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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 shading mode.)

Theme: Everything has an End

Author/Opus: This is the 181st puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Prasanna Seshadri.

Rules: Standard Araf rules.

Difficulty: 2.5 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 1:40, Master = 2:15, Expert = 4:30

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

Note: Follow this link for more Araf puzzles on this website. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Araf Puzzles to get started on. More Araf puzzles can be found in the ebook Araf 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 shading mode.)

Theme: Big Fish

Author/Opus: This is the 291st puzzle from our managing editor Serkan Yürekli.

Rules: Standard Araf rules.

Difficulty: 1.5 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 0:45, Master = 1:00, Expert = 2:00

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

Note: Follow this link for more Araf puzzles on this website. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Araf Puzzles to get started on. More Araf puzzles can be found in the ebook Araf 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 shading mode.)

Theme: Purgatory of Fours

Author/Opus: This is the 121st puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Murat Can Tonta.

Rules: Standard Araf rules.

Answer String: Enter the number of cells in each connected group (between bold lines) in the marked rows.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 6:00, Master = 8:15, Expert = 16:30

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for more Araf puzzles on this website. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Araf Puzzles to get started on.

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 shading mode.)

Theme: 1 to 14

Author/Opus: This is the 98th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Murat Can Tonta.

Rules: Standard Araf rules.

Answer String: Enter the number of cells in each connected group (between bold lines) in the marked rows.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 4:45, Master = 7:30, Expert = 15:00

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

Note: Follow this link for more Araf puzzles on this website. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Araf Puzzles to get started on.

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 shading mode.)

Theme: Clue Symmetry & Logic

Author/Opus: This is the 1st puzzle from guest contributor Joseph Howard.

Rules: Standard Araf rules.

Answer String: Enter the number of cells in each connected group (between bold lines) in the marked rows.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 3:45, Master = 6:15, Expert = 12:30

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for more Araf puzzles on this website. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Araf Puzzles to get started on.

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 shading mode.)

Theme: X Frame

Author/Opus: This is the 7th puzzle from guest contributor Hans van Stippent.

Rules: Standard Araf rules.

Answer String: Enter the number of cells in each connected group (between bold lines) in the marked rows.

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

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for more Araf puzzles on this website. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Araf Puzzles to get started on.

Rules: Divide the grid into some regions formed of edge-adjacent squares. Each cell is part of one region, and each region should contain exactly two given numbers. Each region must have an area that is strictly between those numbers. (This means, for two number clues A and B with A < B, the area C fulfills A < C < B.)

Answer String: Enter the number of cells in each connected group (between bold lines) in the marked rows. For the example above, this is “34,121111,4111”.

(Brief) History of Araf: This style was first created in Japan and appeared on the 16th Japanese Puzzle Championship Semifinal in 2007. Its original name is 相ダ部屋 (aidaheya). Turkish puzzle designer Serkan Yürekli renamed it “Araf” meaning “Purgatory” in Turkish when he created some of these puzzles including for the 19th World Puzzle Championship in Poland.

History of this example: This Araf example was written by Serkan Yürekli.

Sources for Araf Puzzles: Follow this link for more Araf puzzles on this website. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Araf Puzzles to get started on. More Araf puzzles can be found in the ebook Araf by Serkan Yürekli.

Design rules for contributors: A Grandmaster Araf will have a unique solution that can be reached by logic alone. Generally, a Grandmaster Araf should have symmetry or a theme that is interesting enough to not require symmetry.

(view image directly for larger form)

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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 shading mode.)

Theme: Infinity!

Author/Opus: This is the 51st puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Serkan Yürekli.

Rules: Divide the grid into some regions formed of edge-adjacent squares. Each cell is part of one region, and each region should contain exactly two given numbers. Each region must have an area that is strictly between those numbers (This means, for two number clues A and B with A < B, the area C fulfills A < C < B).

Answer String: Enter the number of cells in each connected group (between bold lines) in the marked rows. If a group is a multi-digit number, enter all digits of that number. For the example above, the entry is “34,121111,4111”.

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

Solution: PDF

Note: Araf is a relatively new puzzle for us on GMPuzzles. Follow this link for other Araf.

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 shading mode.)

Theme: Clue Symmetry and Logic

Author/Opus: This is the 5th puzzle from guest contributing Bram de Laat.

Rules: Standard Araf rules. Also, no two regions with the same size can share an edge. (Note: this is the same rule as in Fillomino puzzles where no equal size polyominoes can touch.)

Answer String: Enter the number of cells in each connected group (between bold lines) in the marked rows.

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

Solution: PDF

Note: Araf is a relatively new puzzle for us on GMPuzzles. Follow this link for other Araf. An example image for a “classic” Araf puzzle is here.

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 shading mode.)

Theme: Clue Symmetry and Logic

Author/Opus: This is the 4th puzzle from guest contributor Bram de Laat.

Rules: Divide the grid into some regions formed of edge-adjacent squares. Each cell is part of one region, and each region should contain exactly two given numbers. Each region must have an area that is strictly between those numbers (This means, for two number clues A and B with A < B, the area C fulfills A < C < B).

Answer String: Enter the number of cells in each connected group (between bold lines) in the marked rows. For the example above, this is “34,121111,4111”.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 4:40, Master = 6:00, Expert = 12:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Araf is a relatively new puzzle for us on GMPuzzles. Follow this link for other Araf.