Archive for the ‘Puzzle’ Category:

Cross the Streams by Grant Fikes

Cross The Streams by Grant Fikes

PDF

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

Theme: Four Lack of a Better Title (contributed by GMPuzzles to the Indian Puzzle Championship)

Author/Opus: This is the 114th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Grant Fikes.

Rules: Standard Cross the Streams rules.

Answer String: Enter the length in cells of each of the black segments from top to bottom for the marked columns, going in order from A to B to C to D and separating each entry with a comma.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 2:15, Master = 3:00, Expert = 6:00.

Solution: PDF

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

Slitherlink by Bram de Laat

Slitherlink by Bram de Laat

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools in edgex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s)

Theme: Clue Symmetry and Logic

Author/Opus: This is the 2nd puzzle from guest contributor Bram de Laat.

Rules: Standard Slitherlink rules.

Answer String: Enter the length in cells of each of the internal loop 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 = 2:40, Master = 5:40, Expert = 11:20

Solution: PDF

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

Star Battle (Regional) by Prasanna Seshadri

Star Battle by Prasanna Seshadri

PDF

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

Theme: UK – site of WPC in 2014 (originally on Indian Puzzle Championship)

Author/Opus: This is the 34th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Prasanna Seshadri.

Rules: Variation of Star Battle rules. Place an equal number of stars into each region so that each row and column has two stars. No two stars can touch, even diagonally.

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 = 1:15, Master = 3:30, Expert = 7:00

Solution: PDF

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

Battleships by Bram de Laat

Battleships by Bram de Laat

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.)

Theme: Solved?

Author/Opus: This is the 1st puzzle from guest contributor Bram de Laat.

Rules: Standard Battleships rules. Use the indicated fleet.

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

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 1:20, Master = 2:30, Expert = 5:00

Solution: PDF

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

Thermo-Sudoku by Thomas Snyder

Thermo-Sudoku by Thomas Snyder

PDF

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

Theme: June Sun

Author/Opus: This is the 179th puzzle from Thomas Snyder, aka Dr. Sudoku.

Rules: Standard Thermo-Sudoku rules.

Answer String: Enter the 3rd row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 6th row from left to right.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 6:45, Master = 9:30, Expert = 19:00

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.

Tapa (Transparent) by Prasanna Seshadri

Tapa (Transparent) by Prasanna Seshadri

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: 13

Author/Opus: This is the 33rd puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Prasanna Seshadri.

Rules: Variation of Tapa Rules. Here, the clue cells can also be blackened. This means every clue is valid for all surrounding cells (up to 9) including itself. Each clue must indicate the size of all contiguous shaded groups around it. This example image should help:

Tapa (Transparent) Example by Thomas Snyder

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 = 4:30, Master = 8:15, Expert = 16:30

Solution: PDF; a solution video is available here.

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

Cave by Prasanna Seshadri

Cave by Prasanna Seshadri

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: X-Cavation

Author/Opus: This is the 32nd puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Prasanna Seshadri.

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 = 1:45, Master = 3:45, Expert = 7:30

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.

Statue Park by Murat Can Tonta

Statue Park by Murat Can Tonta

PDF

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

Theme: Clue Symmetry and Logic

Author/Opus: This is the 3rd puzzle from guest contributor Murat Can Tonta.

Rules: Standard Statue Park 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 = 1:45, Master = 2:30, Expert = 5:00

Solution: PDF

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

Skyscrapers by Grant Fikes

Skyscrapers by Grant Fikes

PDF

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

Theme: Don’t Get Mad, …

Author/Opus: This is the 113th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Grant Fikes.

Rules: Standard Skyscrapers rules.

Answer String: Enter the 4th row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 5th row from left to right.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 1:00, Master = 1:30, Expert = 3:00

Solution: PDF

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

Slitherlink by Grant Fikes

Slitherlink by Grant Fikes

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools in edgex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s)

Theme: U’s Full

Author/Opus: This is the 112th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Grant Fikes.

Rules: Standard Slitherlink rules.

Answer String: Enter the length in cells of each of the internal loop 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 = 1:00, Master = 1:30, Expert = 3:00

Solution: PDF

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