Unused Puzzle Types
While gathering puzzle types and their synonyms to add to indexed
puzzles, I also encountered a number of puzzle types which are not
represented in the index:
Crossword-type puzzles:
- Boomerangs: 6-letter words are entered on curved paths bowing
to the left and the right. Except for the words at the ends,
each word shares two letters with each of three words entered
the other direction.
- Brick by Brick: A diagramless 15x15 crossword with an entry
reading all the way across the middle row, with normal cluing.
Additionally, the solution (excluding the middle entry, but
including black squares) is broken up into 3x2 blocks which are
provided in scrambled order.
- Bricks and Mortar, Brick by Brick (again), or Super Sixes: A
grid is given, divided by heavy bars into 2x4 sections. Numbered
clues provide 8-letter answers to be entered starting at
correspondingly numbered cells and proceeding in a direction for
you to figure out around the brick. Adjacent letters across a
heavy bar are identical. The Super Sixes version uses 6-letter
answers and 2x3 bricks.
- Color Wheels: A grid of triangles is given, with hexagonal
holes between lines where you enter words. Three different
colors of arrows mark where to enter words, one for words
reading across, one for words reading diagonally upward, and one
for words reading diagonally downward.
- Diamond Rings: This puzzle features diamond-shaped spaces with
a lattice of circles placed so as to occupy one or two opposite
vertices of each diamond. The circles are numbered, and the
answers to corresponding 5-letter clues are entered in a circle
and its 4 adjoining diagrams, with the letters in no particular
order.
- 5-Star Stumper: There are five pentagrams. Each is surrounded
by 10 pentagonal spaces for letters, five between the arms of
the star and 5 at the vertices. These are arranged in a loop so
that one pentagon is shared by each pair of nearest stars. Two
clues are give for words to enter around each star, with the
starting cell and direction for each pair of words indicated by
a number and arrow. In addition, the pentagons along the outer
edge of the figure are shaded. A second set of clues is given
for a sequence of words to be entered in this shaded path,
clockwise, but starting at a point for you to determine. The
unshaded cells in the interior spell a final message, row by
row.
- Hedgehogs and Worms: A grid is divided into 3x3 sections. The
center square of each section is numbered, and an arrow points
out of it into one of the 8 surrounding squares. Clues are given
for the 9-letter hedgehog words which start in their
correspondingly numbered squares, follow the arrow, and then
continue clockwise or counterclockwise as indicated by a + or -
after the clue. The sequence of worm words is clued in order,
and are entered all the way across the rows of the grid which do
not have the numbered squares, sometimes wrapping around from
the end of one row to the start of the next. Letters in numbered
squares provide a final answer.
- Helter Skelter: Words read in 8 directions which are given
implicitly in the grid, because each word starts at its number
and passes through the next number sequentially. The last word's
direction is not given.
- Lucky Sevens: A grid is given made of seven heavily outlined
7-shapes (three squares across and five down) nested under one
another. Labeled clues are given for the seven-letter words to
be entered in each seven-shape and for each row of varying
length, including the single letter at the bottom.
- Moving Staircases: A square grid (typically 7x7) has the main
top-left-to-bottom-right diagonal as black squares. Two sets of
clues are given, not in grid order: "Short" answers go straigfht
across a row, skipping the black square. "Long" answers climb up
when they get to the black square, using the start of one short
answer and the end of another.
- Pencil Pointers, also called Arrow Routes: This is a standard
crossword format in Scandinavian countries, imported for use in
English. The grid cells are oversized, and terse clues are
written into the gray (what would usually be black) cells. In
some cases a gray cell is divided to hold two very short clues.
Arrows next to the clues indicate where to enter the words.
There is no symmetry and there may be a few isolated unchecked
letters (including in the first row and column, with arrows
stretching from adjacent gray cells providing the clues for the
words starting there).
- Pent Words: Clues are given for (usually two) words to be
entered consecutively in each row. Clues are also given for
5-letter pentomino words, which are entered into nonoverlapping
pentominoes you have to determine in the grid. The pentomino
words are entered row by row in their pentominoes, even if this
means a word skips over a gap in a U-shaped pentomino.
- Quadruple Cross: The grid consists of some rows and columns of
squares, two rows/columns apart so that there are 2x2 holes in
the interior. The intersections are numbered, and clues for two
5-letter words are provided at each number, but you have to
figure out which one goes across and which goes down by matching
with answers at other intersections.
- Retrograde Battleships: Shade in the fleet in the grid, so
that no two ships touch, even diagonally, but instead of the
normal numeric Battleships clues, the grid is filled with
possible ship placements and you can only shade whole ships
among them.
- Section Eight: A round grid with 8 rings is divided into 8
sectors. The innermost ring has one letter in each sector, the
next ring out two, and so on to eight letters per sector in the
outermost ring. Clues are provided for one word per every eight
letters in each of the rings, though the answers may vary in
length. In the outermost ring you are given the starting spaces
for all the words and hence their lengths. Elsewhere you have to
determine the starting spaces and the direction the words go,
which can be different for each ring. In each sector, the
letters in each ring are a transdeletion of the letters in the
next outer ring in the same sector, though these letters are
usually parts of one to three words and not a whole clued word.
There is also a Section Six version of this puzzle which uses 6
of everything the Section Eight version has 8 of.
- Slot Machine: Clues are given for words entered across each
row. Clues are also given for words reading down each column,
but the column words may start anywhere in the column and wrap
around.
- Snake Charmer: Words are entered consecutively along a long
loop (which is presented in an S shape to resemble a snake). The
words go twice around the loop, entered consecutively but
overlapping words from the other pass. Answer locations are
numbered in order (so there are two interleaved sequences of
increasing numbers around the loop).
- Snake Crisscross: A criss-cross-style grid is given, and clues
are given for the words to be entered, sorted alphabetically by
answer within each length. Additionally, snake words are clued
with the same sorting; the grid can be divided into
nonoverlapping winding paths to reuse the same letters to spell
the snake answers. The snake paths may or may not be given using
heavy outlines.
- Sunburst: A round grid has a single circle at the center and 4
rings around it with the same number of cells in each ring. Two
sets of clues are given, short words and long words. The long
words are entered in the grid and all end with the same single
letter at the center. The short words are transdeletions of the
long word. The outermost ring is numbered and the short words
are numbered to match; the long clues are not numbered.
- Touchword: Clues are given for answers to be entered
consecutively in each row. There are no actual crossings, but
each letter must match either the one above it or the one below
it or both, wrapping around from the bottom to the top of the
grid.
- Triangle Tangle: A zigzagging grid of right triangles is
given. The 4 letter answers alternately read straight down and
diagonally up and right, so that each "up" word is a reversal of
the last two letters of one down answer plus a reversal of the
first two letters of another. The puzzle type Back and Forth
(which is in the index) is similar but with three-letter halves
instead of 2.
- Zigzagnut: A grid of squares is given, divided by heavy
borders into paths which alternate steps across and down. These
regions are numbered and provided with a clue for each. There
are also clues for two words reading across each row which are
given in order but you are not told which row each pair of clues
goes with.
Other word puzzles:
- Alphablocks: The alphabet is printed in a column with spaces
on both sides. 52 trigrams are given in alphabetical order. Add
one trigram on each side of each letter to form 26 7-letter
words.
- Anagram Magic Square: 25 numbered clues are given. An
oversized 5x5 grid contains a word in each cell, but the clue
answers are transadditions of each given word. The cells are not
numbered; instead, you add the numbers to the cells as you
solve; these numbers will form a magic square when the puzzle is
complete, and the extra letters spell a final message in grid
order.
- Card Quote, also called Deck it Out: A blank 13x4 grid
representing a deck of cards is provided. 13 words are clued,
one for each rank, with blanks for the typically 6-letter
answers and suit symbols under 4 of the blanks for each answer
to be transferred into the deck in the manner of a double
crostic. The deck spells out a final message.
