Entropic Detour
(Published on 12. January 2026, 21:09 by Myxo)
After a lengthy break from publishing, here is another puzzle. It should be quite a tough one. Enjoy!
Rules:
Sudoku: Place the digits 1-9 exactly once in each row, column and box.
Difference Pairs: Digits separated by a small white dot must be consecutive.
Loop: Draw a closed loop into the grid that travels orthogonally between cells and doesn't visit the same cell more than once. The loop must not visit any big circles.
Entropic Line: The loop acts as an entropic line, i.e. three adjacent digits along the loop must contain one digit from {1,2,3}, one digit from {4,5,6} and one digit from {7,8,9}.
Detour: The number of loop turns is different in each box. A digit in a big circle indicates the number of times the loop turns in that box.
Solution code: row 5
Comments
on 20. January 2026, 13:19 by shteev
Suoerb puzzle. Can't even begin to imagine how you'd set something like this. Bravo!
on 15. January 2026, 22:04 by QuiltyAsCharged
Incredible! It's fascinating what flows from the simple new rule that the "number of loop turns is different in each box"
on 15. January 2026, 21:34 by War
Much praise to the unique challenge in the puzzles break-in
on 13. January 2026, 21:42 by SirWoezel
An amazing puzzle!
on 13. January 2026, 09:19 by henrypijames
Extraordinarily clever break-in.
on 13. January 2026, 08:25 by Playmaker6174
I think a long break is a good helper for nourishing ideas like the one in this puzzle x)
Absolutely lovely and also bizarre puzzle! It felt like my brain also took a lot of detours throughout but my solving time was definitely very well spent in here.
on 12. January 2026, 23:17 by Andrewsarchus
One of the best Sudoku loop-making puzzles I've seen!
