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: Dyck Paths (This variation was written for Chris Green, one of our Super Grandmaster patrons)

Author/Opus: This is the 36th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Palmer Mebane.

Rules: Standard Fillomino rules. Also, the shapes shown below the grid must appear as polyominoes in the grid. Shapes may be rotated, but may not be reflected.

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 1st row, followed by a comma, followed by the 9th row.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 5:15, Master = 6:45, Expert = 13:30

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.

(View image directly for larger form.)

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. Note that the default puzzle info is too long — even for an url shortener — so copy and paste all the text in this file into the “Load” option in the upper-right of the penpa-edit interface to access.)

Theme: Eight Hearts

Author/Opus: This is the 164th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Grant Fikes.

Rules: Standard Fillomino rules.

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 15th row, followed by a comma, followed by the 11th column.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 14:00, Master = 22:00, Expert = 44:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for other classic Fillomino. 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 in linex mode where left click+drag draws lines and right click marks X’s)

Theme: Big X

Author/Opus: This is the 70th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Prasanna Seshadri.

Rules: (Standard Balance Loop rules.) Draw a single, non-intersecting loop that passes through all circled cells. All white circles must have equal segment lengths on both sides of the circle before turning. All black circles must have unequal segment lengths on both sides of the circle before turning. Numbers indicate the sum of the segment lengths on both sides of the circle.
Also, see this example:

Answer String: Enter the length in cells of the horizontal loop segments from left to right in the marked rows, starting at the top. If the loop only has vertical segments in the marked row, enter 0. Separate each row’s entry with a comma. This example has the key “11,311”.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 8:30, Master = 10:30, Expert = 21:00

Solution: PDF; a solution video is available here.

Note: Follow this link for other less common Loop variations.

PDF

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

Theme: The Eye

Author/Opus: This is the 70th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Serkan Yürekli.

Rules: Fill all empty hexes with digits from 1-9 so that all number clues (in white) indicate the sum of the digits in that direction. Digits cannot repeat in any entry (i.e., any group of hexes connected either horizontally or in one of the two diagonal directions, without any black cells separating them). This no repeat rule applies even for unclued entries.

Answer String: Enter the values in each cell in the marked rows from left to right, separating the rows with a comma.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 7:00, Master = 11:00, Expert = 22:00

Solution: PDF; a solution video is available here.

Note: Follow this link for other Kakuro puzzles.

PDF

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

Theme: Clue symmetry and logic

Author/Opus: This is the 69th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Serkan Yürekli.

Rules: Variation of Masyu. Draw a single, non-intersecting loop that passes through all circled cells. The loop can only make 120 degree turns. The loop must go straight through the cells with white circles, with a 120 degree turn in at least one of the cells immediately before/after each white circle. The loop must make a 120 degree turn in all the black circles, but must go straight in both cells immediately before/after each black circle.

Answer String: Enter the length in cells of the horizontal loop segments from left to right in the marked rows, starting at the top. If the loop only has vertical segments in the marked row, enter 0. Separate each row’s entry with a comma.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 7:00, Master = 10:45, Expert = 21:30

Solution: PDF

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

PDF

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

Theme: Bull’s-Eye

Author/Opus: This is the 218th puzzle from Thomas Snyder, aka Dr. Sudoku.

Rules: Standard Even/Odd Sudoku rules (i.e., cells with a square contain an even digit; cells with a circle contain an odd digit).

Answer String: Enter the 2nd row from left to right, followed by a comma, followed by the 7th row from left to right.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 9:00, Master = 21:00, Expert = 42:00

Solution: PDF; a solution video is available here.

Note: Follow this link for more Even/Odd Sudoku puzzles. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Even/Odd Sudoku to get started on. More Even/Odd Sudoku puzzles can be found in The Art of Sudoku 2.

PDF

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

Theme: Sum of 24 in Both Halves

Author/Opus: This is the 67th puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Serkan Yürekli.

Rules: Fill the grid with digits from 1-6 (1-4 in example below) so that each digit appears exactly once in every row and column. When digits touch vertically, the upper digit must always be bigger.

Answer String: Enter the values in each cell in the marked columns from top to bottom, using a capital X for blank cells. The example has the solution “412X3X,324X1X”.

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 4:15, Master = 5:30, Expert = 11:00

Solution: PDF

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

PDF

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

Theme: Mysterious L’s

Author/Opus: This is the 161st puzzle from our contributing puzzlemaster Grant Fikes.

Rules: Standard TomTom rules, using the integers 1-7.

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

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 6:15, Master = 9:45, Expert = 19:30

Solution: PDF; a solution video is available here.

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

(View image directly for larger form.)

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 16th puzzle from guest contributor Murat Can Tonta.

Rules: Standard Tapa rules. Also, the shaded region must be able to be split into tetrominoes to form a valid LITS solution (meaning all tetrominoes are connected but no two tetrominoes sharing an edge are the same shape, including rotations and reflections).

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 = 12:00, Master = 25:00, Expert = 50:00

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 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 7th puzzle from guest contributor Tapio Saarinen. You can find more of Tapio’s puzzles on his blog.

Rules: Variation of Tapa rules. All clues have been replaced by symbols, and each clue cell must be a unique value (e.g., 113 can appear at most once as a clue value). Each question mark stands for a nonzero number; each asterisk stands for a nonzero number of question marks.

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 = 10:00, Master = 17:00, Expert = 34:00

Solution: PDF; a solution video is available here.

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.