Logic Masters Deutschland e.V.

Standard sudoku rules applies. Fill the grid with numbers from 1 to 6 so no repeated digit in every row, column and 2x3 box.

The digit in the circle is the sum of the digits along the arrow. The following variant change some part of the rule.

The following ideas all comes from Frytheguy

Little negative Sudoku

Let’s start easy. The smallest digit , or one of the smallest digits on the arrow is negative. It’s the original idea, but we really don’t like the name ‘anchor’. I didn’t solve it, so neither should you, unless you really want to, in which case I can’t tell if you’re right or not.

Little neglected Sudoku

The smallest digit , or one of the smallest digits on the arrow is neglected.

I enjoy this one more, so one more.

One neglected Sudoku

One of the digits on the arrow is neglected.

Good news, you can talk to us on discord. The guy goes by the name Jiahenitian, he can speaks for me, Old Miles and borescoper. He is one of the setter for CPC 2020. In a word, he knows stuff. If you get stuck on my posts, feel free to ask him when he is not busy.

These puzzles are made by Old Miles around June 6th, which is when the first anchor Sudoku came out, except the last one, which is around 2019, which the anchor idea remind Old Miles of. I admit, I forgot, again(It’s not like anybody would force me to post). I read the comment of the 7th puzzle. Here’s my thought, anchor Sudoku would never made into the mainstream. The idea is interesting and inspiring, as what I post, but the puzzle is not satisfying, the solving tiring, the difficulty never low. As borescoper said, it breaks what’s unique about arrows. In my opinion, it’s an arrow variant, not a successful one. It’s not the arrow-little killer, thermo-inequility and windoku-extra region scenario, where the variant rule is clean and visually appealing. It doesn’t have the competition value. Nevertheless, I admire the courage to post a series of new variant. Any puzzle that inspire me is a good one.

To be fair, I am not a stitch up rule hater, but I really don’t want to have the same experience in every puzzle I see. The line between boredom and easy, tedious and hard is so thin that time can change all that. 2017 focus more on smooth. From that year on, Old Miles push the idea into a harder realm. We used to think combination eliminating brute force. Look what we become now. Still we still think a variant that has to use chain or brute force a failure, preferred by some but dislike by many. So recent trend, probably forever, is dodge every Sudoku advanced tricks, especially chains, wings, fish and SK. Failed, then it became a one bite puzzle for the advanced trick learner. In the same time, we discover that only a few like calculation, especially sum. That’s the real pressure on Old Miles, finding new variants that everyone enjoy. It can be hard, but it never hurt to try.

I’m saying this because I don’t know when I’ll post again. I still have an X-mean inspired by RockyRoer. Check his recent puzzles and you’ll understand. One more thing, Old Miles said big neglected is a little imposssible. So anyone who try is going to be interesting. Anyway, hope you enjoy these three.