- Chess Words: A chessboard is given with letters on each square
and the pieces that normally start in rank 1 pictured below the
board. You are to form 8 8-letter words starting with the
letters on their starting spaces, moving as those pieces move
(so the knight makes a partial knight's tour, the king has to go
one space at a time, etc.)
- Code crosswords, also called Codewords: A cryptogram in the
form of a block-style crossword. Where the clue numbers would go
are instead cipher numbers in every square. The puzzle is
usually a pangram; every letter appears at least once.
- Coined Phrases: Somewhat like the lettered dice puzzle in the
index, but it uses five coins with naturally just two letters on
each one. Clues are provided for some words that can be formed
with the letters on the coins, using all the letters at least
once. Once you figure out which letters are on each coin, you
are to arrange them in some order so that another unclued word
can be formed, and if you flip all the coins over but leave them
in the same order, yet another unclued word is formed.
- Family Reunions: Find sets of 10 words with a common theme. A
transdeletion of each word is provided.
- Letters from Outside: A 5x5 block-style crossword grid is
given, to be filled with letters given outside the grid, one or
two for each row, column, and main diagonal, similar to Slide
Show.
- Overstuffed Sandwiches: Words are provided with one letter
missing, but each word has at least two letters which can
complete it. The space for the missing letter is divided in two
diagonally. Correctly filled, the letters above the diagonal
across all the words spell one additional word, and the letters
below the diagonal spell another, usually forming a phrase.
- Slide Show: A 5x4 grid is given with two letters already
entered. The other letters surround the grid, with two outside
letters to slide somewhere into each row and two into each
column to create a word rectangle.
- Syllabism, also called Syllable Saying: Clues are given for
longish (typically 8-12 letter) words. The answers are broken up
into syllables and all the syllables for all answers are
provided in a single alphabetized list.
- Word Rummy, also called 500 Rummy: A 13x4 grid is provided
already filled in with letters, with row and column labels to
represent a deck of cards. You are to form 7-letter words which
combine a set of 3 or 4 cards of the same rank (in any suit
order) and a run of 3 or 4 consecutive cards in the same suit
(used in order in the word). The set and run for a word may not
reuse the same card, though the cards are reused in other words.
The set and run letters may not be interleaved in the word, but
either the set or the run may come first. This puzzle doesn't
have any definite answer; you are just challenged to form all
the words you can.
Nikoli-style puzzles. There are a LOT of these. I've divided the
list into three parts. First, there are these classic types, ones
that have been around a long time, used in USPC, puzzle magazines,
Grandmaster Puzzles, or other sources where a lot of people have
seen them.
- Aqre: Shade some cells which form a single orthogonally
connected group. Regions with numbers must have that many shaded
cells. There cannot be four consecutive shaded cells in any row
or column.
- Araf, or Aidabeya: A grid contains various numbers. Divide it
into regions each containing two numbers so that the area of
each region is strictly between (not inclusive) those numbers.
- Arrows: A grid is given with a number in each cell. Outside
the grid there is an empty cell at each end of each row and
column in which you must draw an orthogonal or diagonal arrow
pointing into the grid (so only 2 or 3 choices at each place).
Each number in the grid must be pointed to by exactly that many
arrows.
- Castle Wall: Draw a single closed loop from orthogonal
connections of empty cells in the grid. Not all cells need be
used. Black cells must be outside the loop, while white cells
with heavy outlines must be inside it, and gray cells can be
inside or out. Numbers with arrows (on cells of either color)
inside the number of segments of the loop (connections between
cells, not the cells themselves) which lie along the direction
indicated by the arrow.
- Clouds, Rain Clouds, or Radar: A grid is given with numbers
for each row and column telling how many cells have clouds.
There may also be clues indicating the presence of cloud
sections or the absence of them. Clouds are rectangles (in some
versions with rounded corners where segments are given in the
grid, similar to Battleships clues), and they never touch, not
even diagonally.
- Cross the Streams: A combination of Nonograms and Nurikabe.
Shade some cells in the grid. The numbers outside the grid are
standard Nonograms clues, but ? indicates a group of unknown
size, and * indicates an unknown number of groups of any sizes,
possibly none. All the shaded cells must be connected
orthogonally into a single group, and no 2x2 region can be
completely shaded.
- Digital Battleships: Circle the fleet in the grid, as in
standard Battleships puzzles with no two ships touching, even
diagonally. But each cell in the grid has a number, and the
clues outside the grid tell the sum of the numbers on ship
segments in the grid.
- Double Choco: A provided grid has half its cells already
shaded gray. Divide the grid into regions, each of which can be
split into a gray polyomino and a white polyomino which are
congruent (but may be rotated or reflected). If a region
contains one or more of the given numbers, each such number
tells the area of either like-colored half of the region.
- Double Minesweeper: Like regular minesweeper, but empty cells
may contain 0, 1, or 2 mines.
- Eminent Domain, or Four Winds: A grid is given with numbers in
some cells. You must draw horizontal and/or vertical lines from
each number so that each empty cell is on exactly one line and
each number is connected by lines to that many other cells
(besides itself). Lines cannot span two numbers, nor can there
be lines not connected to a number. Hukuwall is a cryptic
version of this puzzle, where each number is consistently
replaced by the same letter.
- Futoshiki: A Latin Square puzzle where inequality signs are
placed between some orthogonally adjacent pairs of cells to
indicate which has the larger number.
- Hamle: A grid is given with some numbered cells. Each cell
should move in one of the orthogonal directions the number of
spaces as its number. The paths can cross in this puzzle, but
when the moves are done, the moved cells should not be
orthogonally adjacent and the empty cells should all be
orthogonally connected.
- Hebi-Ichigo: Place numbers in some of the empty cells so they
form snakes 5 units long consisting of the numbers 1 to 5 in
order, orthogonally connected. Snakes can touch other snakes
only diagonally. Each snake's 1 cell is its head, and it is
looking in the direction opposite its 2 cell, up to the next
shaded cell or the edge of the grid. No other snake parts are
allowed to appear in this space. The clues written on shaded
cells indicate which numbered snake part is the first one
encountered in the direction indicated by the arrow, and before
another black cell. If the clue is a 0, if means there is no
snake in that space.
- Hidato: A numbered path puzzle like the Snake, but all cells
are used (no adjacency rule) and diagonal moves are permitted
(including crossing over your path diagonally). Compare with
Numbrix, which doesn't allow the diagonals.
- Hiroimono, or Goishi Hiroi: This is a classical Japanese
variation of peg solitaire. Stones are arranged at lattice
points. You have to figure out how to remove all the stones,
starting at any stone, and proceeding to other stones along
lattice lines, and never U-turning; you can go straight or turn
left or right to the nearest stone after picking up each stone.
- Hundred, or C Notes: A grid is given with a digit in every
cell. Place a second digit in some cells (before or after the
given digit) to form two-digit numbers so that the sum of each
row and column is 100.
- Japanese Sums: Shade some cells in the grid and place numbers
in the indicated range in all other cells. Numbers cannot repeat
in a row or column, but not all numbers will be used in every
row or column. The numbers outside the grid give the sums of
adjacent groups of numbers in that row or column, in order.
- Kanaore: Place one letter in each cell. Each word given below
the grid can be found in the grid, starting at the
correspondingly numbered cell and making the first step in the
direction given by the arrow next to the word, and making
subsequent steps in any orthogonal direction, witout reusing the
same cell in the same word. The same cell may be used in
different words.
- Kin-Kon-Kan: Place one diagonal mirror in a cell of each
region so that like letter-number pairs outside the grid are
connected by orthogonal light beams reflecting off these
mirrors, and the number indicates how many mirrors the beam
hits. Each mirror must be hit by at least one beam.
