Extragalactic
(Published on 8. January 2024, 04:49 by zegres)
When it comes to beats, well, I'm a fiend
I like my sugar with coffee and cream
- Bestie Boys - Intergalactic
This is a twist on some ideas I've done before. Hope you all liked it.
Thanks to
fjam,
Math Pesto,
Micro Study,
and Roger Wrightshoe for testing and feedback!
Rules:
- Normal Sudoku Rules Apply.
- The middle dot is the center of the galaxy.
The galaxy is 180° rotationally symmetric and orthogonally connected.
It can touch itself diagonally. - Digits in cages sum to the given total.
Digits that are on the galaxy do not contribute to the total.
If you don't have fun, please let me know why so I can improve as a setter.
Solution code: Row 9 (9 digits no spaces)
Comments
on 24. September 2024, 21:31 by Bankey
What a great adventure amongst the stars!! Thanks, @ zegres :).
on 8. April 2024, 01:36 by Calvinball
What an epic space opera you have composed here! The foreshadowing was very rewarding when it started to take shape, this one really left me feeling like I just explored a galaxy. Voila!
on 11. January 2024, 19:15 by KNT
great idea!
on 10. January 2024, 16:12 by zegres
Clarified rules
on 10. January 2024, 09:44 by Piatato
Very nice!
on 10. January 2024, 04:44 by cam
I did some of this puzzle yesterday and then left it for this evening to enjoy. I was happy to see that a video was made! Congratulations :) It was an excellent puzzle. The break-in was quite hard in my opinion, but came with a very rewarding AHA moment.
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Reply: Thanks CAM, I think that the break in forced one to think about how the puzzle works and teaches some of the tricks for the rest of the solve. Thanks for solving and feedback!
on 10. January 2024, 03:00 by sorryimLate
Fantastic puzzle! In the corner boxes there was a temptation to use uniqueness regarding the shape of the galaxy. Didn't though. Beautiful in many ways. Thank you!
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Reply: Thanks for solving, yeah it was hard to avoid uniqueness outs when setting this. But I really don't mind, there is a logical path and it is fair. If someone gets stuck they can use uniqueness as a hint of what they are looking for.
on 9. January 2024, 16:39 by nordloc
I had a couple of false starts but I'm glad I stuck with it because it resolved so beautifully.
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Reply: Glad you stuck with it! Thanks for solving and feedback!
on 9. January 2024, 15:39 by damasosos92
Very cool puzzle! Thank you!
on 9. January 2024, 06:31 by yttrio
It took me a while to really understand the implications of some of the cage values near the beginning, but it was incredibly satisfying to finally figure it out!
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Reply: This one does have a tough break in (I think fair for 4/5 puzzle).
Hopefully the break in taught the logic for the rest of the solve. Thanks!
on 9. January 2024, 04:14 by stramosk
this is going to the list of all time favourites! great puzzle!
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Reply: wow! thanks, that is very rewarding to hear!
on 8. January 2024, 16:26 by zegres
Added German Translation, thanks mysterious translator!
on 8. January 2024, 16:19 by gfoot
Very nice and not too difficult, with a pleasing series of deductions that are not too hard to spot
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Reply: Thanks for the feedback, exactly what I was going for!
on 8. January 2024, 15:26 by PixelPlucker
Wonderful! Very enjoyable indeed.
on 8. January 2024, 14:26 by kierownik
I do not get it, maby I am dumb but I do not understand the rules. Maby because I am not a nativ english speaker. Can some one explain the rules.
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Reply: there is a region in the grid that you must discover - that is the galaxy.
The region must be connected by cell edges - orthogonally.
It must also be rotationally symmetric, so if you turn it 180 degrees around the center dot, it would look the same (if R2C4 is part of the galaxy then R8C6 must also be on the galaxy).
The digits in the cages sum to the given total, but the digits that are part of the galaxy do not contribute to the sum. So for the 4-cell 8 cage in box 4 at least one digit must be part of the galaxy.
Hope that is more clear, but feel free to ask any questions here or on discord where I am also zegres.
on 8. January 2024, 14:18 by Snookerfan
Absolutely brilliant puzzle! Lots of fun. Thank you
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Reply: Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
on 8. January 2024, 14:17 by mathpesto
Chock full of fascinating logic! Had a lot of fun with this one.
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Reply: Thanks for testing this one!
on 8. January 2024, 12:42 by Elliott810
Brilliant puzzle! Thanks:)
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Reply: Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
This one took a very long time to set!
on 8. January 2024, 07:25 by Playmaker6174
(also that congrats message scared me as hell like wut, I thought I was magically recruited to NASA or sth)
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Reply:
Ha you are making me feel old!
Check out Intergalactic by the Beastie Boys (link is in the quote up top). That will explain the success message!
Thanks for your lovely comments.
on 8. January 2024, 07:10 by Playmaker6174
Dayum, what an idea to allow for more crazy maths shenanigans x)
Lots of unexpected deductions throughout (mainly around the middle boxes and later on), particularly enjoyed that opening the most :)
