Dilatatio Diagonalis - Expanding Latin Square / Sudoku Hybrid
(Published on 4. May 2024, 02:30 by ___)
Digits along a thermometer increase from the bulb end. Beginning from the top-left corner (R1C1) and N=3, treat the grid as an NxN Latin Square by placing the digits 1-N in those rows and columns without repeats. When complete, erase all digits except N, increment N+1, and repeat the process until N=8. After solving the 8x8 grid, erase all digits except those on the negative (\) diagonal and apply normal sudoku rules.
To illustrate, the first 2 grids would be solved like this:
(3x3 with digits 1-3)
(4x4 with digits 1-4, keep 3s from previous grid)
etc.
Solve on sudokupad (with answer check)
Enjoy!
Solution code: Row 9
Comments
on 20. December 2024, 00:33 by Crusader175
Cool discovery!
on 19. December 2024, 16:34 by Blashyrkh
Very impressive that such a thing exists!
How do you even set this? The overall layout suggests you went from smallest to largest, adding one layer at a time. But you can't ever go back and change something in a previous layer without affecting everything that comes afterwards, aaaaah.
on 19. December 2024, 14:03 by The Book Wyrm
Interesting puzzle. Seriously impressive how you managed to get a puzzle like this, where it is unique at every stage. Can't imagine how hard it would have been to set this.
The logic itself isn't particularly interesting. Most of the grids were rather simple, but the 7x7-9x9 took a while to figure out and scan. (No bifurcation needed for me, unlike what Chezzik said)
on 18. December 2024, 19:07 by aqjhs
thermos are mysterious creatures
on 4. May 2024, 21:14 by Playmaker6174
A sweet journey throughout! I actually found the 8x8 grid to be pretty smooth like the previous iterations; if anything to say, it did take me quite a while to scan the final sudoku grid there but it's no less fun :)
on 4. May 2024, 07:11 by timotab
Fun puzzle - challenging at times until you spotted just the right bit of logic.
on 4. May 2024, 06:57 by Chezzik
Fun idea! I liked it up until size 8. At that point, bifurcation was necessary.
