Inspired by I0rr-Rysdl's puzzle on the CTC Discord server.
Standard sudoku rules apply.
Additionally, the grid is completely filled with snakes: a Mama snake, 3 Snakelets, and 6 Hatchlings.
Mama snake is a palindrome.
The Snakelets are each 9 cells long. The digit on each end of each Snakelet indicates how many of the 8 surrounding cells are part of Mama.
The Hatchlings are the given thermos. Digits increase along Hatchlings from the bulb to the end. Mama snake diagonally or orthogonally touches the bulb end of each Hatchling.
Each snake is 1 cell wide and may not touch itself orthogonally. Snakes do not overlap each other. There are no other restrictions on snakes touching other snakes.
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Solution code: Middle row, left-to-right
on 26. April 2021, 02:11 by DiMono
The sudoku part of this sudoku is really hard. Don't underestimate it.
on 14. April 2021, 21:12 by marcmees
the location of mama snake could easily be deduced ... the snakelets provide the first digits . after that follows a nice play between mama & the hatchlings to find the other digits. Nice. Thanks
on 13. April 2021, 16:46 by henrypijames
Compared to the previous puzzles, it's quite easy to guess the general paths of the snakes here without a water-tight logical proof.