Logic Masters Deutschland e.V.

Build Your Own Double(r) Arrows

(Published on 28. December 2022, 09:09 by Samish)

I set this puzzle as Fjam's present for the CTC discord Secret Santa event. He kindly encouraged me to publish it for you all. I wanted it unusual, fun and challenging for him. I can at least say that it was all that for me, as it is a puzzle very different from anything I'd set before.

In particular, it is in a way the opposite twin from my last puzzle Lyly, which is also about double arrows and shares some similarities, but offers a completely different solving experience from minimalist ruleset and clues. Please consider having a look at Lyly too, it's a puzzle I'm very happy with.

Have fun solving! I'll be happy to read your comments.


Rules :

Normal sudoku rules apply. Nine cells - one in each row, column and box - containing digits 1-9 once each are doublers.

Draw a non-intersecting orthogonal path through the center of some cells, including every doubler and excluding the shaded cells. The path may be open ended or a closed loop, it's up to the solver to find out.

Normal double arrow rules apply along the path, with doubler cells acting as circles : the sum of the digits between two doublers is equal to the sum of these doublers.
If the path is open ended and does not end with a doubler, the end must form a standard arrow with the last doubler acting as the circle : the digits in the end section of the path sum to that doubler.
Digits in doublers count as double their value for the purpose of arrows and double arrows.

Small number clues give the sum of the digits on the path in the (up to 9) neighbouring cells (including itself). In such a sum, digits may repeat and doublers count as double their value.

Digits in squares indicate the number of cells on the path in the (up to 9) neighbouring cells (including itself).
(Doubler cells are only counted once for the purpose of square clues)



Example : this illustrates several cases you could encounter in the puzzle. Red digits would have been determined to be doublers. Here, we have for instance :
2x4=7+1 (standard arrow)
2x(3+5)=6+8+2 (double arrow)
18=1+7+2+3+3+2 (small number clue)




Penpa link (answer check for green line and digits)


SudokuPad link (answer check for digits)


Solution code: Digits on the path in rows 3 then 4 (left to right), entering twice each doubler digit (example : "682332" for the lone example picture).

Last changed on on 29. September 2024, 13:37

Solved by fjam, Oripy, ademjaz, madhupt, Piatato, Myxo, filuta, wullemuus
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Comments

on 29. September 2024, 13:37 by Samish
rules clarification

Last changed on 15. February 2023, 00:12

on 12. February 2023, 10:42 by filuta
Excellent, almost as LYLY :o), and surely a bit easier.

***
Thanks a lot! Lyly felt more like an evidence (or as Piatato would say it asked to be made) while this one had me struggle a lot to get to a solvable solution. I’m happy you enjoyed both

on 27. January 2023, 03:38 by Samish
Updated difficulty according to feedback. It should be a hard 4

on 27. January 2023, 03:07 by Myxo
Excellent puzzle!

on 6. January 2023, 17:30 by Piatato
Very fun puzzle, that unfolded in such a great way! Not super hard either, compared to LYLY — I'd say 4/5. Thanks to fjam and Samish for inspiring and setting this great puzzle! :-)

Last changed on 30. December 2022, 19:10

on 29. December 2022, 10:01 by madhupt
This is an absolute peach of a puzzle. So smooth after the break-in. Thanks a lot Samish for this gem!

***
Thanks a lot, I appreciate the kind words! I'm happy you enjoyed it so much

Last changed on 30. December 2022, 19:12

on 28. December 2022, 16:56 by ademjaz
Lovely break-in, and the rest is really smooth and beautiful! Thanks :)

***
Thanks to you for the last minute test solve and the nice comment!

Difficulty:4
Rating:N/A
Solved:8 times
Observed:7 times
ID:000CFT

Variant combination New Online solving tool Path puzzle

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