Logic Masters Deutschland e.V.

The theme for this puzzle was Wacky Inventions. And creating a 'mechanical' puzzle. The slide rule isn't particularly wacky, but hopefully the mechanical aspect of this puzzle will appeal.

For more information on the Puzzle of the Month, you can take a look here: CTC Discord Puzzle of the Month Nov 21

This puzzle was also recently featured on the Cracking the Cryptic YouTube channel. You can watch Mark Goodliffe's solve here.

Cracking The Cryptic

Normal sudoku rules apply.

Cells separated by a chess knight's move cannot contain the same digit.

In cages, digits must sum to the small clue in the top left corner of the cage. Digits cannot repeat within a cage.

Digits must increase as they move along the thermometer away from the bulb.

Three of the cells are given, but as a candidate to make it easier to erase them in the second half of the puzzle.

Seems easy, right? Well once you've finished solving the puzzle, jot down the numbers in column 1. They are the first half of the solution.

When you've done that, what you need to do it erase all the numbers from 2 through to 9 from the ENTIRE GRID! Then, take all those number 1's that you've got left, and slide ALL of them exactly three squares to the right. (The grid wraps around, so three squares to the right of column 9 is column 3, for example). All the other clues remain the same, right where they are for the first solve.

When you finish the second solve jot down the numbers in ... column 1 again! They'll be your second half of the solution code.

You can try the slide rule on f-puzzles.

Or, if you'd prefer, on the CTC App.

Don't forget to write down the numbers in Column 1 after the first solve!