- Konarupu, or Corner Loop: Draw a single closed loop of
orthogonal connections among the given dots. The numbers in some
cells tell how many times the loop makes a 90-degree turn at the
cell's corners.
- Kropki: A Latin square puzzle in which a white dot appears
over each boundary between two consecutive numbers, and a black
dot if one number is double the other. All possible dots are
given, but the dot between 1 and 2 can be either color.
- Kurotto: A grid is provided with circles in some cells, and
numbers in some circles. Shade some empty cells (cells with
circles cannot be shaded). The black cells are divided into
orthogonally connected groups. Each number in a circle indicates
the total area of the black cell groups which share an edge with
it.
- Lighthouses: The numbers on black cells in the grid represent
lighthouses, which shine on all the squares in its row and
column, including through other ships or lighthouses. The number
on each lighthouse represents the number of ships it
illuminates. You are to locate all the single-cell ships, which
do not touch other ships or lighthouses, even diagonally.
- Lighthouse Battleships: A combination of Lighthouses with
Battleships. The ships are now a given Battleships fleet rather
than all occupying single cells, and the numbers are lighthouse
clues telling the number of illuminated segments.
- Minesweeper Battleships: Locate the given fleet of ships in
the grid, which cannot touch, even diagonally, as in standard
Battleships puzzles. Clue numbers in the grid are never part of
ships and indicate the number of ship segments in the 8 adjacent
cells.
- Mochikoro: A grid containing numbers in some cells. Like
Nurikabe, you are to shade in some of the empty cells to leave
each number in a separate "island" of cells the size of that
number, and also like Nurikabe, you can't shade all of a 2x2
region. But there can be unnumbered islands in this puzzle, and
instead of the black cells all having to be connected, in this
puzzle all the white islands have to be diagonally connected.
- Nanro, or Number Road: A grid is provided, divided into
heavily outlined regions and with numbers in some cells. Add
numbers to other cells so that each region has at least one
number, the numbers within each region are all the same, and
equal the number of numbers in the region, all the numbered
cells form a single orthogonally connected region, when numbers
are adjacent across a region boundary they are different
numbers, and nowhere are there numbers in all cells of a 2x2
region.
- Norinori: A grid is divided into heavily outlined regions.
Shade in some cells so that every region contains exactly two
shaded cells, and each shaded cell is orthogonally adjacent to
exactly one other (possibly from a different region).
- Number Cross: A grid is provided with numbers in every cell
and one number outside each row or column. Shade some of the
cells so the numbers outside the grid give the sum of the
unshaded numbers in their row or column.
- Numbrix: A numbered path puzzle like the Snake, but all cells
are used (no adjacency rule). Compare with Hidato, which allows
diagonal moves.
- Nuraf, or Araf Nurikabe: Shade some unnumbered cells so that
the unshaded cells form islands which can only touch diagonally,
and with no 2x2 region entirely shaded. Each island must contain
exactly two numbers, and the area of the island must lie
strictly between (not inclusive) those numbers.
- Nurimeizu, or Nurimaze: A grid is provided, divided into
heavily outlined regions, and wit circles and triangles in some
cells and one S and one G. Shade some entire regions so that
there is exactly one path of orthogonally connected cells from S
to G. This path must include all circles and no triangles.
Additionally, no 2x2 region can be all one color, and all the
white cells must be orthogonally connected into a single group..
Cells containing any symbol cannot be shaded.
- Oasis, or Oases: A grid is provided with circled numbers in
some cells. Shade some empty cells, no two adjacent, and leaving
all the unshaded cells connected orthogonally into a single
group, but no 2x2 region entire unshaded. Each number tells the
number of other numbers you can reach from that number on paths
through empty cells.
- Pentopia: Shade some empty cells in the grid in the shape of
some of the given pentominoes. Those pentominoes cannot touch,
not even diagonally. Pentomino shapes cannot repeat, even if
rotated or reflected. The arrows in some grid cells show the
orthogonal direction(s) where the closest shaded cells are; if
there is a tie, all such directions are shown.
- Regional Yajilin: A grid is divided into regions, some of
which contain a small clue number in the upper left cell. Shade
some non-adjacent cells so that the remaining cells can form a
single loop, as in Yajilin, but the clues indicate how many
cells in the region are shaded (possibly the one with the clue
number),
- Ripple Effect, or Hakyuu: A grid is divided into polyominoes,
with a number in some cells. You must place numbers into all the
empty cells so each polyomino of size N has all numbers 1 to N,
and so that wherever the same number N appears twice in a row or
column, at least N other cells separate them.
- Rotator Mosaic: Divide the grid into rotationally symmetric
regions, as in Spiral Galaxies, but the dots do not have to be
at the center of symmetry. If they are not, there must be a
corresponding dot of the same color at the counterpart position.
- Round Trip (a different one from the one also called Grand
Tour): Draw a loop of orthogonal connections in the grid which
may cross itself (both portions going straight through the
intersection) but not otherwise overlapping. Numbers outside the
grid represent the number of cells crossed by the first straight
segment of the loop from that side running along the row or
column.
- Sashigane: A grid contains some circled numbers, some empty
circles, and some triangles. You must divide the grid into
L-shaped regions consisting of an elbow in one cell and two
straight arms extending from it at right angles. Each circle
must be the elbow of a region. If there is a number in the
circle, it indicates the total number of cells in the region.
Each triangle must be at the end of an arm and pointing at the
elbow.
- Snake Pit: Divide the grid along grid lines into snaky
regions, which contain no 2x2 regions nor touch themselves
anywhere, even diagonally. Cells with circles must be at the end
of a snake, and cells with Xs cannot be at the end of a snake.
Numbers in the grid must be in snakes of that size. Two snakes
of the same size cannot touch each other orthogonally.
- Spokes: Numbers are given in a lattice, each in a spoke-hub
shape with sockets for spokes to connect in 8 directions. You
must draw orthogonal and diagonal lines between the spokes so
that each number is connected to that number of its 8 neighbors,
all hubs are connected into one network, and diagonal spokes do
not cross.
- Sukazu: Fill a digit into each cell. Within each row, column,
and heavily outlined region, the number of instances of each
number which appears equals that number.
- Sukoro: A grid is provided with numbers in some cells. Place
numbers in some of the empty cells so that all the numbered
cells form a single orthogonally connected group, two cells with
the same number are not orthogonally adjacent, and each number
tells the number of its 4 orthogonal neighbors which have
numbers.
- Tapa-Like Loop: Draw a single loop with orthogonal connections
between cells, not going through the cells with clues. Around
each cell with numbers, the numbers give the lengths of groups
of adjacent cells connected by the loop. If there is more than
one number, each represents a separate segment of the loop,
though the groups of cells they go through may be
adjacent.
- Tapa View, or Canal View: Shade some of the empty cells,
forming a single orthogonally connected group, and without
shading all of any 2x2 region. Each numbered cell tells the
total number of shaded cells it can see in the orthogonal
directions up to the next unshaded cell in each direction.
- Tatamibari: A grid has +, -, and | symbols in some cells. You
must divide the grid into rectangles along lattice lines so that
each rectangle contains one symbol. + symbols must be in
squares, and - and | symbols must be in rectangles that are long
in the direction of the line.
- Tren: Enclose each number in the grid in a 1x2 or 1x3
rectangle. Each rectangle represents a car which can only move
in the long direction, and the number tells how many empty
spaces (on one or both ends combined) are available in which it
can move.
- Yajisan-Kazusan: Some cells in a grid contain a clue
consisting of a number and an arrow. Shade some cells, possibly
including some of the ones with clues. The shading must follow
Japanese crossword rules: Two shaded squares cannot be
orthogonally adjacent and the unshaded cells must form a single
orthogonally connected group. The clues in unshaded cells must
correctly indicate the number of black cells in the direction of
the arrow. Clues in shaded cells can be ignored.
