The Andromeda Chain (Spiral Galaxies, Lockout Lines)
(Published on 8. February 2022, 16:08 by Chilly)
The Rules:
- Normal sudoku rules apply.
- Lockout lines: digits in diamonds directly connected by a lockout line must differ by 4 or more. Digits on a line must fall outside the range defined by their diamonds.
- Spiral galaxies: each circle gives the centre of rotation of a 180 deg rotationally symmetric 'spiral galaxy' lockout line. The sum of all the digits in the lockout line (including the endpoints) is given in the circle (and in certain cells in the corner too to help with visibility). The solver must determine how the lockout lines grow. Different lines must not meet or cross. The lines can grow orthoganally, but not diagonally and each has only two end points. Digits may not repeat on the same arm of a spiral galaxy, but may repeat on different arms and/or at the centre of rotation, if that is in the centre of a cell.
The examples show in more detail how the rules work
- The top right line is not correct because it repeats the 9s on the same spiral arm.
- The line in box 8 is not 180 degrees rotationally symmetric.
- The line in box 9 moves diagonally.
- The numbers in the line in box 7 do not add to the total.
- Note - three 1s are allowed in the top left line because there is one on each spiral arm and also one in the rotational centre.
Solution code: row 2 and column 8
Comments
on 20. September 2022, 19:19 by Kafkapharnaum
Everywhere I'm reminded of my solving shortcomings it seems XD Three stars? I'm siding with your testers on this one! I'd never done any lockout lines either though in my defense, so I kinda had to 'crashcourse' it through trial and error, and once that was done and I had the basics, it went mostly fine I guess :-)
I especially loved the way even the smaller ones came on their own, that was amazing. Congrats on setting that!
--Glad you liked it. Not an ideal puzzle for your first lockout lines solve for sure :) Thanks for the kind comments.
on 8. September 2022, 02:30 by DadJokes
This was my first Lock Out Lines puzzle. Pretty awesome. Thanks!
on 11. February 2022, 14:31 by PrimeWeasel
Very enjoyable! I rated it 3 because most of the deductions weren't all that complicated, they just took a while. Great fun though!
-- Thanks for the solve! - my testers thought 4* but if you've done a few like this it could be easier :)
on 9. February 2022, 10:15 by Raumplaner
Very rewarding and clever puzzle. Thanks Chilly.
on 8. February 2022, 22:37 by marcmees
nice galaxy puzzle. thanks.
--Glad you liked it.
on 8. February 2022, 18:43 by PjotrV
Very nice solve path, good usage of the combination Spiral Galaxy and Lockout Lines :)
