Puzzle 55: Totally Linked Grids

Fillomino Borders, with Two Pairs added. There are four grids here. For each position in the grid (for example, the four R1C1 cells), it must be possible to divide the four numbers into two pairs, within each pair the numbers are identical. For example, it’s possible to have 1,1,2,2 or 3,3,3,3 in the four R1C1 pairs, but neither 1,2,3,4 nor 1,2,2,2.

As perceived by the author…
Difficulty: 4.0/10
Target time: 1:20

When Sky is drunk… *hic*
…erm, drunk with puzzles obviously. Anyway, when Sky is drunk by puzzles not by alcoholic stuffs, he can make extreme variations like this.

Puzzle 55: Totally Linked Grids
Fillomino Borders Two Pairs

Quite a bad response of MellowMelon’s insanely wonderful 10-genre linked puzzle, but should not be that easy to break into.

On an unrelated note, I’m going to take NTU’s entrance exam this weekend. Yay. A somewhat related note is that February is full of exams:
1,4,5,6,7,8 Feb: First mock National Exam
12,13,14 Feb: Practical exams for Indonesian and English
18,19,20,21,22,25 Feb: Second mock National Exam
26,27,28 Feb: Practical exams for the science subjects
Rawr.

On another unrelated note, 24 puzzles in my Deception’s stash ready. Still aiming for a safe 27 (so I have preview puzzles + test puzzles)…

On even another unrelated note…wait, not really. I make a goal for myself of doing Fancy Fillomino February, with 28 7×7 Fillomino puzzles, most likely with a bunch of variations you may or may not have heard. Since one of my greatest strengths is Fillomino, this should be doable if I keep myself inspired to make 28 puzzles. As of time of post (28 January), I haven’t made one. Can I prepare sufficiently many puzzles for February within 3 days so Fancy Fillomino February can start? And given that I have absurdly large amount of exams in February, can I keep making puzzles until at least I’ve prepared everything while maintaining high scores for the mock tests?

(If Fancy Fillomino February doesn’t appear, most likely I’ll post May Fillomino Mutants, in exchange to the fancy triple-F series name. Blah.)

Puzzle 49: What’s to the West?

Fillomino Borders.
Divide the grid into polyominoes such that no two polyominoes with the same area touch each other, and put a number in each square indicating the area of the polyomino it is contained in. In addition, these clues exist at the border and must be satisfied by the two numbers that each clue touch:
– Inequality signs: The inequality must be satisfied (the number pointed by the pointy part must be smaller than the other)
– Black circles: One of the numbers must be exactly twice of the other number
– White circles: The numbers must be consecutive
– Thin borders: The two numbers must be equal
– Thick borders: The two numbers must be different

What’s to the west? Sky doesn’t know. Is it a treasure? An island yet to be discovered? A source of puzzles? No one knows. But one thing for sure, Sky has made this medium puzzle as a teaser.

Puzzle 49: What’s to the West?
Fillomino Borders

Mostly an introduction to Fillomino Borders, a mesh-up of three Fillomino variants and an addition of “no-border” clue to counter Fillomino Walls’ “border” clue. Also a very obvious theme, although I began the construction from the outer ring before going for the cross walls and the remaining theme. I might revisit this trick again.

Also, if you have read my Flygrass Town article, you should know what’s to the west.

Puzzle 48: And Happy New Year!

Fillomino Greater-Than-Kropki. Follow regular Fillomino rules. In addition, inequality signs and Kropki circles appear; these must be followed.

…and Happy New Year! It’s 2013 in Indonesia now, and also in Flygrass Town. Actually I’m not sure what year it is in Flygrass Town—some sources say 2413—but surely new year. It’s still cold, reading 9°C now. Okay, it isn’t exactly cold for people used to it, but still. Sky celebrates the occasion with another puzzle, a medium puzzle combining two of his favorite genres.

Puzzle 48: And Happy New Year!
Fillomino Greater-Than-Kropki

When you’re reading this, I will be most likely celebrating New Year in Pangandaran with my family. Beginning 2013 with a new variant puzzle, with my classic style. Hence my resolution is to be creative with whatever knowledge I have (and obviously to learn more). Enjoy the puzzle and Happy New Year!