These are just the Sudoku variants:
- Arrow Sudoku: Some cells have circles, each with an arrow
connected through other cells. The number in the circle must be
the sum of all the numbers along its arrow.
- Battleship Sudoku: Locate the fleet in the grid, following
standard Battleships rules using shaded ship sections in the
grid and numbers outside the grid. Each segment of the ships in
the provided fleet has a number on it. Enter these on the ships
in the grid; they may be rotated any way. The numbers in thegrid
follow standard Sudoku rules.
- Consecutive Sudoku: All pairs of orthogonally adjacent
consecutive numbers are marked with a small box over the
boundary line. Consecutive Pairs Sudoku is a variation where not
all consecutive pairs need tobe marked, and to distinguish it,
small circles are used instead of boxes.
- Even-Odd Sudoku: In some cells without givens, a circle
indicates an odd number while a square indicates an even one.
- Greater Than Sudoku: Futoshiki clues combined with Sudoku.
Inequality signs appear between adjacent cells indicating which
number is larger. Typically these are between all orthogonal
pairs within the 3x3 regions and not across the boundaries of
those regions.
- Isodoku: The grid is drawn as an isometric drawing of a stack
of cubes. In place of the usual rows and columns are lines
starting at any outside edge and proceeding through opposite
edges of the rhombic cells. This generally forces the regions to
be irregular.
- Kropki Sudoku: Kropki clues combined with Sudoku. White dots
appear on boundaries between consecutive numbers and black dots
where one number is double the other. All possible dots are
given, but the dot between 1 and 2 can be either color.
- Little Killer Sudoku: Numbers outside the grid with diagonal
arrows indicate the sums of numbers along that line. These sums
can include repeated digits.
- Minesweeper Sudoku, or Sudoku Mine: The numbers are
minesweeper-style clues, not Sudoku fill. Place three mines in
unoccupied cells each row, column, and 3x3 region to match the
given clues.
- Outside Sudoku: Up to three numbers are given at each end of
each row and column. Those numbers must appear within the first
three numbers from that side.
- Outside Sum Sudoku, or Frame Sudoku: Numbers outside the grid
give the sum of the first three entries from that side in the
row or column.
- Rossini Sudoku: An arrow pointing into the grid along a row or
column indicates that the first three numbers in that direction
are ascending, and one pointing outward indicates the first
three numbers are descending. All possible arrows are given.
- Sandwich Sudoku: Numbers outside the grid give the sum of all
numbers between (not inclusive of) 1 and 9 in that row or
column.
- Skyscraper Sudoku: Numbers outside the grid give
Skyscrapers-style clues indicating how many of the numbers in
that row or column can be seen from that end, treating the
numbers in the grid as the heights of buildings.
- Sudo-Kurve: The regions may be split apart from one another.
Bent lines outside the grid connect rows and columns that should
be considered part of the same uniqueness group.
- Sudoku XV: All boundaries between cells containing two numbers
that sum to 10 are marked with an X, and those summing to 5 are
marked with a V.
- Sujiken: A triangular grid containing half a 9x9 Sudoku grid.
In addition to the usual restrictions, no number can be repeated
on a diagonal of any length.
- Sukaku, or Pencilmark Sudoku: Each cell contains small digits
showing all possibilities allowed in the cell.
- Star Sudoku: The grid consists of 6 triangular regions each
containing 9 triangular cells, with a 6-cell hexagonal hole in
the middle. Regions containing each digit once for this puzzle
include the large triangles, 9-cell strips crossing the hole,
and 9-cell regions on the edge which include 8 cells in a
straight line and one cell which is in an adjacent line by
itself.
- Strimko, or Chain Sudoku: Essentially a variant on Sudoku with
irregular regions; in Strimko, the cells are replaced with
circles and lines connect the circles that belong to the same
region, which may include diagonal connections.
- Thermo-Sudoku: Some thermometers are shaded in the grid, with
a bulb at one end. The numbers in the thermometer must be in
ascending order, with the smallest at the bulb. (Equivalent to
restricted versions of Greater Than Sudoku.)
- Tight Fit Sudoku: Some cells have a slash. Enter two numbers
in these cells so that the smaller number is above the larger.
Both numbers coutn as being in the row, column, and region, so
the range is larger than the grid size by the number of slashed
cells in each of these.
- Tile Sudoku: Some cells are in multiple rows and/or columns,
but still take a single digit. Many grid patterns are possible,
- Tridoku: A triangular grid made of 9 triangles each containing
9 triangular cells. Regions not containing repeated digits in
this puzzle include the large triangles, the 9 cells along each
edge, the 9 cells in the middle rows which have exactly 9 cells
(which are shaded for convenience), and 6-cell strips spanning
each pair of large triangles in each of three directions.
- Tripod Sudoku: Sudoku with irregular regions where the regions
are not given, but all points where three region lines meet are
indicated with dots. There are no points where four region lines
meet.
- Twin Corresponding Sudoku: Two Sudoku grids with givens are
provided. The solutions to the two sudokus are functionally
equivalent, like a cryptogram (if a 1 appears in a cell in one
grid and a 2 in the corresponding cell of the second grid, all
1s in the first grid will correspond with 2s in the second
grid).
- Vudoku: Shaded Vs connect groups of three adjacent cells in
the grid. One number of each V is the sum of the other two.
And these are just all the other Nikoli-style types I know of
which haven't been used in Hunt:
- Anraikumozaiku, or Unlike Mosaic: A grid is provided with some
shaded cells and circles in some other cells. Divide the
unshaded cells into rectangular regions so that each region
contains one circle. Regions of the same size cannot share an
edge.
- Airando, or Island, or Mobiriti, or Mobility: Shade some
unnumbered cells. The white cells, including the ones with clue
numbers, must remain a single orthogonally connected group
(island). Each number tells the number of empty cells that can
be reached by orthogonal moves, starting from the number, where
other numbers and shaded cells block access. In the version
called Mobiriti or Mobility, the numbers are circled.
- Area Division: A grid is provided in which every cell has a
letter or is shaded. Divide the lettered cells into regions so
that each region has exactly one of each letter used in the
puzzle.
- Arofuro, or Arrow Flow: Place an arrow pointing in one of the
four orthogonal directions in each empty cell. The same arrow
cannot be placed in two orthogonally adjacent cells. By
repeatedly following the arrows one cell at a time, starting at
any arrow, you must eventually reach one of the given numbers.
The number tells how many starting locations lead to it.
- Arrow Maze, or Arrow Path: A grid is given with numbers in
some cells and an arrow (orthogonal or diagonal) in every cell
except the one whose number equals the area of the grid. Number
all the squares so you can move sequentially from 1 to N, each
move going in the direction of the arrow in the cell it starts
from.
- Arrow Web: A grid is given with outlined orthogonal or
diagonal arrows in every cell. Shade some of the arrows so that
every arrow in the grid points to exactly one shaded arrow.
- Bodaburokku, or Border Block: Divide the grid into regions
along grid lines. All points where three or four lines meet are
marked with dots. Every region contains at least one cell with a
number, all instances of the same number go into the same
region, and all numbersin a region are the same.
- Bricks: Fill in numbers from 1 to N, where N is the size of
the grid, so each row and column contains each number once. Each
2-cell brick contains an odd number and an even number.
- Buraitoraito, or Bright Light: Fill in stars in some empty
cells. The number in each black cell tells how many stars can be
seen in orthogonal directions from the black cell. Other black
cells block the view, but other stars do not.
- Chiyotsui: Shade some cells to form orthogonally connected
areas. Each area lies in two regions and is mirror-symmetric
with respect to the boundary between those regions. Areas may
touchother areas only at a corner. It is possible parts of
multiple areas lie in the same region. The numbers tell how many
cells in their region are shaded; numbered cells may be shaded.
