PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to shift between shading mode, a number entry mode for placing Tapa clues, 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: Logical

Author/Opus: This is the 8th puzzle from guest contributor Carl Worth.

Rules: Standard Tapa rules, except that the digits have been encoded with a cipher into letters. Each letter represents a different positive integer, for the solver to determine.

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 = 2:30, Master = 4:00, Expert = 8:00

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.

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: Tic-Tac-Toe

Author/Opus: This is the 34th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Palmer Mebane.

Rules: Standard Fillomino rules. Also, each letter represents a different positive integer.

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 3rd row, followed by a comma, followed by the 6th row. (For this puzzle, use the integer values of the area, not the encoded letters.)

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 6:30, Master = 11:00, Expert = 22:00

Solution: PDF; a solution video is 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.

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 letter entry mode.)

Theme: Logical

Author/Opus: This is the 147th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Grant Fikes.

Rules: Divide the grid into 20 pentominoes so that no two pentominoes of the same shape (including rotations/reflections) share an edge. Each number in this grid represents a clue for a different letter/pentomino as in a regular Pentominous puzzle; all instances of a number must represent the same letter. An inventory of possible pentominoes is given below the puzzle.

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

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 6:30, Master = 9:00, Expert = 18:00

Solution: PDF; a solution video is available here.

Note: Follow this link for other Pentominous puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Pentominous 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 number entry mode.)

Theme: C Major

Author/Opus: This is the 30th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Palmer Mebane.

Rules: Standard Fillomino rules. Also, each musical note represents a different positive integer.

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 row, followed by a comma, followed by the 7th row. (For this puzzle, use the integer values of the area, not the encoded letters.)

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 8:00, Master = 12:30, Expert = 25:00

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.

PDF

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

Theme: Cage Symmetry and Logic (contributed by GMPuzzles to the Indian Puzzle Championship)

Author/Opus: This is the 181st puzzle from Thomas Snyder, aka Dr. Sudoku.

Rules: Variation of TomTom rules. The letters A through J represent different digits from 0 to 9. Identify which letters stand for which digits and then solve the TomTom puzzle using the digit set {A < B < C < D < E < F} so that no digit repeats in any row or column and the value of each cage is correct using standard TomTom rules. Answer String: Enter the 3rd row from left to right followed by the 5th row from left to right. Separate all rows with a comma. Use digits (and not the letters A-F) for entry.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 5:00, Master = 8:45, Expert = 17:30

Solution: PDF; a solution video is available here.

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

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use Tab to go between number entry and shading modes)

This is a “Franken-Friday” puzzle variation.

Theme: Crypt-oceanography

Rules: Standard Nurikabe rules, except the size of each island has been encrypted. Each letter in this puzzle stands for a different positive integer, which must be determined while solving the puzzle. (Formatting note: space has been left in the cells for you to write the actual number values beneath each letter.)

Answer String: Enter the length in cells of each of the black segments (the unnumbered, connected “ocean”) 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 = 10:00, Master = 15:00, Expert = 30:00

Solution: PDF