Archive for the ‘Puzzle’ Category:

Arrow Consecutive Pairs Sudoku by clover!

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
In this “Two-Variant Tango”, Arrow and Consecutive Pairs clues are working closely together to set up a fun logical dance.

Arrow Consecutive Pairs Sudoku by clover!

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: Two-Variant Tango

Author/Opus: This is the 85th puzzle from Clover, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Arrow Sudoku rules: Insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Some arrow shapes are in the grid; the sum of the numbers along the path of each arrow must equal the number in the circled cell. Numbers can repeat within an arrow shape. Also, if a white circle is given between two adjacent cells, then the two numbers in those cells must differ by 1. Pairs of cells without circles can have any relationship.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 6:30; One party hat (🥳): 12:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: conjoined Corythosaurus.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:05, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for more Arrow Sudoku. Follow this link for Consecutive Pairs Sudoku puzzles on this website. If you are new to these puzzle types, here are our easiest Arrow Sudoku and easiest Consecutive Pairs Sudoku to get started on. More Arrow Sudoku puzzles can be found in these books in our e-store and more Consecutive Pairs Sudoku puzzles can be found in these books.

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

Killer Sudoku by Philip Newman

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
The advent calendar continues with this Killer Sudoku with three 4-cell regions matching to 10, 11, and 12. Can you figure out their special logic to make progress?

Killer Sudoku by Philip Newman

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)
or try the harder givenless version that Thomas solved (using SudokuPad)

Theme: Nerf Me, Baby, One More Time

Author/Opus: This is the 66th puzzle from Philip Newman, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Also, the sum of the numbers in each cage must equal the value given in the upper-left corner of that cage. Numbers cannot repeat inside a cage.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 7:30; One party hat (🥳): 15:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: Antiquated Abdallahsaurus.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 3:18 on the givenless version, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for more Killer Sudoku and this link for classic Sudoku. More Killer Sudoku puzzles can be found in Killer Sudoku by Serkan Yürekli.

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

Extra Regions Sudoku by Bill Murphy

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
This puzzle adds four more regions and that must make it extra hardcore (or at least really special for GAS).

Extra Regions Sudoku by Bill Murphy

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 63rd puzzle from Bill Murphy, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region. The shaded regions must also contain 1 to 9 without repeats.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 7:00; One party hat (🥳): 13:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: December Dystrophaeus.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:27, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for other less common variations of Sudoku.

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

Battenburg Sudoku by clover!

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
Today’s GAS features the full Battenburg dessert: the checkerboard clues show where an alternating even/odd pattern must appear and the absence of such clues indicates there is no such “pretty” pattern in that space.

Battenburg Sudoku by clover!

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: Accentuate the Negative

Author/Opus: This is the 84th puzzle from Clover, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Whenever a checkerboard clue appears at the intersection of four cells, the numbers in those cells must form a “checkerboard” pattern of odd and even (i.e., one diagonally opposite pair is odd and the other pair is even). All possible checkerboard clues have been given, so any sets of four cells without a clue cannot have a “checkerboard” pattern of odd and even.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 8:00; One party hat (🥳): 15:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: negative Neovenator.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:54, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for other less common variations of Sudoku.

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

Renban Sudoku by Philip Newman

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
An advent calendar helps us count consecutive days until Christmas, like the 789 here in Philip’s GAS for today.

Renban Sudoku by Philip Newman

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: Eight Nine, Seven Did

Author/Opus: This is the 65th puzzle from Philip Newman, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Numbers along each line must form a non-repeating consecutive set, in any order. (For example, a 4-cell Renban line could be 4352, but not 5679 or 2312. Also, the cages surrounding some givens are just showing part of the visual theme and have no other meaning.)

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 7:00; One party hat (🥳): 13:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: Sleepy Sauropodiform.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:56, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for other less common variations of Sudoku.

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

Average Arrow Sudoku by Bill Murphy

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
This puzzle might be just average — if you look at the numbers in the circled cells at least. Each arrow describes the average value along its length.

Average Arrow Sudoku by Bill Murphy

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 62nd puzzle from Bill Murphy, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Some arrow shapes are in the grid; the number in the circled cell is equal to the average of all numbers along the arrow. (For example, as R2C3 = 2, the average of R2C4 and R2C5 is 2.)

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 6:30; One party hat (🥳): 12:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: Uniformed Unescoceratops.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:08, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for other less common variations of Sudoku.

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

Battenburg (No Inverse) Sudoku by clover!

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
Today’s GAS features the good part of Checkerboard (parity) logic and not the potentially hidden side that can be trickier.

Battenburg (No Inverse) Sudoku by clover!

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: Accentuate the Positive

Author/Opus: This is the 83rd puzzle from Clover, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Whenever a checkerboard clue appears at the intersection of four cells, the numbers in those cells must form a “checkerboard” pattern of odd and even (i.e., one diagonally opposite pair is odd and the other pair is even). Sets of cells without such a clue can have any arrangement of numbers and parities.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 8:00; One party hat (🥳): 15:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: positive Poekilopleuron.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 3:19, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for other less common variations of Sudoku.

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

German Whispers Sudoku by Philip Newman

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
The advent positions are the same but this gift tag looks like a quite different puzzle than the classic Sudoku from the 3rd. Is this gift going to be for you?

German Whispers Sudoku by Philip Newman

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: Giften Tag

Author/Opus: This is the 64th puzzle from Philip Newman, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Numbers in cells directly connected on a green line must differ by at least 5. (The cages surrounding some givens are just showing part of the visual theme and have no other meaning.)

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 8:00; One party hat (🥳): 15:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: Laurasian Long-Neck.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 4:26, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for other less common variations of Sudoku.

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

Numbered Rooms Sudoku by Bill Murphy

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
This open 4×4 within 9×9 grid pattern returns for a new challenge in today’s Numbered Rooms Sudoku by Bill Murphy.

Numbered Rooms Sudoku by Bill Murphy

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: Moonstruck

Author/Opus: This is the 61st puzzle from Bill Murphy, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Also, clues outside the grid indicate the value to be placed in the Nth cell in the corresponding row/column direction, where N is the value of the first cell in the grid in that direction. (For example, if 5 was in R1C4 just below the outside 6 clue, the 6 in column 4 would be in R5C4.)

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 7:00; One party hat (🥳): 13:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: Counting Chubutisaurus.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:44, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for other less common variations of Sudoku.

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

Quadruples Sudoku by clover!

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
Today’s GAS features a somewhat open grid with six Quadruples clues to tie everything together. Can you figure out the path through these corner clues to the one solution?

Quadruples Sudoku by clover!

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: Quadrille

Author/Opus: This is the 82nd puzzle from Clover, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Numbers in white circles must appear in at least one of the four surrounding cells.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 6:00; One party hat (🥳): 11:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: forceful Fukuiraptor.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 1:48, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for other less common variations of Sudoku.

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