It Takes a Village
(Published on 25. September 2024, 01:09 by lmdemasi)
You can see the original version here, which contains a long rambling story about the setting prompt and the puzzle (another TPP hallmark) and includes explanations for why the chosen constraints were used.
The revised version, with condensed rules text, can be found here. Outside of the rambling text box, the two versions are identical.
Rules:
Every row, column and 3x3 box contains the same set of ten digits, chosen from 1-9, but this set might repeat some digits and omit others. No digit appears more than twice in the set.
Unique sum S-cells: Each row, column and 3x3 box contains an S-cell, which contains two digits. The value of an S-cell is the sum of its digits, and no two of the S-cells have the same value.
Renban: Values on a purple line form a non-repeating consecutive set.
Thermometer: Values on a thermometer increase from the bulb end.
Zipper: Values an equal distance from the center of a lavender line must sum to the value in the middle of that line.
Ambiguous diagonal: Values cannot repeat along one of the main puzzle diagonals (positive or negative). It is up to the solver to determine which diagonal this applies to.
3 in the corner: There are no 3s in the corner of this puzzle.
Kropki: Values separated by a white dot are consecutive; values separated by a black dot are in a 1:2 ratio.
Fortress cell: A fortress cell, denoted by a red square, has value greater than all of its orthogonal neighbours. All fortress cells in box 6 are given.
Inequality: An inequality sign points at the lower of two values.
I'm not sure whether to rate this 4* or 5*, it's probably somewhere inbetween.
Solution code: The digits in box 9 in reading order, with the digits in the s-cell ordered low to high (10 digits)
Comments
on 8. January 2025, 02:48 by Frank Puzzles
https://youtu.be/a2BU4Apg5Ec
Here's my solve of your puzzle. Lovely setting here. Took me quite a while to finish things up because I kept forgetting one rule or the other. Still, I had a blast solving it!
on 27. September 2024, 21:43 by Geb
This is an amazing puzzle! I struggled a bit with trying to wrap my mind around differences in notation for solving this, but the rules and underlying concepts are brilliant and not too difficult to grasp. I'm very impressed with this. Excellent work
on 26. September 2024, 16:52 by Snookerfan
Incredibly brilliant and beautiful! Thank you
on 25. September 2024, 15:33 by blackjackfitz
What more can you say but wow? This is truly one of a kind! Just stunning
on 25. September 2024, 05:40 by gdc
If you are reading this comment to decide whether this puzzle is monstrous or brilliantly fun, the answer is yes to both. Definitely not as easy as ABC, but every element of this kitchen sink ruleset has a moment in the spotlight and creates an incredibly clever and versatile solve experience. Thank you @lmdemasi for setting and sharing.
on 25. September 2024, 02:55 by ViKingPrime
Of all the people to impersonate ThePedallingPianist, only you could pull it off and do so with such aplomb.
on 25. September 2024, 01:30 by ThePedallingPianist
This is honestly the biggest compliment I've received since I started setting sudoku - it's a mind-blowingly clever puzzle, and the idea that I could set something this good, let alone in the under 21 hours that it took LMDemasi, is incredibly flattering!
The long ruleset is hilarious and a very fair critique of my arguably unnecessary verbosity in not only my Twitch streams, but also my written introductions to puzzles on LMD, and sometimes even my comments under other people's puzzles, for example that time when- okay, okay, I'll stop!
Anyway, invest some time in this puzzle. You won't regret it. It's brilliant.
on 25. September 2024, 01:13 by Scojo
ABC
