Dutch Flat Mates (Battenburg and Average Arrows)
(Published on 17. July 2024, 11:30 by Flinty)
Initial Setter Difficulty: 3/5, but could drop to 2/5 after review.
Normal Sudoku rules apply.
Place the digits 1-9 so that they do not repeat in any row, column, or 3x3 box.
Dutch Flats
Every 5 in the grid must have a 1 directly above it or a 9 directly below it. It may have both, but it doesn't need both.
Average Arrows
The digit in a circle represents the exact arithmetic mean of all digits along any individual arrow emerging from that circle.
Battenburg
Whenever 2 odd and 2 even digits form a 2x2 checkerboard pattern (e.g. R2C1 and R3C2 even, R2C2 and R3C1 odd), a Battenburg marking is given. If there is no such marking, the above pattern is not allowed.
This is another rare double constraint Flat Mate puzzle. Battenburg is a great constraint but it wouldn't have been powerful enough to resolve a Flat Mate on its own; Average Arrows may have been powerful enough alone, but it's not a puzzle I'd want to set or solve; so they are blended here in a puzzle that I hope you enjoy.
Special Thanks
Thank you to Marty Sears for last weeks puzzle! I look forward to your series return soon!
Big News!!
Next week we have another new setter joining the series!
A great setter with a recently new constraint type, and they're adding a Flat Mate spin!
To play this puzzle please click here: Play CTC
Previous puzzles in the Dutch Flat Mates series:
- #01 - 18 Oct 23 - Classic
- #02 - 25 Oct 23 - Thermometers
- #03 - 01 Nov 23 - German Whispers
- #04 - 08 Nov 23 - Region Sum Lines
- #05 - 15 Nov 23 - Sandwich Sums
- #06 - 22 Nov 23 - Little Killer
- #07 - 29 Nov 23 - Kropki
- #08 - 05 Dec 23 - Zipper Lines
- #09 - 12 Dec 23 - Renban - By GoodCity
- #10 - 19 Dec 23 - Nabner - By GoodCity
- #11 - 26 Dec 23 - Skyscrapers - By GoodCity
- #12 - 03 Jan 24 - Dutch Whispers
- #13 - 10 Jan 24 - Killer Cages
- #14 - 17 Jan 24 - Arrows
- #15 - 24 Jan 24 - Ten Lines
- #16 - 31 Jan 24 - 159 Index and Even - By GoodCity
- #17 - 07 Feb 24 - Friendly Cells
- #18 - 14 Feb 24 - Quads
- #19 - 21 Feb 24 - Silent Killer - By GoodCity
- #20 - 28 Feb 24 - XV and Equality
- #21 - 06 Mar 24 - X-Sums
- #22 - 13 Mar 24 - Numbered Rooms - By GoodCity
- #23 - 20 Mar 24 - Diagonal X-Sums
- #24 - 27 Mar 24 - Yin Yang (Neighborhoods) - By Palpot
- #25 - 03 Apr 24 - Hit Points
- #26 - 10 Apr 24 - Counting Circles
- #27 - 17 Apr 24 - XY Difference - By GoodCity
- #28 - 24 Apr 24 - Double Sandwich Sums
- #29 - 01 May 24 - Foggy Knights
- #30 - 08 May 24 - Look and Say Little Killer
- #31 - 15 May 24 - Slingshot - By GoodCity
- #32 - 22 May 24 - 258 Index and Odd
- #33 - 29 May 24 - Rellik
- #34 - 05 Jun 24 - Search 9 - By Palpot
- #35 - 12 Jun 24 - Diagonal Outside
- #36 - 19 Jun 24 - Entropic Snake - Collab with Palpot
- #37 - 26 Jun 24 - Rossini - By GoodCity
- #38 - 03 Jul 24 - Pointer Arrows
- #39 - 10 Jul 24 - Same Difference - by Marty Sears
Hint to Start
Colouring odds/evens (Parity) will definitely help, using the negative constraint on the Battenburg clues to make more progress.
Parity remains the key to a lot of deductions, with R1C1 being the key to the break in, but don't forget Flat Mates.
This Weeks Puzzle
Solution code: Digits from Row 5
Comments
on 25. October 2024, 16:02 by ViKingPrime
What an incredible use of the Battenburg! If I was ever stuck on a deserted island and had to choose one Sudoku series to have with me, it would definitely be the Dutch Flat Mates series.
on 14. August 2024, 02:07 by ChinStrap
Very nice. As always with Battenburg puzzles it is the negative constraint that got me.
on 21. July 2024, 18:25 by glum_hippo
Nice interactions throughout, and never trivial.
on 20. July 2024, 03:13 by Tinnifer
What a brilliant puzzle. Was pretty challenging for me but I absolutely loved the synergy between the different constraints.
on 18. July 2024, 10:20 by sorryimLate
Wonderful!
on 17. July 2024, 16:19 by sujoyku
What a puzzle! The solve felt smooth as silk. I love the Battenburg constraint and in the interaction with Dutch flat mates and the average arrows it has been brought to perfection. Thank you for this wonderful puzzle, Flinty!
