Nothing to Hide (Except Maybe in That Box) by Thomas Snyder

(This post is part of: “A Story of Self-setting Sudoku”.)
At times it may seem important to hide your intelligence, to hide the magic behind your tricks with smoke and mirrors. But when testing your Sudoku intelligence, whether as a solver or a setter, there may be places where there is nothing that you can hide.

Sudoku by Thomas Snyder

PDF or alternate “Nothing to Hide” (the Snyder Cut)*

or solve online as shown here (using SudokuPad), or the Snyder Cut*

Author/Opus: This is the 596th puzzle from Thomas Snyder.

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 9 into each white cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region.

Difficulty (highlight to view): 4 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 5:15, Master = 9:30, Expert = 19:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for 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.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Twelve Months of Sudoku? post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

Special author’s note: This puzzle was highly inspired by a design from Serkan Yürekli even if so refactored, reworked, or otherwise changed he may not know which thing. You will always be more than a Puzzle Robot to us.

*Special editorial note: We had significant internal debate about whether to publish this sudoku as the author originally intended for the A Story of Self-Setting Sudoku series, or as appropriate as a proper Sudoku. We are doing both but want to make clear the author’s preferred starting point is the alternate link that disobeys design rules with extra filler for some reason.

Another Way to Grab Your Attention by Thomas Snyder

(This post is part of: “A Story of Self-setting Sudoku”.)
To learn more about how an AI solves and thinks about puzzles, we cover the majority of the grid and limit it to just a subset of the boxes. It is very curious how having 32 empty cells instead of 32 givens can lead to abrupt behavior changes when altering the attention mask.

by Thomas Snyder

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 595th puzzle from Thomas Snyder.

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 9 into each white cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region.

Difficulty (highlight to view): 4 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 2:45, Master = 8:30, Expert = 17:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for 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.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Twelve Months of Sudoku? post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

A Bit Of(f) Your Attention by Thomas Snyder

(This post is part of: “A Story of Self-setting Sudoku”.)
To learn more about how an AI solves and thinks about puzzles, we cover the majority of the grid and limit it to just a subset of the boxes. It is very curious how having 32 empty cells instead of 32 givens can lead to abrupt behavior changes when altering the attention mask.

by Thomas Snyder

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 594th puzzle from Thomas Snyder.

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 9 into each white cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region.

Difficulty (highlight to view): 2.5 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 1:45, Master = 3:45, Expert = 7:30

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for 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.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Twelve Months of Sudoku? post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

Focus Your Attention by Thomas Snyder

(This post is part of: “A Story of Self-setting Sudoku”.)
To learn more about how an AI solves and thinks about puzzles, we cover the majority of the grid and limit it to just a subset of the boxes. It is very curious how having 32 empty cells instead of 32 givens can lead to abrupt behavior changes when altering the attention mask.

by Thomas Snyder

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 593rd puzzle from Thomas Snyder.

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 9 into each white cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region.

Difficulty (highlight to view): 2 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 1:45, Master = 2:30, Expert = 5:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for 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.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Twelve Months of Sudoku? post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

The Trouble with Tribbles by Thomas Snyder

(This post is part of: “A Story of Self-setting Sudoku”.)
The trouble with tribbles is that their trilling seems to have a tranquilizing effect on the human nervous system. Fortunately, I am immune to this effect and I find this puzzle to be no tribble at all.

by Thomas Snyder

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 592nd puzzle from Thomas Snyder.

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 9 into each white cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region.

Difficulty (highlight to view): 3.5 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 5:00, Master = 10:00, Expert = 20:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for 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.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Twelve Months of Sudoku? post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

Multi-Lingual Dreams 二 by Dr. ナンプレ

(This post is part of: “A Story of Self-setting ナンプレ”.)
So is this the moment the ナンプレ start to talk themselves?

by Dr. ナンプレ

PDF

or solve online (using ナンプレPad)

Author/Opus: This is puzzle 十三 from “Dr. ナンプレ”, our AI-powered puzzle engine pushing the limits of ナンプレ intelligence.

Rules: Insert a number from 一 to 九 into each white cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region.

Difficulty (highlight to view): 4 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 11:30, Master = 25:00, Expert = 50:00

Solution: PDF

Editor’s Note: For this post, the AI borrowed heavily, but with permission, from Friday Puzzle post #20 from 2009 in this motris livejournal post. This was revealed in the YouTube video “How Ideas Get Spirited Away” after no one noticed after awhile.

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

Note 二: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our 十二 Months of ナンプレ? post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

Multi-Lingual Dreams by Dr. Sudoku

(This post is part of: “A Story of Self-setting Sudoku”.)
So is this the moment the Sudoku start to talk themselves?

by Dr. Sudoku

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is 12th puzzle from “Dr. Sudoku”, our AI-powered puzzle engine pushing the limits of sudoku intelligence.

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 9 into each white cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region.

Difficulty (highlight to view): 3.5 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 8:30, Master = 17:30, Expert = 35:00

Solution: PDF

Editor’s Note: For this post, the AI borrowed heavily, but with permission, from Friday Puzzle post #20 from 2009 in this motris livejournal post. This was revealed in the YouTube video “How Ideas Get Spirited Away” after no one noticed after awhile.

Note: Follow this link for 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.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Twelve Months of Sudoku? post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

Multi-Lane Highway by Dr. Sudoku

(This post is part of: “A Story of Self-setting Sudoku”.)
So is this the moment the Sudoku start to solve themselves?

by Dr. Sudoku

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is 11th puzzle from “Dr. Sudoku”, our AI-powered puzzle engine pushing the limits of sudoku intelligence.

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 9 into each white cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region.

Difficulty (highlight to view): 3 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 7:00, Master = 11:30, Expert = 23:00

Solution: PDF

Editor’s Note: For this post, the AI borrowed heavily, but with permission, from SudokuCup puzzles from a 2010 motris livejournal post. This was revealed in the YouTube video “How Ideas Get Spirited Away” after no one noticed after awhile.

Note: Follow this link for 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.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Twelve Months of Sudoku? post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

Four-way Intersection (2 of 2) by Dr. Sudoku (and Thomas Snyder)

(This post is part of: “A Story of Self-setting Sudoku”.)
This may seem like it would be our hardest self-setting challenge yet. But the natural flow of traffic at these intersections allows just one or two lanes to go at a time; following these basic rules we can pass right through.

by Dr. Sudoku (and Thomas Snyder)

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is 10th puzzle from “Dr. Sudoku”, our AI-powered puzzle engine pushing the limits of sudoku intelligence. (This is also the 591st puzzle from Thomas Snyder.)

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 6 into each white cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region.

Difficulty (highlight to view): 2 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 1:30, Master = 2:15, Expert = 4:30

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for 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.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Twelve Months of Sudoku? post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

Four-way Intersection (1 of 2) by Dr. Sudoku

(This post is part of: “A Story of Self-setting Sudoku”.)
This may seem like it would be our hardest self-setting challenge yet. But the natural flow of traffic at these intersections allows just one or two lanes to go at a time; following these basic rules we can pass right through.

by Dr. Sudoku

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is 9th puzzle from “Dr. Sudoku”, our AI-powered puzzle engine pushing the limits of sudoku intelligence.

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 6 into each white cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region.

Difficulty (highlight to view): 2 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 1:30, Master = 2:15, Expert = 4:30

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for 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.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Twelve Months of Sudoku? post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.