Archive for the ‘Variation’ Category:

Tapa (Thermometer) by Serkan Yürekli

Tapa by Serkan Yürekli

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: Clue Symmetry and Logic

Author/Opus: This is the 274th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Serkan Yürekli.

Rules: Standard Tapa rules. Additionally, all unclued cells in the grid are part of thermometer shapes which may be fully unshaded, partially shaded, or fully shaded. When thermometers are partially shaded, the shading must start at the round bulb and then continue cell by cell towards the narrow end.

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 = 3:00, Master = 3:45, Expert = 7:30

Solution: PDF

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. More Tapa puzzles can be found in The Art of Puzzles, in Tapa and Variations, and in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles, all by Serkan Yürekli.

Fillomino (Non-consecutive) by Murat Can Tonta

Fillomino by Murat Can Tonta

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between a composite mode for line/edge drawing and a number entry mode.)

Theme: 24 Dice

Author/Opus: This is the 154th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Murat Can Tonta.

Rules: Variation of Fillomino rules. No two polyominoes with the same area, or with areas that differ by one, can share an edge.

Answer String: For each cell in the marked rows/columns, enter the area of the polyomino it belongs to. Enter just the last digit for any two-digit number. Start with the 4th row, followed by a comma, followed by the 7th column.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 4:45, Master = 6:30, Expert = 13:00

Solution: PDF; a solution video is also available here.

Note: Follow this link for other classic Fillomino and this link for more variations on Fillomino puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Fillomino puzzles to get started on. More Fillomino puzzles can be found in The Art of Puzzles, in Fill o’ Fillomino and Fill o’ Fillomino 2 by Grant Fikes, and in our beginner-friendly book Logic Puzzles 101.

Fillomino (Symmetry) by Serkan Yürekli

Fillomino by Serkan Yürekli

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between a composite mode for line/edge drawing and a number entry mode.)

Theme: 123456

Author/Opus: This is the 273rd puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Serkan Yürekli.

Rules: Standard Fillomino rules. Also, all polyominoes should have rotational symmetry.

Answer String: For each cell in the marked rows/columns, enter the area of the polyomino it belongs to. Enter just the last digit for any two-digit number. Start with the 2nd column, followed by a comma, followed by the 3rd column.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 2:15, Master = 3:30, Expert = 7:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other classic Fillomino and this link for more variations on Fillomino puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Fillomino puzzles to get started on. More Fillomino puzzles can be found in The Art of Puzzles, in Fill o’ Fillomino and Fill o’ Fillomino 2 by Grant Fikes, and in our beginner-friendly book Logic Puzzles 101.

Fillomino (Shikaku) by Grant Fikes

Fillomino by Grant Fikes

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between a composite mode for line/edge drawing and a number entry mode.)

Theme: Clue Symmetry and Logic

Author/Opus: This is the 314th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Grant Fikes.

Rules: Standard Fillomino rules. Also, all polyominoes must be rectangles.

Answer String: For each cell in the marked rows/columns, enter the area of the polyomino it belongs to. Enter just the last digit for any two-digit number. Start with the 7th row, followed by a comma, followed by the 3rd column.

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

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other classic Fillomino and this link for more variations on Fillomino puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Fillomino puzzles to get started on. More Fillomino puzzles can be found in The Art of Puzzles, in Fill o’ Fillomino and Fill o’ Fillomino 2 by Grant Fikes, and in our beginner-friendly book Logic Puzzles 101.

Kurotto (Even Rows and Columns) by Prasanna Seshadri

Kurotto by Prasanna Seshadri

PDF

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

Theme: Odd Numbers

Author/Opus: This is the 177th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Prasanna Seshadri.

Rules: Standard Kurotto rules. Also, each row and column has an even number of shaded cells.

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 with a comma.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 8:00, Master = 13:00, Expert = 26:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other Kurotto puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Kurotto to get started on. More Kurotto puzzles can be found in the ebook Kurotto by Prasanna Seshadri.

