(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
This puzzle combines regular Sudoku logic with ideas from the card game Blackjack. Tell us in the comments if you think it is a hit or not?

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Theme: Bust a Move

Author/Opus: This is the 28th 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 clues outside the grid are inspired by Blackjack and show when a player has gone “Bust”. Specifically, for a clue N, the sum of the first N numbers in that direction in that row or column is larger than 21, but this is not true for the first N-1 numbers which will have a sum of 21 or less.

(In this puzzle, for example, the clue at the top of column 8 means the sum of R1-5C8 > 21 but the sum of R1-4C8 is ≤ 21.)

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 8:30; One party hat (🥳): 18:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: August Apatodon.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 3:51, 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.

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
This variant, posted initially during our first few weeks of GAS puzzles, comes back again with arrows that tell you how many different numbers appear on the path.

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or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 25th 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). The number in the bulb of an arrow indicates the number of unique numbers that appear along the arrow.

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

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:59, 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 Genuinely Approachable Sudoku puzzles on this site. 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.

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
Each clue outside the grid tells the closest odd or even number to it, but that may still be pretty far away in some cases.

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Author/Opus: This is the 46th puzzle from Clover, 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 clues outside the grid reveal the first odd or even value appearing in that direction in the row or column. Any number of values of the opposite parity (even or odd) may appear before the first odd or even number.

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

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 3:18, 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.

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
This Sudoku puzzle combines the logic of the shading puzzle genre Tapa to the odd numbers. Can you still solve it?

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Theme: It’s All Connected

Author/Opus: This is the 27th 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, all cells with odd numbers must form a Tapa, a single connected wall made out of orthogonally adjacent cells, but without any 2×2 square fully part of the Tapa.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 10:00; One party hat (🥳): 25:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: August Australodocus.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 4:56, 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.

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
Can you figure out which lines contain odd numbers and which lines contain even numbers in this puzzle by Bill Murphy?

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Author/Opus: This is the 24th 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, along each line in red, all numbers must be odd or all numbers must be even.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 7:11; One party hat (🥳): 13:13. All other solvers earn a 🦕: Obligated Orodromeus.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 3:26, 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.

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
How many numbers can you fit in before each nine in this grid? The outside clues will tell you in this variation on Sudoku by clover!

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or solve online (using SudokuPad)
or solve online (using Penpa-Plus)

Author/Opus: This is the 45th puzzle from Clover, 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 clues outside the grid reveal the total sum of numbers before the 9 in that direction from the row or column.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 7:30; One party hat (🥳): 14:00 All other solvers earn a 🦕: mathy Monkonosaurus.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 3:14, with Penpa Plus replay this time.

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.

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
To get “cracking” in this puzzle you’ll have to think about all the different subsets and what contains what as you move around the grid.

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Theme: Thunderbolts and Lightning

Author/Opus: This is the 26th 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. For each pair of cages connected by a zigzag line, the set of numbers in the smaller cage must fully appear in the larger cage. Any number on the connecting zigzag line must also be a part of the larger cage but cannot be a part of the smaller cage. Numbers do not repeat within cages.

(For example: The numbers in R4C123 (small cage) and R5C3 (connecting line) must appear in the five-cell cage R67C3+R8C345.)

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

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 4:55, 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.

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
Can you determine which cages are full of just even or odd numbers and which cages may be split in half?

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or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 23rd 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, cages must contain either all even numbers, all odd numbers, or exactly half even and half odd numbers. (In other versions of this variation, cages are marked that must be full or half, but in this particular grid there are no marked cages so their nature must be determined.)

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

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 3:42, 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.

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
Pairs of numbers need to go into the grid, but with the proper distance between them. Take care and you’ll find the unique answer.

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or solve online (using SudokuPad)
or solve online (using Penpa-Plus)

Author/Opus: This is the 44th puzzle from Clover, 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 clues outside the grid reveal pairs of numbers that appear in the given order, left to right or top to bottom, in that row or column. The value after the colon indicates the distance between the two numbers (with 1 being the smallest possible value meaning the numbers are in adjacent cells one apart).

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

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:47, with Penpa Plus replay this time.

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.

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
When a number is surrounded by two even numbers left/right or top/bottom, you’re given a clue to that “sandwich” in this puzzle.

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or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: Pattern? What Pattern?

Author/Opus: This is the 25th 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 clues outside the grid indicate all numbers in that row or column surrounded by even numbers on both sides (”sandwiched”). Clues can be given in any order, and all such numbers are given. If a clue is a ‘–’, then no values in that row or column are sandwiched between two even numbers.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 7:30; One party hat (🥳): 16:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: August Amargatitanis.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 4:06, 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.