- Chocona, or Chocolate: A grid is given divided into heavily
outlined regions and with a number in some regions. Shade some
rectangular groups of cells (which may cross region boundaries)
so that the given number of cells in each region are shaded. The
rectangles can touch only diagonally.
- Deddoanguru, or Dead Angle: Divide the grid into orthogonally
connected regions each containing one black circle. Each black
circle represents an eye which can see in orthogonal directions
up to the next region boundary in each direction. The number on
each eye tells how many cells of its region the eye cannot see.
- Detour: Draw a path of orthogonal connections which visits
every cell once. The number in a region tells how many times the
path turns within that region.
- Different Neighbours (not to be confused with Neighbours):
Place a number from 1 to 4 in each empty region so that no two
regions with the same number touch, even diagonally.
- Dominion: Shade some dominoes in unlabeled cells; each shaded
cell is orthogonally adjacent to exactly one other shaded cell.
Each orthogonally connected group of unshaded cells is an
island. Cells with the same label belong to the same island and
every island must have a label.
- Doppelblock, or Double Block: Shade two cells in each row and
column. Place numbers 1 to N-2 (where N is the grid size) in
each unshaded cell so that no number is repeated in a row or
column. The numbers outside the grid give the sumof the numbers
between the blocks in that row or column.
- Dosun-Fuwari: A grid is provided, divided into heavily
outlined regions, and perhaps with black squares which belong to
no region. Place exactly one white circle and one black circle
in different cells of each region. White circles represent
balloons. They can only be placed at the top of the grid,
directly under a black cell, or directly under another balloon.
Black cells are iron balls. They can only be placed in the
bottom row of the grid, directly above a black cell, or directly
above another iron ball.
- Dotchi-Loop: Draw a single loop of orthogonal connections
which passes through all the white circles and none of the black
circles. In each heavily outlined region, the path easier goes
turns at every white circle or goes straight through every white
circle.
- Double Back: Draw a loop of orthogonal segments through every
empty cell. It cannot pass through black cells. Each region must
be visited exactly twice.
- Douieru: Divide the grid into L-shaped regions. Every circle
in the grid is at the corner of an L, and every L has one of the
given circles. The black circles mean the legs of the L are of
different lengths. Double circles mean the legs are the same
length. White circles give no information about the lengths
- Endorain, or End Line: A grid is given, divided into regions,
with numbers in some cells. Draw separate horizontal and
vertical lines, with the ends of each line in different regions.
Each number tells how many lines end in its region. Every cell
must be on exactly one of the lines.
- EntryExit: Draw a loop using all the cells in the grid. It can
only enter and exit each marked region once.
- Eulero: A double Latin square puzzle. Fill in each cell with a
number and a letter so that each row and each column contains
each number once and each letter once, and each combination of
letter and number appears once over the entire puzzle.
- Firumatto: A grid has numbers in some cells. Divide it into
rectangular regions one cell wide or tall, and one to four cells
in the other dimension. Regions may be empty, but each number
must be in a region of that size. Two regions of the same size
must not share an edge. Four regions cannot meet at a point.
- Fobidoshi, or Forbidden Four: The grid contains some circles
and some black cells. Place circles in some empty cells so all
circles form a single orthogonally connected group, but nowhere
are there four circles in consecutive squares of the same row or
column.
- Foseruzu, or Four Cells: Divide the grid into regions of
exactly four cells. The number in each cell tells how many of
its edges are region boundaries (including the edge of the whole
puzzle). Variations with other sizes are possible.
- From 1 to X: Fill in a digit in each empty cell so that each
region contains the numbers 1 to X, where X is the area of the
region. Two cells with the same number cannot be orthogonally
adjacent. The numbers outside the grid give the sum of the
numbers in their row or column.
- Furisuri, or Free Three: A grid with circles in some cells is
provided. Enclose each circle in a separate block of three
cells, which may be straight or bent. Some space is left unused.
Each block must be able to slide by one unit using the free
space.
- Gaidoaro, or Guide Arrow: Shade some empty cells, no two of
them adjacent, and leaving the unshaded cells as a single
orthogonally connected group. There should only be one path
(without backtracking) from each arrow to the single star and
the direction of each arrow tells where that path starts.
- Gappy: Two cells in each row and each column must be shaded.
Shaded cells do not touch, even diagonally. The clues indicate
the number of cells between the two shaded cells in that row or
column. Equivalent to a special case of Hamusando in which there
is enough ham to fill all the non-bread cells.
- Geradeweg: Draw a single loop of orthogonal connections
between cells which passes through all the circles. If the path
goes straight through a numbered circle, the number indicates
the length of that straight segment. If the path turns at a
numbered circle, the straight segments on each side of the turn
must be the same length, and this length matches the number.
- Golem Grad: Shade some snakes in the grid (paths connecting
two and including of the given circles). Snakes cannot cross,
and no 2x2 region can be entirely shaded. Orthogonally connected
unshaded regions are islands. Islands may contain at most one
number, and if there is one it tells the area of the island.
- Grades: Place digits 1 to 9 in some cells of the grid, no two
of them touching, even diagonally. The numbers at the top and
left tell how many numbers are in each row and column. The ones
at the bottom and right give the sums of those numbers.
- Gyokuseki, or Gems and Stones: Black one black circle in each
row and column, and white circles so that each number outside
the grid tells how many circles can be seen in that row or
column up toand including the black circle.
- Hakoiri: Place circles, triangles, and squares in some empty
cells so all the cells with shapes are in one orthogonally
connected group, like shapes are never adjacent, even
diagonally, and each region contains one of each shape.
- Hamusando, or Ham Sandwich: Place two squares (bread) and the
specified number of circles (ham) into each row and column of
the grid. The numbers outside the grid tell how many of the
circles are between the squares in that row or column.
- Hanare: A grid is given divided into regions, some of them
with a number in them. Place a number in some cell of each empty
region, always equal to the area of that region. Wherever two
numbers are in the same row or column with no other intervening
numbers, the number of blank cells between them must equal the
difference between the two numbers.
- Heki: Divide the grid into regions of exactly 6 cells. Each
number tells how many of the orthogonally adjacent cells are in
the same region with it.
- Hotaru Beam: A grid is given with circles at lattice points.
Each circle has an adjacent dot on one of the lattice lines. You
must draw a path along the lattice lines from each dot to an
edge of one of the circles without a dot. The paths may turn but
not touch or intersect. Some circles have a number; the path you
draw from that circle's dot must turn that many times.
- Ichimaga: Connect all circles into a single network by drawing
lines along the grid lines. The line between any two circles may
turn at most once. Each circle must be connected to the number
of other circles indicated by its number. Lines cannot cross
other lines.
- Irasuto, or Illustration: Shade some empty cells so that each
number in a white cell tells how many empty white cells can be
seen in orthogonal directions from that cell, and each number in
a black cell tells how many empty black cells can be seen.
Numbered cells and cells of the other color block the view.
- Irupu, or I-Loop: A grid is given with circles in some cells.
Place 1x3 blocks horizontally or vertically so that there is one
covering each circle, they all form an orthogonally connected
group, and each block touches two others orthogonally. (These
rules require the blocks to form a loop.)
- Jemini: Divide the grid into regions, each containing exactly
one given letter. Regions of the same shape and orientation must
have the same letter in the same position. All instances of the
same letter are in regions of the same shape and orientation.
- Kabingurodo, or Curving Road: A grid is provided with some
cells having circles. Shade some empty cells, no two
orthogonally adjacent, leaving all unshaded cells (including the
circles) in one orthogonally connected group, so that each path
from a circle to any other circle requires at least two turns.
