Dutch Baby - a Snake Egg Sudoku
(Published on 13. January 2024, 07:17 by glum_hippo)
Normal Sudoku rules apply. Each row, column, and 3x3 box contains the digits 1-9 exactly once each.
There is an orange snake in the grid, which moves from one cell center to the next horizontally or vertically (i.e., never diagonally). It may not cross itself nor touch orthogonally. The snake divides the non-snake cells into 8 different regions, one of each size 1-8 cells. Each of these regions is orthogonally contiguous and acts like a killer cage. Each cage encloses exactly one sum clue, which indicates the sum of the digits in that cage, and digits may not repeat in any cage. (The sum clue need not be in the top left corner of the cage.)
Example snake egg pattern by Serkan Yüreklı, here with 'eggs' of size 1-5 instead of 1-8:
The snake itself is a so-called 'Dutch Whisper' line, i.e., neighboring digits on the snake must differ by 4 or more.
The white dot indicates that digits in R1C2 and R2C2 are consecutive.
Now the puzzle:
Sudokupad version: click here
Solution code: Row 5, followed by column 6 (18 digits total)
Comments
on 16. September 2024, 10:17 by Snookerfan
Great puzzle! Thank you
on 16. January 2024, 18:41 by glum_hippo
Thank you to all who left a kind comment. I am glad you enjoyed the puzzle :)
on 15. January 2024, 20:37 by The Bard
Excellent puzzle, with brilliant setting. Bravo.
on 15. January 2024, 04:08 by Nordy
Incredible puzzle! My lack of familiarity with Dutch Whispers made this feel like a 5-star, but now I’ve learned tons of lessons for the future. Loved this!
on 14. January 2024, 20:56 by goodcity
Insane puzzle ! Loved every minutes of it :)
on 14. January 2024, 16:17 by marcmees
very nice. thanks.
on 14. January 2024, 15:18 by Franjo
Wun-der-schön! Und wenn ich nicht an einer Stelle einen unfassbar dummen Fehler gemacht hätte, dann wäre ich auch schneller fertig gewesen. Erst im Nachhinein erkenne ich den glasklaren Weg zur Lösung. Herrlich! Vielen Dank für dieses Sonntagsrätsel.
on 13. January 2024, 22:44 by Jolly Rogers
Very nice how this one unwound, great setting :]
_
This was more ‘discovered’ than devised my friend… but I’m very glad you enjoyed it!
on 13. January 2024, 17:19 by lmdemasi
Very nice.
on 13. January 2024, 16:56 by yttrio
Very fun puzzle! I really liked how the egg totals helped forced the shape of the snake.
on 13. January 2024, 11:42 by SirWoezel
Bugger... If I hadn't gone to the restroom I might have beaten Jesper to solving this one. Excellent puzzle!
on 13. January 2024, 11:37 by Jesper
Very nice, thanks!
