Hell's Coordinates (Sudoku)
(Published on 4. January 2023, 13:16 by Piatato)
This Christmas holiday, a group of truly evil setters/masochistic solvers got together for a vile, horrific event called Secret Satan. Rumours has it that some poor souls unplugged their devices for good, upon seeing the terrible monstrosities that were presented to them. They're still running and screaming ...
Anyway, it was my task to make an evil puzzle as a "gift" for dumediat. I scoured the internet for hints regarding his taste in puzzles — after all I wanted him to suffer in just the way that he might like ... eventually I came up with the ruleset that you can see below, namely a combination of Coordinate Arrows, and Doublers without the 1-9 restriction. In fact, I see this puzzle as the vile, mutated cousin of my original Coordinate Arrows puzzle. Give this puzzle a try, but please be careful.
Some other puzzles from the same event can be found here.
Rules:
1) Normal Sudoku rules apply. Every row, column, and box must contain the digits 1-9 with no repeats.
2) Coordinate Arrows rules apply. There are some arrows in the grid. Read the digits along the arrow, from end to tip, as a coordinate (x, y). The digit in row x, column y must have the value x+y. X and y may be equal. Also, every arrow must refer to the coordinates of a different cell. The arrow in box 1 counts as two different arrows, read in opposite directions.
3) Evil Doubler rules apply. In every row, column and box, exactly one digit is doubled in value. Clarification: this counts for all purposes; whether the digit is a coordinate, a sum, or both. The doubled digits can also be in cells that are neither containing coordinates nor sums.
Solution code: Row 7 and column 7
Comments
on 24. June 2024, 06:58 by Bellsita
That was brutal!
on 5. August 2023, 22:33 by Aaronomys
Gorgeous puzzle with many spectacular logical moments! And, an added bonus for using coordinate arrows in such a devilish ruleset. ;)
on 23. March 2023, 03:30 by Kafkapharnaum
The crowning jewel of the CA series! Goodness that was a headscratcher unlike anything I'd seen before, and even after that there was no shortage of traps -- as amazing a puzzle as it was devilish, congrats on setting this! :O
on 22. January 2023, 02:53 by mnasti2
Loved the original! Fun to revisit on hard mode :]
on 12. January 2023, 02:56 by Piatato
Added link to the other Secret Satan puzzles. Thanks to Samish for making it.
on 7. January 2023, 13:57 by Samish
This is the best follow-up I could dream of for the coordinate arrows series. Another Masterpiece to add to the other ones :O I am genuinely happy and grateful you set this puzzle, it legitimately feels like my 3rd christmas puzzle present :D
It is so much fun and so amazing... And although it's very intricate it's so well telegraphed I never felt stuck and the solve flowed slowly but very nicely.
Really gorgeous, thank you so much for this puzzle :)))
on 4. January 2023, 23:31 by henrypijames
It was a pleasure to test solve this puzzle, even though I broke it between 4 and 8 times. The logical complexity reminds me of the now infamous Friends. :D
on 4. January 2023, 19:48 by Piatato
Added rule clarification.
on 4. January 2023, 18:29 by filuta
absolutely great puzzle with a fabulous but devilish break in, great to see Piatato to unleash his inner beast, hope more will follow :o))
on 4. January 2023, 14:15 by dumediat
This was easily one of the best puzzles I have ever solved. The break-in was both arduous and breathtaking, and I enjoyed every hour of torture that this puzzle brought me. Thank you Piatato once again for the fantastic gift!
on 4. January 2023, 13:41 by Piatato
Fixed a typo
