sudoku Prescribes #126 – Sudoku

Sudoku by Thomas Snyder

PDF

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

Theme: A Series of Falls — all 5 digits runs from 1-5 to 5-9 appear. (This puzzle also appeared on the recent Indian Sudoku Championship.)

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules.

Answer String: Enter the 4th column from top to bottom, followed by a comma, followed by the 8th column from top to bottom.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 1:40, Master = 2:20, Expert = 4:40

Solution: PDF

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

Dr. Sudoku Prescribes #125 – Star Battle

Star Battle by Thomas Snyder

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PDF

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

Theme: Clown

Rules: Standard Star Battle rules. Three 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. Enter both digits for any two-digit number that is required.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 11:30, Master = 21:00, Expert = 42:00

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.

Dr. Sudoku Prescribes #124 – Shape Sudoku

Sudoku by Thomas Snyder

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between Sudoku number entry mode and a shading mode to manage the shape inventory.)

This is a “Franken-Friday” puzzle variation.

Theme: Squares of Squares (a pattern slightly reminiscent of last Friday‘s puzzle)

Rules: Standard Shape Sudoku rules.

Answer String: Enter the 5th row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 5th column from top to bottom.

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

Solution: PDF

Dr. Sudoku Prescribes #123 – TomTom

TomTom by Thomas Snyder

PDF

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

Theme: Carbon Copy (a puzzle with many doubled clues)

Rules: Standard TomTom rules, using digits from 1-6.

Answer String: Enter the 3rd row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 5th column from top to bottom.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 2:00, Master = 2:45, Expert = 5:30

Solution: PDF

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

Dr. Sudoku Prescribes #122 – Battleships (Square Ends)

Battleships by Thomas Snyder

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between ship placement and shading modes. In ship placement mode, right click gives sea, left click gives circle/square, left click and drag for rounded ships.)

This is a “Franken-Friday” puzzle variation.

Theme: Squares of Squares

Rules: Standard Battleships rules. The fleet in this puzzle has no rounded ends; instead, all ship segments are square and indistinguishable.

Answer String: For each row from top to bottom, enter the number of the first column from the left where a ship segment appears. If the row is empty, enter 0. Enter these numbers as a single string with no separators.

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

Solution: PDF

Dr. Sudoku Prescribes #121 – Arrow Sudoku (8×8)

Arrow Sudoku by Thomas Snyder

PDF

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

Theme: Crazy Eights (for 8/8/13)

Rules: Standard Arrow Sudoku rules. Range is 1-8.

Answer String: Enter the 2nd row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 5th column from top to bottom.

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

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.

Dr. Sudoku Prescribes #120 – Skyscrapers

Skyscrapers by Thomas Snyder

PDF

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

Theme: 234

Rules: Standard Skyscrapers rules.

Answer String: Enter the 1st row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 3rd row from left to right.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 3:30, Master = 4:15, Expert = 8:30

Solution: PDF

Dr. Sudoku Prescribes #119 – Yajilin

Yajilin by Thomas Snyder

PDF

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

Theme: Clue symmetry and logic

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 = 4:30, Master = 7:30, Expert = 15:00

Solution: PDF