Zodiac Project: Leo
(Published on 16. July 2025, 13:54 by ChinStrap)
- Normal sudoku rules apply: Place the digits 1-9 once each in every row, column, and 3x3 box.
- Copycat Cells: Place 9 Copycat Cells into the grid so that there is exactly one Copycat Cell in each row, column, and 3x3 box. Each Copycat Cell must contain a different digit. The value of a Copycat Cell is the digit in the cell rotationally opposite itself in the grid (180° rotation about the center of the grid). The value of a non copycat cell is it's digit. For example, if r2c3 is a Copycat Cell containing the digit 5, and r8c7 contains the digit 9, the value of r2c3 is the digit in r8c7, which is 9.
- Killer Cages: The values of cells in a cage must sum to the total in the top left corner. Digits may not repeat in a cage but values may.
- Counting Lions: Values in lions count how many lions of any kind contain that value.
- Extra Region: The 9 lions with manes must all contain different digits (but may contain the same values).
- "Chapter 1: Orion's Belt" by ViKingPrime
- "Chapter 2: Counting Castles" by Marty Sears
- "Chapter 3: Derezzed" by heliopolix
- "Chapter 4: Rodd Stevens" by 99%Sneaky
- "Chapter 5: Phase Shift" by meggen033
- "Chapter 6: Cage Decoder" by sujoyku
- "Chapter 7: Star Chart" by Flinty
- "Chapter 8: Parity Expedition" by palpot
- "Chapter 9: Suguru's Surge" by gdc
- "Chapter 10: Minefield Maneuvers" by SamuPiano
- "Chapter 11: Ponta Delgada" by Florian Wortmann
- "Chapter 12: Lost in Space" by lerroyy
- "Chapter 13: Gemini" by Christounet
- "Chapter 14: Sagittarius" by MaizeGator
- "Chapter 15: Kyklos" by sfushidahardy
- "Chapter 16: Original Sin" by Nordy
- "Chapter 17: Cluster of Galaxies" by Dorlir
- "Chapter 18: Taurus" by ThePedallingPianist
- "Chapter 19: Isolation" by vitaminz
- "Chapter 20: Space Hotel" by juggler
- "Chapter 21: Libra" by Scojo
Solution code: Digits in Row 6, left to right (9 digits)
Comments
on 1. January 2026, 21:19 by skuntsel
Absolutely. Insane. Puzzle. 6/5 for both difficulty, elegance and overall feeling of accomplishment. Some people were endowed with such amazing brainpower to deliver exceptional constructions. ChinStrap created one of the puzzles that is created once in a lifetime for most, but (hopefully) not for them. Fiendishly difficult to wrap your head around and ask the one right question to break in after hours of floundering around. This rightfully deserves to be one of the puzzles you need to solve once to understand the true beauty of our puzzle world! Outstanding usage of constraints and intermix around them. Thank you!
on 18. October 2025, 22:47 by OrestisLomis
Incredible puzzle! I was stumped on the break-in for a very long while, but actually the flow is extremely nice!
on 17. July 2025, 15:52 by GoodMorningCallum
Superb. Completely agree with Sujoyku that it's very easy to make false assumptions - I did and went on a wild lion chase for a while. But that's what made this so challenging and such a wonderful puzzle. Thank you!
on 16. July 2025, 21:47 by ViKingPrime
A bit mind-melting (just a titch).
on 16. July 2025, 20:46 by MSDOS
One of the most challenging yet rewarding puzzles I've solved (with a bit of help)! Lovely interactions, mind bending elegance!
on 16. July 2025, 18:53 by aqjhs
copy-lions are vicious!
loved it <3
on 16. July 2025, 14:35 by sanabas
Very innovative use of counting circles, and a lot of fun.
on 16. July 2025, 14:14 by sujoyku
The ruleset needs a lot of caution because it is so easy to make false assumptions. But to me, it felt like an adventurous ride, full of interesting and beautiful discoveries. Already while testing, I knew this would become one of my all-time favourites. Thank you for this awesome puzzle, ChinStrap!
