Tag Archives: nikoli

Puzzle 20: Fillomino

Fillomino. Divide the grid into regions. Each region is composed of cells, each cell containing a number equal to the size of the region. No two orthogonally adjacent regions may have equal sizes. Medium to difficult.

Puzzle 20: Fillomino
(click to enlarge)

UPDATE: Fixed ambiguity around middle right.

Fun and not so obvious. Probably. At least my intended opening wasn’t so obvious. EDIT: Apparently not really. Although there are a few unusual deductions, nothing too hard. But still fun for me at least, as progress are made in circles. If you know what I mean.

This is why I don’t really enjoy making large puzzles, much like Para. Too many tricks that clutter the fun tricks, although I can put in a bunch of small tricks. The latter can also be lost if I accidentally made an easier way to do stuffs. Well, let’s see how people respond…

Puzzle 21, which is in 12 hours, is a Fillomino. With a variation.

Puzzle 17: Yajilin… Cell or Segment?

Because I don’t have a better name. Yajilin CoS, easy because it’s my first Yajilin CoS.

Inspired from Castle Wall’s givens’ meaning. Follow usual Yajilin rules, but now each given gives either the number of black cells or the number of loop segments in the pointed direction (may be both).

Puzzle 17: Yajilin… Cell or Segment?

Yay for all-1 clues. I think this genre can have many extraordinary tricks… Let’s see.

In case you haven’t noticed, there is a new Puzzle 16.

Puzzle 16: Domino Nurikabe

The actual Puzzle 16 that is not broken. Still Domino Nurikabe. This one is pretty hard IMO.

Follow regular Nurikabe rules. In addition, the stream can be partitioned into 1×2 dominoes.

Puzzle 16: Domino Nurikabe

My solution here is valid, but I’m not sure about whether there are multiple solutions or not because I used some large-scale logic (as in testing many choices while there is still a pretty large space left). Yay.

Puzzle 15: Masyu

Masyu, a rather easy one. Draw a loop on the grid cells (connecting cell centers) so it passes each circle. When passing a black circle, it must turn there but may not turn at the squares exactly before and after it. When passing a white circle, it may not turn there but must turn at at least one of the squares exactly before and after it.

Puzzle 15: Masyu

First anti-symmetrical Masyu I managed to complete (all other anti-symmetrical Masyu I’ve made are ambiguous at one part of the loop T_T ). But then I need to figure out how to make the circles -_- Finally I went through the manual approach; making the black circle and white circle template, then copying them to target cells. The puzzle itself is pretty good IMO.

Puzzle 13: Tetromino Slitherlink

Tetromino Slitherlink. Follow usual rules of Slitherlink. In addition, the gray squares can be partitioned into tetrominoes such that in each tetromino, each number from 0-3 appears. Pretty hard because it’s first time. Well it’s first time; I can’t estimate its difficulty properly.

Puzzle 13: Tetromino Slitherlink

Yay. Okay the tetrominoes are obvious, but putting the numbers aren’t that obvious.

I can obviously imagine a version where the tetrominoes can be ambiguous. As long as the numbers (and hence the loop) are fixed, it doesn’t matter how the tetrominoes are divided. Or otherwise, without given numbers. The latter would be way more difficult actually, because I couldn’t think of an opening without a number. Time to ask someone good at making difficult puzzles.

Puzzle 11: Yajilin

Yajilin. Shade in black cells and make a loop visiting all remaining white cells (not including clue cells). Black cells may not be orthogonally adjacent; each clue cell points at the number of black cells in the direction of the arrow, passing over other clue cells. Should be some kind of easy.

Puzzle 11: Yajilin

First, I attempted to make exactly identical clues symmetrically (see R1C4 and R10C7, R4C7 and R7C4). But then I got stuck because it’s just impossible to put a 3-clue, putting a 0-clue kinda gives stuffs for long lines, and I just got bored. Hence the given result. Yes, symmetrical givens because it’s quite easy making that in Yajilin.

To keep you entertained, there will be two more puzzles, each appearing in 12 hours after the latest one. If I manage to construct another before all puzzles are released, then there will be more this weekend.

Puzzle 10: Slitherlink

Slitherlink; common logic puzzle I’d say. Google for rules. 17×17, easy-to-medium.

Puzzle 10: Slitherlink (click to enlarge)

UPDATE (7-Aug-2012, 19:38 UTC+7): Fixed an ambiguity around the G.

Okay, so you’re reminded that it’s the beginning of a new week. At least for me. Notice the symmetry?

That was extremely hard to think of. I started by listing all letters where it can form another letter when turned 180 degrees; I got like 7 pairs, including “A” paired with “U/V” (the middle two letters), and also 7 single letters. Then after some failed tries (like, trying SWAP with its reverse being JUMS…wut?), I noticed the word NOW which can be turned to MON. I tried to think of a Monday date that is also rotationally symmetric, and as you see, 6 August is symmetric. Quite. It’s pretty rare to see U with a line, but whatever.

However, before getting the idea of making a “today’s date”, I started with planning that every 10 puzzles (puzzles with puzzle number ending with 0), I will make a large puzzle (at least 289 cells). That’s also why I tried my best to construct two puzzles (Puzzle 8-9), as I haven’t stocked enough to publish this one. I’m also planning to make an extra large puzzle (at least 1395 cells (31×45) or something extremely fancy to overcome the restriction) every 50 puzzles or 100 puzzles, but it seems like I’m having a long way to go…

Puzzle 9: Five Cells

Five Cells. Mark walls along the gridlines to divide the grid into pentominoes such that each number tells exactly how many walls are among the four sides of the cell containing the number. 10×10. Easy-ish or something.

Puzzle 9: Five Cells

This puzzle has symmetry, unusual for Five Cells. Mostly toying around with one trick used at least twice that I remember, plus another trick used also at least twice. Yay. Puzzle 10 is ready, but it will be posted when it strikes 00.00 on 6 August (Monday) my time, for a reason you’ll see…

Update (4-Aug-2012 20:32 UTC+7): Fixed a multiple solution issue.

Puzzle 8: Surveyors Heyawake

Surveyors Heyawake, 10×10. Should be rather easy.

Puzzle 8: Surveyors Heyawake

Hm things seem pretty easy. That’s what happened when I tried making a “normal” Heyawake with absolutely no symmetry. The 6×6 room is pretty fun to toy with though; think of it as a Minesweeper. Oops spoiler; but you don’t think that 11 is going to be a Minesweeper clue don’t you -_-

Hm, Surveyors Heyawake and Smullyanic Dynasty can make some great hybrid, due to both having Minesweeper clue-style. I’ll see how I can toy with it…but I need to try making a Smullyanic Dynasty first.