about 9 years ago - Comments Off
Wow, it is a long time since I posted here. So much to do, so little time!
I might as well keep it brief now, then. Here’s a puzzle for April 1st (it’s actually a normal puzzle without tricks – it just spells ‘FOOL’ in the given numbers). Place 1 to 9 in each row, column More >
about 9 years ago - Comments Off
Sudoku Box-Jigsaw 9×9 1 puzzleI haven’t posted a puzzle for a good while, so I thought it was time to fix that with this Box-Jigsaw Sudoku puzzle.
The puzzle combines regular Sudoku with Jigsaw Sudoku. Just place 1 to 9 once each into all of the nine rows, columns, 3×3 boxes (indicated by both shaded and More >
about 9 years ago - Comments Off
A brand new book, packed with 101 Jumbo 3D Sudoku, is now available for purchase from Amazon. You can either search for this directly, or you can click through via my PuzzleBooks.org site – the book is at the very bottom of that page, and clicking on it will take you direct to the correct More >
about 9 years ago - Comments Off
Jumbo 3D sudoku puzzleI haven’t posted for a while so I thought I should post one of my new puzzles. This one is a Jumbo 3D Sudoku, where the aim is simply to place 1 to 9 into each black-lined 3×3 area as well as each of the 54 rows indicated by the coloured lines. More >
about 10 years ago - Comments Off
Valentine SudokuA quick heart-shaped sudoku for Valentine’s Day. Just place 1 to 9 once each in every row, column and bold-lined box.
about 10 years ago - Comments Off
Sudoku Xtra 24 is now finally available! It’s packed with 130 puzzles of a wide range of types, including a huge variety of sudoku variants.
This issue I’ve included a very wide range
of variants, including some new ones such as Two-grid Interconnected Sudoku, Mystery Multiple
Sudoku and Blackout Sudoku. Meanwhile I’ve made an effort to include More >
about 10 years ago - Comments Off
Sum-Skyscraper 5×5 puzzleI made this puzzle just before Christmas, and it’s been waiting on my desktop to be posted here ever since! Well, now it finally has been.
This is a Sum Skyscraper. Place the digits 1 to 5 once each into every row and column in the grid. Numbers outside the grid provide More >
about 10 years ago - Comments Off
Sudoku Christmas Star puzzleA Sudoku, in a star shape.
Just that. (Place 1-9 once each into every row, column and bold-lined 3×3 box).
about 10 years ago - Comments Off
I’ve recently launched a new series of ‘101 Giant Sudoku’ books, to cater for those who like their Sudoku to be considerably larger than normal!
You can see the entire series at PuzzleBooks.org (scroll to the bottom) or visit Amazon and search for “101 giant sudoku”.
There are currently 12 books in the series: 14×14, 15×15, 16×16, 18×18, More >
about 10 years ago - Comments Off
Following-up yesterday’s Skyscraper puzzles, I thought I’d post a couple of Sum Skyscraper variant puzzles.
Sum Skyscraper 6×6 puzzle
Sum Skyscraper 5×5 puzzle
Sum Skyscraper puzzles are very similar to Skyscraper puzzles, so no number can repeat in any row or column and external ’skyscraper’ clues reveal information about the numbers in the main grid. In 5×5 puzzles More >
about 15 years ago
With the samurai sky scraper do the numbers around the edge apply to a row of twelve(where applicable) or only the first nine in a given direction?
about 15 years ago
Hi Ricky, I am almost certain you treat the puzzle as two overlapping 9 x 9 grids and therefore the skycraper numbers would only go up to 9 (even in a row of 12 because the last 3 boxes are not part of that particular 9 x 9 grid, if that makes sense!) I hope that’s correct. I am new to skycraper puzzles and am working on this one too!
about 15 years ago
It doesn’t actually matter whether the skyscraper clues refer to the entire width/height of the puzzle or just the first grid encountered, which is why I didn’t mention this.
Because the first 9 squares are guaranteed to contain a ‘9′ at some point, and nothing past that square can possibly be higher than a ‘9′, then the skyscraper clues will be the same whether you count 12 squares (where possible) or just 9 squares every time.
Hope this helps!
about 14 years ago
I still haven’t managed to solve this one yet! I’ve got near to completion twice, but then realised I’ve gone wrong! Is it significanlty harder because of the overlapping grids which means you don’t get clues at either side of the 9×9 grids (if that makes sense) or is it just me?
about 14 years ago
I completed this one a while back. Something that might help is where you have the 12 length rows and columns, the first 3 digits will match the last 3 digits (they might not be in the same order).
As an example: If you are lucky enough to deduce a 9 in one of these areas, then you know another 9 must exist in the set of 3 at the opposite end.
about 14 years ago
I was aware of that strategy, but am still getting a bit stuck with this one. I find it relatively easy to place the 9s, 8s and even the 7s, it is the lower numbers which cause the problem! Anyway, nice to hear that someone has managed it Spittledung! I’m not prepared to give in yet so will give it one last try!
about 14 years ago
If you’d like a copy of the solution, just let me know!
You’re right that there are far less Skyscraper clues than in other puzzles I’ve published. Interestingly, a common thing to do in general (which I haven’t done yet) is to remove lots of the Skyscraper clues from a puzzle, just like removing givens from the Sudoku part – maybe I won’t try making puzzles like that as a top priority then.
about 14 years ago
I’m making a habit of this, but yes please! I always enjoy getting to grips with a new type of puzzle but am needing more practise with these! Thanks. I hate it when a puzzle gets the better of me!
about 14 years ago
Great post! Just wanted to let you know you have a new subscriber- me!