Four-way Intersection (2 of 2) by Dr. Sudoku (and Thomas Snyder)

(This post is part of: “A Story of Self-setting Sudoku”.)
This may seem like it would be our hardest self-setting challenge yet. But the natural flow of traffic at these intersections allows just one or two lanes to go at a time; following these basic rules we can pass right through.

by Dr. Sudoku (and Thomas Snyder)

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is 10th puzzle from “Dr. Sudoku”, our AI-powered puzzle engine pushing the limits of sudoku intelligence. (This is also the 591st puzzle from Thomas Snyder.)

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 6 into each white cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region.

Difficulty (highlight to view): 2 stars

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

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for classic Sudoku. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Sudoku to get started on. More classic Sudoku puzzles can be found in The Art of Sudoku, The Art of Sudoku 2 and in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Twelve Months of Sudoku? post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

Four-way Intersection (1 of 2) by Dr. Sudoku

(This post is part of: “A Story of Self-setting Sudoku”.)
This may seem like it would be our hardest self-setting challenge yet. But the natural flow of traffic at these intersections allows just one or two lanes to go at a time; following these basic rules we can pass right through.

by Dr. Sudoku

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is 9th puzzle from “Dr. Sudoku”, our AI-powered puzzle engine pushing the limits of sudoku intelligence.

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 6 into each white cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region.

Difficulty (highlight to view): 2 stars

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

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for classic Sudoku. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Sudoku to get started on. More classic Sudoku puzzles can be found in The Art of Sudoku, The Art of Sudoku 2 and in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Twelve Months of Sudoku? post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

Anti-Knight Sudoku by Philip Newman

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
Can you gallop your way around this grid where numbers cannot be a knight’s moves apart from each other? This GAS puzzle is by Philip Newman.

Anti-Knight Sudoku by Philip Newman

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: 81 Squires

Author/Opus: This is the 16th puzzle from Philip Newman, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Also, numbers cannot repeat in any cells separated by a chess knight’s move.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 7:00; One party hat (🥳): 13:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: Antient Anokhadino.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:37, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for other less common variations of Sudoku.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Daily GAS discussion post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

Wildcard Sudoku by Bill Murphy

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
A missing “wildcard” value is important to figure out in this Sudoku variant by Bill Murphy.

Wildcard Sudoku by Bill Murphy

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 13th puzzle from Bill Murphy, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (Insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Also, there is a “wildcard” number to be determined while solving. Cells with a greater than (>) symbol must contain a number larger than the wildcard and cells with a less than (<) symbol must contain a number smaller than the wildcard.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 8:00; One party hat (🥳): 15:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: Magical Monoclonius.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:38, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for other less common variations of Sudoku.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Daily GAS discussion post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

Cruise Control? (2 of 2) by Dr. Sudoku

(This post is part of: “A Story of Self-setting Sudoku”.)
Straight roads are much easier for our current ASI, and we can always follow the numbers in front of / behind the others to keep in the right flow. Surely no unexpected scenarios will pop up in such a simplified situation.

by Dr. Sudoku

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is 7th puzzle from “Dr. Sudoku”, our AI-powered puzzle engine pushing the limits of sudoku intelligence.

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 6 into each white cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region.

Difficulty (highlight to view): 3.5 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 3:45, Master = 6:00, Expert = 12:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for classic Sudoku. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Sudoku to get started on. More classic Sudoku puzzles can be found in The Art of Sudoku, The Art of Sudoku 2 and in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Twelve Months of Sudoku? post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

Cruise Control? (1 of 2) by Dr. Sudoku

(This post is part of: “A Story of Self-setting Sudoku”.)
Straight roads are much easier for our current ASI, and we can always follow the numbers in front of / behind the others to keep in the right flow. Surely no unexpected scenarios will pop up in such a simplified situation.

by Dr. Sudoku

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is 6th puzzle from “Dr. Sudoku”, our AI-powered puzzle engine pushing the limits of sudoku intelligence.

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 6 into each white cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region.

Difficulty (highlight to view): 3 stars

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

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for classic Sudoku. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Sudoku to get started on. More classic Sudoku puzzles can be found in The Art of Sudoku, The Art of Sudoku 2 and in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Twelve Months of Sudoku? post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

Diagonal Sudoku by Philip Newman

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
The numbers are raining down from the top in this Diagonal Sudoku by Philip Newman.

Diagonal Sudoku by Philip Newman

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: Free Fallin’

Author/Opus: This is the 15th puzzle from Philip Newman, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (Insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Also, numbers cannot repeat on the marked diagonals.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 7:00; One party hat (🥳): 13:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: Serialized Sugiyamasaurus.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:19, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

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

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Daily GAS discussion post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

Nonodoku by Bill Murphy

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
As a kind of variant of Outside Sudoku, in this puzzle there are strings of connected numbers that must be placed back into the grid all at once. It can make for a very fast solve if you figure out how to do the packing.

Nonodoku by Bill Murphy

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 12th puzzle from Bill Murphy, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (Insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). Also, the clues outside the grid represent strings of numbers that must appear in order in adjacent cells, reading from top to bottom if given above the grid or from left to right if given to the left of the grid. (E.g., in the first row, 4-8-7-2 must appear in a contiguous set of four cells from left to right.)

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 7:00; One party hat (🥳): 13:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: Peaceful Pneumatoraptor.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:47, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for other less common variations of Sudoku.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Daily GAS discussion post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

* Stay on * the Road (2 of 2) by Dr. Sudoku

(This post is part of: “A Story of Self-setting Sudoku”.)
Even with basic models of self-setting sudoku intelligence, it is good to have some simplified rules to check for. Repeating clear patterns helps the superior intellect of our models learn to stay on the road.

by Dr. Sudoku

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: {Cars, The Right Side of}

Author/Opus: This is 4th puzzle from “Dr. Sudoku”, our AI-powered puzzle engine pushing the limits of sudoku intelligence.

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 6 into each white cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region.

Difficulty (highlight to view): 2.5 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 2:15, Master = 4:00, Expert = 8:00

Solution: PDF

Note: Follow this link for classic Sudoku. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Sudoku to get started on. More classic Sudoku puzzles can be found in The Art of Sudoku, The Art of Sudoku 2 and in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Twelve Months of Sudoku? post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.

Difference Adjacent Sudoku by clover!

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
Unlike a June GAS puzzle where the circled numbers marked the sums of neighboring cells, the arithmetic variation is reversed to refer to the maximum difference this time.

Difference Adjacent Sudoku by Clover

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 33rd puzzle from Clover, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Standard Sudoku rules (insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region). A circled number in a cell must equal the difference between the largest and smallest values in the orthogonally adjacent (up to 4) surrounding cells.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 7:00; One party hat (🥳): 13:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: different Diceratops.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:27, with SudokuPad replay file shared as a download for now (requires loading via settings menu with improvements expected before people should use this regularly).

Solution: PDF and solving video with explanation from GAS team.

Note: Follow this link for other less common variations of Sudoku.

Note 2: Comments on the blog are great! For a more interactive discussion, please also consider using our Daily GAS discussion post on the GMPuzzles Discord. Not a member of the Discord? Click this link for basic access.