Mirror Universe / Star Battle Relay by Carl Worth

Mirror Universe and Star Battle by Carl Worth-

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between a composite mode for line/edge drawing, a shading mode, and a shape (star) entry mode for the relay puzzle.)

Theme: Logical

Author/Opus: This is the 37th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Carl Worth.

Rules: First, solve the top grid puzzle as a Mirror Universe puzzle: Divide the grid along the indicated lines into connected regions – “galaxies” – so that every cell is part of one galaxy and every galaxy has one circle clue inside it. If the galaxy contains a plain circle without any lines, the galaxy must be rotationally symmetric with that circle being the center of rotational symmetry. If the galaxy contains a circle with a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line, the galaxy must have mirror symmetry when reflecting across the line given in the circle. Also, some cells contain black dots – “asteroids” – which must be symmetrically arranged based on the rules of symmetry (rotational or mirror) for every galaxy that contains them.

Mirror Universe + Asteroids Example by Carl Worth:

Mirror Universe by Carl Worth

Then, copy all ten of the galaxy regions from the solved Mirror Universe into the bottom grid. Solve this puzzle as a Star Battle puzzle with two stars in every 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.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 8:00, Master = 10:15, Expert = 20:30

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other classic Star Battles. 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 and in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli.

Skyscrapers (False) by Freddie Hand

Skyscrapers by Freddie Hand

PDF

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

Theme: Increasing Series

Author/Opus: This is the 1st puzzle from guest contributor Freddie Hand.

Rules: Variation of Skyscrapers rules. All exterior clues are false and should be either one higher or one lower than the value given.

Answer String: Enter the 2nd row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 4th row from left to right.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 3:45, Master = 5:00, Expert = 10:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for classic Skyscrapers puzzles and this link for variations on Skyscrapers puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Skyscrapers Puzzles to get started on. More Skyscrapers puzzles can be found in The Art of Puzzles, in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli, and in the e-book Skyscrapers by Ashish Kumar.

Skyscrapers (Haido) by Murat Can Tonta

Skyscrapers 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 149th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Murat Can Tonta.

Rules: Variation of Skyscrapers rules. Instead of their usual meaning, exterior clues indicate the height of one of the visible buildings that can be seen from that direction.

Answer String: Enter the 4th row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 6th row from left to right.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 3:45, Master = 4:30, Expert = 9:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for classic Skyscrapers puzzles and this link for variations on Skyscrapers puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Skyscrapers Puzzles to get started on. More Skyscrapers puzzles can be found in The Art of Puzzles, in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli, and in the e-book Skyscrapers by Ashish Kumar.

Battleships (Minesweeper) by Ashish Kumar

Battleships by Ashish Kumar

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: Clue Symmetry and Logic

Author/Opus: This is the 32nd puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Ashish Kumar.

Rules: Variation of standard Battleships rules. Instead of exterior clues, clues inside the grid indicate the number of adjacent squares, including diagonally adjacent squares, containing ship segments. Ships do not sit on cells with numbers.

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 just the last digit for any 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 = 2:15, Master = 3:45, Expert = 7:30

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for more variations on Battleships and this link for classic Battleships. More Battleships puzzles can be found in Battleships and Variations, in The Art of Puzzles, and in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli.

Five Cells by Ashish Kumar

Five Cells by Ashish Kumar

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools in a composite mode for line/edge drawing)

Theme: Clue Symmetry and Logic

Author/Opus: This is the 31st puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Ashish Kumar.

Rules: Divide the grid into five cell regions (pentominoes). The clue numbers in the grid indicate how many of the four edges of that cell are part of the border of a pentomino. (There can be no lines inside the P pentomino.)

See also this example:

Five Cells by Thomas Snyder

Answer String: Enter the letter associated with the pentomino occupying each cell in the marked rows from left to right, separating the groups with a comma. Use CAPITAL LETTERS!

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 3:30, Master = 5:00, Expert = 10:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other puzzles involving Pentominoes.