- Kaero, or Ouchihekaero: Move some of the given letters along
paths of orthogonal segments, so that all the letters that end
up in the same region are the same letter. paths of moving
letters cannot cross other letters or paths.
- Kanjo: Draw a set of looping paths which go through all grid
cells, including the ones with numbers, and using all the given
fragments. Each loop contains all instances of one number, and
different numbers are on different loops. Loops can cross
themselves or each other by passing through in perpendicular
directions. Loops cannot cross in cells with numbers.
- Kapama, or Sunglasses: Shade some empty cells of the grid to
form pairs of mirror image shapes. These shapes cannot touch
their mirror images or other shapes except at corners. Each
mirror image pair must be connected by one of the given diagonal
lines, which must lie perpendicular to the line of symmetry. The
numbers outside the grid tell the number of shaded cells in each
row or column. In theSunglasses variant, the connecting lines
may be in other shapes besides a diagonal line through a single
cell, but they must still be bisected by the line of symmetry.
- Kapetto, or Set Carpets: Divide the grid into rectangular
blocks each containing one number, which is the area of the
block. Some cells may belong to no block. (Essentially the same
as Shikaku except for some cells being part of no block).
- Knossos: Divide the grid into regions along the cell
boundaries so that each region contains one given number, which
is the total length of the region's boundary.
- Koburin: Shade some empty cells so that each numbered cell is
orthogonally adjacent to that many shaded cells, and so that a
loop made of orthogonal segments can be drawn through all
unshaded, unnumbered cells. Shaded cells cannot be orthogonally
adjacent to other shaded cells. Some shaded cells may not be
adjacent to numbers.
- Kohi Gyunyu, or Coffee Milk: A grid contains white, gray, and
black circles. Connect the circles with horizontal and vertical
lines which do not intersect except at circles. Each group of
circles connected by lines must contain one gray circle and
equal amounts of white and black circles. Lines may not directly
connect white and black circles.
- Kojun: Fill numbers into the empty cells so each region
contains the numbers 1 to N, where N is the size of the region.
Orthogonally adjacent numbers must be different. Wherever two
numbers are vertically adjacent and in the same region, the
upper one must be greater than the lower.
- Korekutokonekuto, or Correct Connection: Black and white
circles are given at lattice points, some white circles
containing numbers. Connect white circles with horizontal and
vertical lines, without crossing other lines or black circles,
so that all white circles are in a single connected network, the
number of connections to each numbered circle matches the
number.
- Kuroclone: Shade some cells, forming two orthogonally
connected groups in each region which are of the same size and
shape (but they may be rotated or reflected). Shaded cells are
never orthogonally adjacent to shaded cells in other regions.
The arrow-and-number clues indicate that the next cell in the
direction of the arrow is part of a group of the indicated size.
Cells containing clues are never shaded.
- Kuroshiro, or Black and White Loop: A grid is given with black
or white circles in many cells. Draw a loop using orthogonal
connections through all cells. When two consecutive circles
along the loop are the same color, the loop must not turn
between them. When the circles are of different colors, the loop
must turn exactly once between them.
- Kuroshuto: Shade some empty cells, no two of them adjacent,
and leaving all the white cells (including ones with clue
numbers) orthogonallyconnected. Each cell with a clue numbers
requires exactly one other cell orthogonally that distance away
is shaded.
- Light and Shadow: A grid is given, with some shaded cells and
numbers given in both white and shaded cells. Shade additional
cells so that each orthogonally connected region of the same
color has exactly one number and that number equals the area of
the region.
- Line Segment: Draw line segments through groups of 3 or 4
orthogonal or diagonal cells, so that every cell has exactly one
segment. Diagonal segments may cross other diagonals at lattice
points, but otherwise the segments may not cross. The cells with
H, V, or D in the grid must be crossed respectively by
horizontal, vertical, or diagonal segments.
- Linesweeper: Draw a single closed loop by connecting
orthogonally adjacent empty cells. The numbers in some cells are
Minesweeper-style clues, telling how many of the 8 neighboring
cells are part of the loop.
- Makaro: A grid is provided which is divided into regions with
heavy bars, with numbers in some cells, and some blacked-in
squares, some of which have an arrow pointing in one of the
orthogonal directions. Fill in numbers in all empty cells so
that each region of size N contains the numbers 1 to N once
each. Among the (up to) four neighbors of a cell with an arrow,
the one pointed to by the arrow must be larger than any other.
Identical numbers cannot be orthogonally adjacent.
- Masakuchi: A variant of Makaro in which the cells with arrows
also contain a number. The number gives the difference between
the largest and second-largest neighboring numbers.
- Mathrax: A Latin square puzzle. Circles containing clues
appear at some intersections. If the clue is E, all four cells
meeting there must be even; if O, all odd; and if a number and
an operation, each pair of cells on a diagonal from the clue,
when the given operation is applied, produces the given number.
- Meadows: Divide the grid along grid lines into square regions,
so each region contains one circle. Equivalent to Tatamibari
with only + clues.
- Meandering Numbers, Count Number, or Worms (but see Wamuzu,
which is also called Worms): Fill in digits in each cell so that
each region contains the numbers 1 to N in order in an
orthogonally connected path. Two cells with the same number
cannot tough, even diagonally.
- Mid-Loop: Draw a loop of orthogonal lines between cell centers
which passes through all the given dots (which may appear in
cell centers or on the lines between cells) and never turns at a
dot. Each dot must be at the midpoint of the straight segment of
the loop containing it.
- Mintonette: In an irregular grid with circles in some cells,
some of them numbered, draw paths of orthogonal segments through
every cell. Each path starts and ends in cells with circles, and
crosses no other circles or paths. If either circle at an end of
a path contains a number, the path must make that many turns.
- Mirukuti, or Milk Tea: Connect groups of three circles (two
white and one black) with T-shaped lines, so that the two white
circles are connected by the straight part of the T and the
black one is on the perpendicular segment. Lines cannot
intersect except to form the Ts.
- Miti: Draw roads along the cell boundaries, so that all the
cells of the grid form a closed loop with no sections wider than
a single cell. At each given dot, exactly three roads must meet,
and at every other intersection only one or two road segments
can be used.
- Mobunanba, or Move Number: Mark a block of three cells
(straight or bent) enclosing each given number. Some cells will
be unused. The number tells in how many of the four orthogonal
directions that block can be moved into unused cells.
- Nanbaboru, or Number Ball: A grid is given with numbers in
some cells, circles in others, and Xs in still others, along
with a given range of numbers. Place numbers in some of the
empty cells, and all of the circles, and none of the Xs, so that
each number appears once in each row and column.
- Nawabari, or Territory: Divide the grid into rectangular
regions so that exactly one given number is in each region. The
number tells how many of the four sides of that cell are on the
boundary of the region, including the edge of the grid.
- Neibadomino, or Neighbour Domino: Mark dominoes (1x2 regions)
in the grid. Some cells may be unused, but all the given numbers
indicate how many other dominoes share an edge with that domino.
Dominoes with the same number of neighbors cannot share an edge.
Dominoes may use 0, 1, or 2 of the given numbers. Dominoes
cannot cover all of any 2x2 region. (But there can be empty 2x2
regions and the dominoes do not all have to connect
orthogonally.)
- Neighbours: A grid (possibly of irregular shape) is to be
divided into regions. Each region must contain exactly one clue
number or question mark. If it contains a number, the number
indicates how many other regions share one or more units of
boundary with the region.
- Nondango: A grid is given divided into regions, with circles
in some cells. Shade one circle in each region, so that circles
of the same color never appear in a three consecutive cells of
any row, column, or diagonal.
- Number Chain: A grid is provided containing numbers from 1 to
some maximum N. Draw a path of orthogonal connections from the
top left to the bottom right cell which uses each number once
(in any order).
