Puzzle 359: Heyawake

It's been a long time since I did Heyawake.  As with the recent Masyu, it's not entirely Nikoli smooth, and there are bits I'd even go so far as describing as fiddly, but hopefully it makes for a decent challenge at least.

As a bit of an aside, I came across semiexp.net recently, and lots of it basically seems like magic to me.  For example:

• A Numberlink Generator
• (Surprisingly good) Computer generated Slitherlink

There's also something called pzprRT, which seems like an extraordinary setting tool.  Basically, for a small number of types, including 4 of my favourites: Yajilin, Masyu, Slitherlink and indeed Heyawake, you are able to mark up your puzzle using the pzprjs project (i.e. as featured on puzz.link) and then you can press a button and it will give you the live deductions corresponding to the clues you've put in.

I am still generally avoiding marking up my puzzles using puzz.link, as the interaction between the puzzle player and the hidden database (which stores the metadata of logged in solvers) is still not entirely clear to me.  I think I saw that this metadata is indexed by hashed versions of the puzzle URLs rather than the URLs themselves - this would kind of be fine by me I think as it means the database would be genuinely only metadata, rather than actual puzzle data making up some kind of secret dystopian mega master puzzle database.  But in any case pzprRT generated me a puzz.link, so I think it means this puzzle is now on the database, hashed or otherwise, and now what’s done is done.

I suppose what it does mean for you, dearest reader, is that you can also play along online!  I may even start making a habit of it.  Enjoy!

    #359 Heyawake – rated 8/10 [Very Hard]

All puzzles © Tom Collyer 2009-21.

Puzzle 353 Sudoku

Sometimes it turns out that you aren't always everyone's flavour of the month.  As always,  I suppose I'll have to make my own fun, and as always I am very grateful for the company of my dearest readers.

So here the intended idea is a little bit obscured by having to add in a couple more givens than I'd have liked, in order to guarantee uniqueness.  This unfortunately gives a few easy-ish placements to start off, maybe lulling you into a false sense of security.  Which is a pity for the flow of the puzzle, but such is life.

Anyhow all I'll say with this puzzle is that if you're looking for dead-or-alive ambiguity you'll know it when you see it, dearest reader.  After that the puzzle will flow quite nicely, even if I do say so myself.  Enjoy!

    #353 Sudoku – rated 9/10 [Very Hard]

All puzzles © Tom Collyer 2009-20.

Puzzle 352 Sudoku

So here's a puzzle with an idea on a recent theme.  I'd say the execution is reasonably good, but as I'm working mostly by hand it doesn't quite feel polished to its true potential.  It's still doable if you don't get the idea, but fair warning, it might be a bit of a slog.  Failing that it's probably very guessable.  But I have more faith in you than that, dearest reader.  Enjoy!

   #352 Sudoku – rated 8/10 [Very Hard]

Update: I might downgrade this from a 9 to an 8 as I've just realised the intended pattern used is very similar to the original Phistomefel pattern, which perhaps is a bit easier to spot and make use of...

All puzzles © Tom Collyer 2009-20.

There shined a shiny demon, in the middle of the road

And I made the first grid that came to my head

Just so happened to be

The best grid in the world

It was the best grid in the world

Look into my eyes, is it easy to see?

One and One go where?

Two and One must be?

It was destiny

More on this one later, especially for my dearest readers whose memory might not go back quite as far as 2008, but also for all my dearest readers who have enjoyed the recent discussions.  

And although this is just a tribute to a legend of nikoli.com, I also think it's one of the better Sudokus I've ever put together.  For whatever that's worth.  Enjoy!

   #351 Sudoku – rated 8/10 [Very Hard]

Edit: I'm having second thoughts about the rating of this puzzle.  I initially thought I wouldn't have the balls to put something like this into a sudoku competition, because people might end up guessing anyway.  But on second thoughts (see the comments for more thoughts), maybe I would.  In which case that 10 might get downgraded to an 8 or 9.

All puzzles © Tom Collyer 2009-20.