Hungry Rabbit in the Fog
(Published on 18. July 2025, 13:18 by MCMCHammer)
Rabbit's path: Poppy follows a one-cell wide path through the grid, moving orthogonally. The path may not branch or touch itself, not even diagonally.
Hungry rabbit: Poppy eats each number she finds along its path, and therefore values on the path are cumulative. The value of any cell on the path is equal to the sum of all digits visited within that box, up to and including the existing cell. Crossing a box border resets the count (don't ask what Poppy does with the previously eaten numbers). Cells not on the path are unaffected.
For example, if the rabbit's path visits cells with digits 1, 4, 6 within a box, then the values associated with those cells are 1, 5, 11. If the rabbit then crosses into a new box and visits a cell with a 2, then that cell's value is 2.
Normal sudoku: - place the digits 1 to 9 in each row, column and box of the grid.
Fog of war: Placing correct digits in the grid may clear fog elsewhere in the grid.
White dots: A white dot connects cells whose values differ by 1.
Black dots: A black dot connects cells whose values are in a ratio of 1:2 (ie one cell's value is double the other).
Black killer cages: The value in the top left corner of a killer cage indicates the sum of the values of all cells within that cage.
Odd/even: Cells marked with a grey square have an even value. Cells marked with a grey circle have an odd value.
X/V: Two cells are separated by a black X must have values which sum to 10. Two cells separated by black V must have values which sum to 5.
Minimum: A cell containing inward pointing arrows must have a lower value than all surrounding cells.
Arrow: The value of the circled cell is equal to the sum of all values along the arrow.
Thermometer: Values along a grey thermometer must increase from the circled bulb to the tip.
Region sum line: Within each box, the total value of all cells along the blue region sum line must be equal.
Palindrome: Along a grey palindrome line, cells an equal distance from the centre of the line must have the same value.
German whispers: Along a green German whispers line, adjacent values must differ by at least 5.
Renban: A purple renban line consists of a set of consecutive values in any order.
Red security cage: The value hidden within the red security cage is a dangerous predator, and must not appear anywhere along the path.
Solution code: Row 9 of the puzzle
Comments
on 3. January 2026, 12:18 by neroute2
I found this fairly approachable, maybe high 2 for me. Very fun though.
on 11. December 2025, 07:10 by Exigus
Loved it, thanks!
on 25. September 2025, 16:48 by Jewel
Very very good puzzle! Really fun logic, I'm always a fan of special gimmicks like this, it was cool that each box was it's own unique Thing
on 21. September 2025, 14:30 by wuc
Brilliant puzzle. I needed the fog to point to a narrow spot for the next step. Huge fun tjx.
on 21. September 2025, 11:03 by JVA
@dlandrum17
Assume the path within a box goes through 4 cells. Let's call these cells in order I, II, III and IV
Let's call, respectively, the digits within those cells A, B, C and D. Cell I contains digit A, Cell II contains digit B, etc.
Because of the properties of the path, the value of cell I is equal to digit A
The value of cell II is equal to digit A plus digit B
Value of cell III = A + B + C
Value of cell IV = A + B + C + D
If we now group cells II, III and IV within a killer cage, the digits withing that cage will be B, C and D.
However, the killer cage sums the values of cells within it, therefore it is the sum of the values of II, III and IV, not the sum of the digits B, C, D
The value of the cage therefore equals II + III + IV, or in other words, (A + B) + (A + B + C) + (A + B + C + D)
Simplified: Cage = 3*A + 3*B + 2*C + D
If we max out those digits such as A=9, B=8, C=7, and D=6, we now have a killer cage with a value of 71.
So while the digits in the path look like this:
9 [ 8 7 6 ]
The values in the path look like this
9 [ 17 24 30 ]
Note: I have yet to solve Box 8 when I wrote this, in fact, I have no idea how to solve a single equation with four unknown variables XD
Edit: solved box 8 thanks to the power of Microsoft Excel
Edit edit: Solved the puzzle after 2 hours 4 minutes. I wish i could rate this higher than "very nice"
Edit edit edit: As someone in the CtC video mentioned, there's no picture of a cutte little rabiit. Downgraded the rating to "Not very nice, give us the rabbit"
on 21. September 2025, 10:57 by BG03
A new variant, fog, 9 mini muzzles and a meta puzzle - had a lot of fun with this one. Made a few mistakes along the way as the hungry rabbit ruleset threw me off. Would have rated this 3*, but rating it 4* because of the unfamiliar variant. Thank you for sharing
on 4. August 2025, 19:23 by halakani
One of the most enjoyable puzzles on the site. Thanks.
on 4. August 2025, 13:22 by QuiltyAsCharged
A hopping good time! I really enjoyed this cleverly designed puzzle. I found it easier than advertised, but I can understand why it might trip people up
on 27. July 2025, 01:17 by dlandrum17
I just don’t understand how a cage can get above 45 if it resets every time it reaches a box border.
on 26. July 2025, 19:56 by dlandrum17
I just don’t understand how a cage can get above 45 if it resets every time it reaches a box border.
on 26. July 2025, 19:03 by breitfuss
@dlandrum17 imagine the path goes 967 in a box, and they're are all part of a killer cage. Due to the path rule, their values are 9, 15 (9+6), 24 (9+6+7) and the killer cage adds up these values (not just the digits), so it would be 46 here. Notice that earlier digits influence the sum if they are in the same box
on 26. July 2025, 00:21 by dlandrum17
I just don’t understand how a cage can get above 45 if it resets every time it reaches a box border.
on 22. July 2025, 07:50 by th3d1c3m4n
Great puzzle! Quite challenging, got me to restart once because of a minor error, even with which I was able to uncover (correctly) a lot of fog, but final solution was wrong!!
on 22. July 2025, 07:50 by th3d1c3m4n
Great puzzle! Quite challenging, got me to restart once because of a minor error, even with which I was able to uncover (correctly) a lot of fog, but final solution was wrong!!
on 21. July 2025, 23:28 by breitfuss
One of the best puzzles I've done in a while, very creative. Reminds me of the rat run series by marty sears
@spilledsoda28 think about how the region sum line can be possible, and which path has to be taken in box 6
on 21. July 2025, 01:06 by dlandrum17
MCMCHammer can you give some advice about this puzzle. I'm so confused
@dlandrum17 - Is there a particular part you are stuck on? Almost all of the constraints work differently with this ruleset, so often the path can be quite forced as a result.
on 20. July 2025, 08:57 by spilledsoda28
Hard to not love this one. Also hard to not hate it, since it threw me for a loop so many times
on 20. July 2025, 07:20 by spilledsoda28
Im definitely going to need some hints here. I got to box 6/5 and just cant see how its possible
on 19. July 2025, 13:11 by Myfyr MJ
Sorry, but I can’t touch this! :)
on 18. July 2025, 20:49 by dlandrum17
I don’t know if I’m missing something but not sure how a really large cage is possible and now I’m not sure how to get out of box 8. Very confused
on 18. July 2025, 20:18 by dlandrum17
I don’t know if I’m missing something but not sure how a really large cage is possible and now I’m not sure how to get out of box 8. Very confused
@dlandrum17 The cage includes the sum of the values of each of the three cells. Bear in mind that the values accumulate as the path continues within that box.
on 18. July 2025, 18:54 by GrumpyMan
Absolutely lovely puzzle. I really enjoyed it
on 18. July 2025, 18:54 by GrumpyMan
Absolutely lovely puzzle. I really enjoyed it
on 18. July 2025, 16:59 by efnenu
Awesome puzzle with just enough chaos! Now I'm hungry though.
