Dark City (skyscraper cave with fog)
(Published on 30. November 2024, 11:11 by SkepticalMario)
Dark City by Skeptical Mario
Rules:
Sudoku - Place digits from 1-9 in every cell without repeating in a row, column, or 3x3 box.
Cave - Shade all cells one of two colors; one is 'sunny' and one is 'shady'. All 'sunny' cells form an orthogonally-connected area. Any orthogonally-connected group of 'shady' cells must reach the edge of the grid.
Skyscrapers - A clue outside the grid indicates the number of cells seen in that direction, where the digit in any cell blocks sight of any subsequent cells of lesser value.
All cells seen by the given skyscraper clues are 'sunny', and all cells blocked (not seen) by skyscraper clues are 'shady'. (If a cell is in the intersection of two clues, it can only have one shading; it must be seen by both clues or seen by neither.)
A digit on a spotlight (circle) indicates the number of cells seen in orthogonal directions from that cell, including the cell itself, where cells of the opposite shading block vision.
All possible spotlights are given.
Fog of war - The grid is covered in fog. Placing correct digits will clear fog from nearby cells; no guessing is required.
Play the puzzle on Sudokupad
I hope you enjoy the puzzle! :-)
Solution code: Box 3, followed by a dash, followed by the total number of sunny cells in the puzzle
Comments
on 31. December 2024, 23:44 by sudokuphile
Really liked this- I was stuck for a good twenty minutes before noticing the "All spotlights given." lots of fun though :)
on 25. December 2024, 09:27 by SparklePuzzle
very enjoyable puzzle. it might help to clarify that "seen" for the spotlight clue means of the same shading as the circle
on 30. November 2024, 21:29 by CFood
pretty good
pretty easy when you understand the rules, very fun ruleset with the negative constraint
on 30. November 2024, 20:34 by SkepticalMario
Clarified the rule on intersecting skyscraper clues
on 30. November 2024, 20:28 by CFood
this ruling "spotlight...where cells of the opposite shading block vision", mixed with "if a cell is in the intersection of two clues, its shading must match both" is very confusing
i'm guessing since the spotlight rule says nothing about same shading and only mentions opposite shading, then mixed cells count as opposite shading? but i am unsure since it's both at once
Mario: There are no mixed cells; the shading must be the same for both intersecting clues (seen by both or seen by neither).
on 30. November 2024, 12:55 by OutOfMyMindBRB
A delightful puzzle! Loved the interaction between the constraints. Thanks :-)