- Nuribou: Shade some empty cells in rectangles one cell wide or
tall. which can touch only at corners and only if the sizes of
the black strips are different. The orthogonally connected
groups of white cells must each contain one number which gives
its size, like in Nurikabe.
- Nurimisaki: Shade some empty cells. No 2x2 region can be all
the same color. The white cells form a set of interconnected
paths. Cells with circles are at the end of a path (only one
white orthogonal neighbor) and other white cells must NOT be at
the ends of paths. If a circle has a number, it means you can
see that many cells from it (including the cell itself, and all
in one line since the circled cell has only one white neighbor.)
- Patchwork, or Tatami (not to be confused with Tatamibari): A
grid is divided into regions of the same size. Each region
should be filled with the numbers 1 to N, where N is the size of
the region. Adjacent cells must not contain the same digit, and
each row and column must contain each digit the same number of
times.
- Peintoeria, or Paint Area: A grid is divided into heavily
outlined regions and many of the cells have numbers from 0 to 4.
Shade all the cells in some of the regions (including cells with
numbers) so that out of the 4 cells orthogonally adjacent to
each numbered cell, the number indicates how many are shaded, no
2x2 region is all the same color, and all shaded cells are in a
single orthogonally connected group.
- Pipelink: A grid is given with straight, bent, or crossover
pipe segments in some cells. Fill in every empty cell with one
of these pipe types so all the pipes form a single loop.
- Rabbits and Trees, or Raitonanba: Place one white circle
(representing a rabbit) and one black circle (representing a
tree) in empty cells in every row and every column of a grid, so
that each clue number tells how many rabbits can be seen in
orthogonal directions from that cell. Rabbits behind trees
cannot be seen
- Raneko: Divide the white cells into regions which each contain
one circle. If the circle has a number, it tells the size of its
region. The black cells are not part of any region; a black cell
with a number tells how many regions share an edge with it.
- Rectslider: A grid is given with some black cells, some of
them numbered. Slide some of them horizontally or vertically so
that the black cells all form rectangles of two or more cells
which do not touch orthogonally. The paths of sliding black
cells cannot cross. Black cells with numbers must move the
distance indicated by the number.
- Renkatsu: Divide the grid into orthogonally connected regions
so that each region contains numbers from 1 to N once each,
where N is the size of that region.
- Rekuto: Divide the grid into rectangular regions each
containing one given number, which equals the sum of the width
and height of its region.
- Renban: Fill a number into every empty cell so that the
numbers in each heavily outlined region form a set of
consecutive numbers, which may appear in any order, and each row
and column of the puzzle contains every number from 1 to N once,
where N is the size of the grid.
- Rimotoejji, or Remote Edge: Connect all dots with a single
loop of orthogonal segments. All the arrows and Xs must be
inside the loop. Each arrow points in the direction of the
longest straight path of cells inside the loop starting at that
cell. Each X has two or more directions tied for the longest
such path.
- Roma: A grid is provided, divided into regions with heavy
bars, with a circle in one cell and arrows pointing in
orthogonal directions in some others. Place an arrow into every
empty cell so each region does not contain two arrows pointing
in the same direction, and if you follow a path moving in the
direction of the arrows starting from anywhere, it ends at the
circle.
- Rukkuea: Shade some square regions of cells, possibly
including the given numbers. These square regions can touch only
diagonally. In any row or column containing parts of two shaded
regions of the same size, there must be a shaded region of
another size between them. Each number tells how many of five
cells (the cell itself and its four orthogonal neighbors) are
shaded.
- Santoitchi: Shade some of the empty grid cells, no two of them
orthogonally adjacent. Divide the remaining cells into regions
of size three, which may be straight or bent, and each
containing one of the given numbers, which indicates the number
of black cells the region shares an edge with..
- Sashikabe: Sashigane combined with Nurikabe. All the islands
must be L-shaped and one cell wide, as in Sashigane. Circles
must be at the bends of islands and arrows at the ends, pointing
at the bend. If a number is in a circle, its island must contain
exactly that many cells. As in Nurikabe, islands can only touch
diagonally, all black (non-island) cells must be connected
orthogonally in a single group, and no 2x2 region of all black
cells may appear. Islands don't have to contain clues.
- Sashikaku: Divide the grid into rectangular regions with one
number in each. The number tells the difference between the
width and height of the region.
- Satogaeri, or Coming Home: A grid is provided divided into
regions with heavy bars, with circles in some cells and numbers
in some circles. You must move some circles vertically or
horizontally (not both) so that each region contains only one
circle. If the circle has a number, it must move exactly that
many spaces; circles with 0 cannot move and empty circles may
move or stay where they are. The paths of moving circles
(including their start and end spaces) may not intersect.
- Scrin, or Screen: Draw rectangular regions in the grid which
touch only at corners, and only so that they form a single
closed loop. Each circle must be in one of the regions and if
the circle has a number, it specifies the area of the region.
- Seethrough, Doors, or Open Office: Each cell in the grid
represents a room in an office, initially with gaps in every
wall between rooms which represent doors. You are to close some
doors so that each number indicates the number of other rooms
(not including the cell itself) you can see from that room,
looking in orthogonal directions through open doors. Compare
with Corral.
- Shimaguni: In each region, shade a single orthogonally
connected group of cells. If the region has a number, that many
cells must be shaded. Regions sharing one or more units of edge
must have different numbers of black cells. Black cells in
different regions cannot be adjacent.
- Shingoki: Draw a closed loop of orthogonal segments which
passes through all given circles. The loop must turn at black
circles and go straight at white circles. Gray circles have no
restriction on turning. If a circle has a number, it tells the
sum of the lengths of the straight segments on both sides of the
circle, including distance beyond one or more circles if the
loop goes straight through them.
- Shirokuro: Connect each white circle to a black circle using a
horizontal or vertical line. Each circle may have only one line
and the lines cannot cross other lines or circles.
- Sign In: + and - signs appear between some pairs of
orthogonally adjacent cells. Fill in numbers from 1 to N, where
N is the size of the grid, so each row and column contains each
number once, and a - indicates the number above or to the left
is one less than the number below or to the right, and a +
indicates the number below or to the right is one less than the
number above or to the left. All possible instances of these
clues are given. Compare with Futoshiki and Kropki.
- Slash Pack: An irregularly shaped grid contains froms from 1
to N in some cells. Draw diagonal lines through some cells,
never intersecting within a cell, to divide the grid into
regions containing each number exactly once.
- SquarO: A grid is given with circles at all lattice points
(including on the edges) and numbers in the cells. Fill in some
circles so each number tells how many of the 4 dots at its
corners are filled.
- Starry Night: Place one star, one sun (white circle), and one
moon (black circle) in each row and column. The clues outside
the grid relate to where the star is in the row or column. If
the clue is a sun or moon, it means that symbol is closer to the
star. If the star is outside the grid, it is the same distance
from the sun and moon.
- Stars and Arrows: Place stars in empty cells so each arrow
points at exactly one star and each star is pointed at by
exactly one arrow, and the numbers outside the grid tell the
number of stars in each row and column.
- Stitches: Add some stitches to the grid (nonoverlapping
orthogonal lines connecting two adjacent cells in different
regions) so each region is connected to each of its neighboring
regions exactly once each. Numbers outside the grid tell how
many cells in the row or column have stitch-ends in them.
- Stostone: Shade some cells, forming an orthogonally connected
group within each region and without orthogonal connections to
shaded cells in other regions. At least one cell must be shaded
in each region; if the region has a number, that many cells must
be shaded. Treating each group of shaded cells as a stone, if
the stones fall down, they will exactly cover the bottom half of
the grid.
