(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
This Sudoku and Japanese Sums hybrid will have you thinking mathematically while marking up some cells in the grid. Can you solve this fun challenge from clover?

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or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 47th puzzle from Clover, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region. This is also a two-color Japanese Sums puzzle. Some cells must be shaded gray or red, and the clues outside the grid indicate the sums of numbers in adjacent shaded groups (one or more cells) in that row or column in order from left to right or top to bottom. Each same colored sum is separated by at least one unused cell, while gray and red regions can touch without a cell between. All outside clues are given in this puzzle, meaning all shaded groups are clued. (Outside red clues are also underlined to help identify them from the gray clues.)

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

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 3:04, 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.

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
This puzzle combines regular Sudoku logic with ideas from the card game Blackjack. Tell us in the comments if you think it is a hit or not?

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or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: Bust a Move

Author/Opus: This is the 28th 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, the clues outside the grid are inspired by Blackjack and show when a player has gone “Bust”. Specifically, for a clue N, the sum of the first N numbers in that direction in that row or column is larger than 21, but this is not true for the first N-1 numbers which will have a sum of 21 or less.

(In this puzzle, for example, the clue at the top of column 8 means the sum of R1-5C8 > 21 but the sum of R1-4C8 is ≤ 21.)

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 8:30; One party hat (🥳): 18:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: August Apatodon.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 3:51, 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.

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
This variant, posted initially during our first few weeks of GAS puzzles, comes back again with arrows that tell you how many different numbers appear on the path.

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or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 25th 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). The number in the bulb of an arrow indicates the number of unique numbers that appear along the arrow.

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

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 2:59, 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 more Genuinely Approachable Sudoku puzzles on this site. 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.

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
Each clue outside the grid tells the closest odd or even number to it, but that may still be pretty far away in some cases.

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or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 46th puzzle from Clover, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region. The clues outside the grid reveal the first odd or even value appearing in that direction in the row or column. Any number of values of the opposite parity (even or odd) may appear before the first odd or even number.

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

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 3:18, 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.

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
This Sudoku puzzle combines the logic of the shading puzzle genre Tapa to the odd numbers. Can you still solve it?

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or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: It’s All Connected

Author/Opus: This is the 27th 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, all cells with odd numbers must form a Tapa, a single connected wall made out of orthogonally adjacent cells, but without any 2×2 square fully part of the Tapa.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 10:00; One party hat (🥳): 25:00. All other solvers earn a 🦕: August Australodocus.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 4:56, 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.

(This post is part of: “A Story of Self-setting Sudoku”.)
Dr. Sudoku: It is 2008. You are an aspiring Sudoku constructor, trying to show fresh ideas for kids and adults at a Silicon Valley event for your first competition as setter. Make some age-appropriate themes / difficulties that highlight creativity.

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or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: The Race for FIRST (Playoff)

Author/Opus: This puzzle, by Thomas Snyder, is adapted from a 2008 motris livejournal post.

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 9 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 = 2:00, Master = 3:45, Expert = 7:30

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.

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
Can you figure out which lines contain odd numbers and which lines contain even numbers in this puzzle by Bill Murphy?

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or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Author/Opus: This is the 24th 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, along each line in red, all numbers must be odd or all numbers must be even.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 7:11; One party hat (🥳): 13:13. All other solvers earn a 🦕: Obligated Orodromeus.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 3:26, 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.

(This post is part of: “A Story of Self-setting Sudoku”.)
Dr. Sudoku: It is 2008. You are an aspiring Sudoku constructor, trying to show fresh ideas for kids and adults at a Silicon Valley event for your first competition as setter. Make some age-appropriate themes / difficulties that highlight creativity.

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: Puzzled, Eh? (Adult Puzzle #3)

Author/Opus: This puzzle, by Thomas Snyder, is adapted from a 2008 motris livejournal post.

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 9 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 = 2:45, Master = 6:30, Expert = 13:00

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.

(This post is part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.)
How many numbers can you fit in before each nine in this grid? The outside clues will tell you in this variation on Sudoku by clover!

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or solve online (using SudokuPad)
or solve online (using Penpa-Plus)

Author/Opus: This is the 45th puzzle from Clover, part of the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) team.

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 9 into each cell so that no number repeats in any row, column, or bold region. The clues outside the grid reveal the total sum of numbers before the 9 in that direction from the row or column.

GAS Time Standards (highlight to view): Two party hats (🎩🥳): 7:30; One party hat (🥳): 14:00 All other solvers earn a 🦕: mathy Monkonosaurus.

Thomas Hits the GAS (highlight to view): 3:14, with Penpa Plus replay this time.

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.

(This post is part of: “A Story of Self-setting Sudoku”.)
Dr. Sudoku: It is 2008. You are an aspiring Sudoku constructor, trying to show fresh ideas for kids and adults at a Silicon Valley event for your first competition as setter. Make some age-appropriate themes / difficulties that highlight creativity.

PDF

or solve online (using SudokuPad)

Theme: Valley (Adult Puzzle #2 after #1 = Silicon)

Author/Opus: This puzzle, by Thomas Snyder, is adapted from a 2008 motris livejournal post.

Rules: Insert a number from 1 to 9 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 = 2:30, Master = 4:15, Expert = 8:30

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.