PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between a shading mode, a mode to mark edges with an X, and a letter entry mode that may help with notation.)

Theme: Words

Author/Opus: This is the 232nd puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Murat Can Tonta.

Rules: Standard LITS rules. Also, the letters outside the grid indicate the first tetromino encountered in the corresponding direction. Or see this:

Difficulty: 3.5 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 5:15, Master = 7:15, Expert = 14:30

Solution: PDF and solving video.

Note: Follow this link for more variations of LITS and this link for classic LITS. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest LITS to get started on. More LITS puzzles can be found in LOTS O’ LITS by Grant Fikes and Prasanna Seshadri, in The Art of Puzzles 2, and in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli.

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between a shading mode and a mode to mark edges with an X.)

Theme: Easy as 123?

Author/Opus: This is the 16th puzzle from guest contributor Jonas Gleim.

Rules: Standard LITS rules.

Difficulty: 3.5 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 4:30, Master = 7:15, Expert = 14:30

Solution: PDF and solving video.

Note: Follow this link for more variations of LITS and this link for classic LITS. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest LITS to get started on. More LITS puzzles can be found in LOTS O’ LITS by Grant Fikes and Prasanna Seshadri, in The Art of Puzzles 2, and in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli.

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to switch between edgex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s, and a shading and number entry mode to mark/update the liar clues.)

Theme: Bull’s-Eye

Author/Opus: This is the 419th puzzle from Thomas Snyder, aka Dr. Sudoku.

Rules: Variation of Slitherlink rules. Exactly one clue in each row and column is incorrect and must represent another number.

Difficulty: 4.5 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 8:45, Master = 13:30, Expert = 27:00

Solution: PDF and solving video.

Note: Follow this link for classic Slitherlink and this link for Slitherlink variations. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Slitherlink puzzles to get started on. More Slitherlink puzzles can be found in The Art of Puzzles, Slitherlink and Variations, and our beginner-friendly book Logic Puzzles 101.

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools in edgex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s)

Theme: Columns

Author/Opus: This is the 11th puzzle from guest contributor Michael Tang.

Rules: Standard Slitherlink rules.

Difficulty: 3 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 2:30, Master = 5:15, Expert = 10:30

Solution: PDF and solving video.

Note: Follow this link for classic Slitherlink and this link for Slitherlink variations. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Slitherlink puzzles to get started on. More Slitherlink puzzles can be found in The Art of Puzzles, Slitherlink and Variations, and our beginner-friendly book Logic Puzzles 101.

PDF

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

Theme: Mystery Box

Author/Opus: This is the 12th puzzle from guest contributor Sam Cappleman-Lynes.

Rules: Place a number from 0 to 9 into each area so that no two areas that touch orthogonally share the same number. Wherever four areas meet at a point (marked with dots as a visual aid), the numbers in those areas must add up to 10.

Also, see this example:

Difficulty: 4.5 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 14:45, Master = 21:00, Expert = 42:00

Solution: PDF and solving video.

Note: Follow this link for other less common Number Placement puzzles.

PDF

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

Theme: Dominoes

Author/Opus: This is the 239th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Prasanna Seshadri.

Rules: Place a number from 0 to 9 into each area so that no two areas that touch orthogonally share the same number. Wherever four areas meet at a point (marked with dots as a visual aid), the numbers in those areas must add up to 10.

Also, see this example:

Difficulty: 3.5 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 4:45, Master = 7:00, Expert = 14:00

Solution: PDF and solving video.

Note: Follow this link for other less common Number Placement puzzles.

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between two ship / shape placement modes and a shading mode. In battleship placement mode, right click gives sea, left click gives circle/square, left click and drag for rounded ships.)

Theme: Squares

Author/Opus: This is the 23rd puzzle from our newest contributing puzzlemaster Takeya Saikachi.

Rules: Standard Battleships rules. Use the indicated fleet. Ships can be rotated and reflected.

Difficulty: 4 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 5:45, Master = 10:15, Expert = 20:30

Solution: PDF and solving video.

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

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: Antonyms

Author/Opus: This is the 22nd puzzle from our newest contributing puzzlemaster Takeya Saikachi.

Rules: Standard Tapa rules. Also, exactly one copy of each letter given in the grid must be shaded; other copies of that letter, if present, must be left unshaded.

Difficulty: 3.5 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 3:30, Master = 8:15, Expert = 16:30

Solution: PDF and solving video.

Note: Follow this link for classic Tapa and this link for Tapa variations. 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 1 and 2, and in our beginner-friendly books Intro to GMPuzzles and Starter Pack 2: Tapa, all by Serkan Yürekli.

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools; use tab to alternate between Sudoku number entry mode and a shading mode to manage the shape inventory.)

Theme: Offset Frame

Author/Opus: This is the 418th puzzle from Thomas Snyder, aka Dr. Sudoku.

Rules: Standard Shape Sudoku rules.

Difficulty: 4 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 8:30, Master = 13:00, Expert = 26:00

Solution: PDF and solving video.

Note: Follow this link for other Shape Sudoku. More Shape Sudoku are in Masterpiece Sudoku Mix 8.

This variation from Dr. Sudoku will appear on the 8th round of the Sudoku Grand Prix opening August 5th and running through August 8th. This puzzle was created as the “example” puzzle for the style, and is a representative puzzle (in difficulty and style) to help prepare for the competition.

PDF

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

Theme: Boxes

Author/Opus: This is the 417th puzzle from Thomas Snyder, aka Dr. Sudoku.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules. Also, some numbers are given on the edges between two adjacent cells. Treating those cells as a two-digit number (reading left to right or top to bottom), the two-digit number must be a multiple of the clue. (For example, near a 7 clue, the two digits can be 14, 21, 28, 35, ….)

Difficulty: 4 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 7:30, Master = 10:00, Expert = 20:00

Solution: PDF and solving video.

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