Beautiful Day (Ren X Sudoku)
(Published on 16. October 2023, 16:39 by SandraNala)
Mental health is something that is very important and valuable. A lot of Rens songs deal with mental health and so does this puzzle. I hope that its message resonates with you. The song that served as inspiration for it is called „Chalk Outlines“ by Ren X Chinchilla.
Another one of the pack puzzles on LMD from ZegreS is called Ren-Ban. Without him this pack would not exist. I am so happy, ZegreS, that you brought this idea to us and did all the extra and excellent work!
Here comes my puzzle!
„Beautiful Day“
When a day - no matter how perfect it is - can only take you so far and the fear of hitting that wall where everything stops to flow grows big enough - it is understandable that you will start to look for another solution to your problems. Once found, everything will flow again in all the different directions that seemed blocked just a moment ago.
What kind of solution will you seek out when you don’t seem to be able to come any further?
Normal Sudoku rules apply: Place the digits 1-9 in every row, column and box exactly once each.
Digits on an arrow must sum to the digit in that arrows circle. Each arrow has its own color. Arrows of the same color are connected.
Digits separated by a white dot are consecutive. Digits separated by a black dot are in a 1:2 ratio. Not all possible dots are given. (There is no negative constraint.)
One cell in the grid is your newly found motivation. Cells must increase in value as they move away from this point in every straight-line direction (i.e. vertically, horizontally and diagonally) until they reach the edge of the grid. Once found, everything will start to flow again.
Additionally the grid is partially covered in fog just as your thinking might be impaired sometimes and not allow clear thoughts. Placing correct digits will clear the fog from surrounding cells, possibly revealing more clues.
Solution code: Digits from Column 9 (top to bottom):
Comments
on 4. January 2025, 00:51 by JoBerlin
It's so wonderful how the ruleset tells me "you'll get stuck and need to find your motivation" and then I get stuck and for a ridiculously long time I keep thinking "it can't possibly be time to use the rule for the motivation cell"
Sandra here! Thank you for the feedback. It can take a while to realise that we are stuck sometimes. That only makes the realisation more powerful in my eyes. And it enables the decision to get active and become unstuck like a magic trick. :)
on 15. May 2024, 13:18 by davidemsa
I love this one because of how you managed to represent that important concept about motivation in sudoku form and make it interesting.
on 14. December 2023, 00:25 by damasosos92
This one is just fantastic. What a gorgeous grid.
on 8. November 2023, 21:55 by filz
That was amazing and carthatic! Thank you very much!
S: thank you! <3
on 23. October 2023, 01:37 by Geb
That moment of breakthrough is beautiful, poetic even! I am very impressed with some of the little details that followed too, like the moments of ambiguity on some of the arrows.
S: <3
on 19. October 2023, 10:27 by ForzaFcu
Beautiful Day, Beautiful Puzzle
on 18. October 2023, 11:23 by RebelSystem
Thanks for the pack and for two of my obsessions colliding last Friday! Lovely puzzle (the entire pack was great) and that "cell of consolation" as I misnamed it is a good picture of survival sometimes through all the mental distress and physical pain. If we can find that one cell. And that cell exists whatever digit it turns out to be for us.
I'm going to push the lyric video too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Vn_N5IHHoc
S: <3
on 17. October 2023, 23:19 by ukjohnd
Very nice, over 11,000 solve counts according to the sudokupad webapp! Congratulations Nala (and Sandra of course)
on 17. October 2023, 09:52 by SandraNala
Added a link to ZegreS‘ puzzle Ren-Ban that has now been published on LMD as well and is definitely worth checking out!
on 16. October 2023, 18:34 by Calvinball
Very cool idea, and you pulled it off so well!
I made the motivation cell a yellow circle and used the drawing tool to run yellow lines from that cell to all the edges of the grid so my grid looks like it has a big ol sun beaming down on it.
S: <3 I made the same when setting this! It’s beautiful
on 16. October 2023, 16:43 by zegres
This puzzle was a huge gift when making this pack!
I just love it. You designed the solvers experience to mirror the song!
It is just so creative and fun.
A stunning tribute to one of my favorite songs by Ren.
Everyone should check out Chalk Outlines by Ren and Chinchilla.
I love the live version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35yALr_opeg