- Straights, or Str8ts: Fill each empty white cell with a digit
from 1 to 9, so that no digit repeats in a row or column. Some
cells in the grid are shaded and these break the rows and
columns into crossword entries. Each crossword entry must be a
"straight," a group of consecutive digits, which may be out of
order, such as 5-7-6 or 4-1-3-2. Some black cells may contain
numbers, which block that number from the row and column but are
not part of any straight. Compare with Sutoreto.
- Suguru, or Number Blocks: Place a number in each empty cell so
that each heavily outlined region contains all the numbers from
1 to N, where N is the size of the region. Two cells with the
same number cannot touch, even diagonally.
- Sukima: A grid is provided with some shaded cells and circles
in other cells. Mark a region of area 3 (may be straight or
bent) covering each circle and not using any shaded cell. Other
cells besides the shaded ones will also remain unused. No 2x2
region can be completely covered with marked regions.
- Sukrokuro: Combines some elements of kakuro, sudoku, and
kropki. Fill in digits 1 to 9 in empty cells so that numbers
given for each crossword entry match the sum of its digits, and
so that each row and column contains the digits 1 to 9 once
each. Additionally, wherever a white dot appears between two
cells, their numbers must be consecutive, and where such dots do
not appear, the numbers must not be consecutive.
- Sun and Moon (not to be confused with Moon-or-Sun), also
called Munraito: Some planets are given in some cells of the
grid which may be illuminated on some quadrants. Place one star
and one cloud into each row and column of the grid. Stars
illuminate horizontally and vertically to the first star or
cloud in each direction. The illumination on thegiven planets
must match that provided by the stars.
- Suraromu: Make a loop through some of the white squares in the
grid, exactly one square from each gate (indicated with a dashed
line), and the circled number, which represents the start of the
loop and, for convenience, tells you the total number of gates
in the puzzle. Some gates are numbered, by printing a white
number on the black cell(s) at one or both ends of the gate. The
numbers indicate the position in the sequence of gates traversed
which that gate must occupy.
- Sutoreto: The given black squares divide the rows and columns
into crossword entries. Fill in a digit in each empty cell so
that the numbers in each crossword entry form a set of
consecutive digits which may be out of order, such as 5-7-6 or
4-1-3-2. Compare with Straights.
- Tairupeinto, Tile Paint, or Crazy Pavement: A grid is
provided, divided into heavily outlined regions. Shade some of
those regions entirely so the numbers outside thegrid give the
number of shaded cells in each row and column.
- Tasukuea: Shade some cells forming square regions. The cells
with clues cannot be shaded. Clue numbers indicate the total
size of the shaded squares which share an edge with it. Question
mark clues must be next to at least one shaded cell. All
unshaded cells (including cells with clues) must form a single
orthogonally connected group.
- Tenner Grid, From 1 to 10, Zehnergitter, or Grid Ten: A grid
10 cells wide is given, with digits in some cells. Fill the
unshaded cells with digits so each digit from 0 to 9 appears
once in each row, the numbers in each column sum to the number
given at the bottom, and the same digit doesn't appear in
adjacent cells (even diagonally).
- Tents: A grid is given with trees in some cells. You must
place a tent orthogonally adjacent to and connected to each
tree. Tents cannot touch, even diagonally. Tents may touch other
trees besides the one they are connected to. The number of tents
in each row and column is given.
- Tetoron: Divide the grid into regions of exactly four cells,
with exactly two symbols in each region and those two symbols
must be different. Regions of the same shape (including
rotations and reflections of that shape) must contain the same
two symbols.
- Tetroid: A grid is given with some shaded cells. Divide the
unshaded cells into tetrominoes (L, I, T, S, O). Two tetrominoes
of the same type cannot share an edge.
- Terra X, Terra XV, Terra XX: A grid is given divided into
regions, with a number in some regions. Place a digit 0 to 9
into each empty region, so that at each place where four regions
meet at a point (marked with a dot) the numbers in the four
regions sum to 10 for Terra X, 15 for Terra XV, and 20 for Terra
XX.
- Toichika: Place arrows pointing in orthogonal directions in
some empty cells so each region contains one arrow, all arrows
are in pairs that point at each other with no other arrow
between them. and two regions with paired arrows do not share an
edge.
- Trace Numbers: Draw a set of paths which collectively visit
every cell. Each path starts at a cell numbered 1, and proceeds
through the other numbers consecutively, ending in one of the
cells with the largest number.
- Trilogy: Fill in a square, circle, or triangle in each empty
cell so that no group of three consecutive symbols in a row,
column, or diagonal is all the same or all different.
- Trinairo: Fill each empty cell with A, B, or C. Each row and
column must have the same number of As, Bs, and Cs. Shaded cells
are different from all their orthogonal neighbors.
- Trinudo: Divide the grid into regions of size 1, 2, or 3. Each
given number must be in a region of the indicated size; a region
can have no number or more than one. Regions of the same size
cannot touch along an edge.
- Triplets, or One or All: A grid is provided divided into
regions of area 3, with symbols (circles, squares, or triangles)
in some cells. Place these symbols in every empty cell so that
each region contains either all the same symbol or all
different, and when symbols are adjacent over a region boundary
the symbols are different.
- Turf: Shade some cells to divide the grid into shaded and
unshaded, orthogonally connected regions. Each region must
contain a number equal to the size of the region. The region may
contain cells with other numbers; these numbers must equal the
number of white cells adjacent to cell, including diagonals and
the cell itself.
- Usotatami: Divide the grid into regions one cell wide or tall
and of any size in the other direction, so that each region
contains exactly one given number, and that number is NOT equal
to the size of the region. Four regions cannot meet at a point.
- Usowan: Shade in some empty cells, never two orthogonally
adjacent ones, so that the unshaded cells (including ones with
clues) form a single orthogonally connected region. The clue
numbers say how many of the (up to four) orthogonally adjacent
cells are shaded, but in each region there is one clue that is
wrong.
- Walls: Similar to Eminent Domain, but some cells may have
walls that don't connect to a clue number, and some walls may
connect two clue numbers in the same row or column and count
toward both.
- Wamuzu, or Worms (but see also Meandering Numbers which is
also called by this name): Connect circles in pairs with paths
of orthogonal connections which make a right-angled turn at
every step. Every cell must be part of one of the paths.
- Water Fun: Shade some cells of the grid so that the clues
outside the grid tell the number of shaded cells in their row or
column. Wherever a cell is shaded, all other cells in the same
region at the same or lower height must also be shaded (so each
region has a "water level").
- Yagit, or Goat and Wolf: A grid is provided with circles
(goats) in some cells, squares (wolves) in others, and dots at
some lattice points. Add some fences along grid lines, from one
spot on the edge to another. Fences may turn only at the given
dots. Fences may cross each other anywhere other than the dots.
Each region set off by these fences must contain wolves or
goats, but not both; regions may not be empty.
- Yajikabe: Yajilin combined with Nurikabe. Clues in the grid
with arrows cannot be shaded and tell the number of shaded cells
in that direction, to the edge of the grid. All shaded cells for
an orthogonally connected group and there cannot be a 2x2 region
entirely shaded. There is no restriction on the number of clues
in an island.
- Yajisan-Sokoban: Move some of the given gray squares in paths
which do not cross other paths or gray squares; they may cross
over the numbers. Each number tells how many gray squares end up
in the direction of its arrow. However, if a gray square ends on
top of a number, it negates that clue and the number may or may
not be correct. Numbers which have been crossed over but not
stopped on by squares remain valid.
- Yokibunkatsu: Divide the grid into regions of five cells, each
containing exactly one star, such that they could be folded into
open boxes, with the star on the bottom and an open top. Some
boundary segments may be already given. There may also be empty
regions with no star, which are unrestricted.
- Yonmasu: A grid contains some shaded cells and some circles.
Divide the unshaded cells into regions containing exactly four
cells each including one circle.
- Yunikumaka: Divide the unshaded cells into regions of exactly
four cells, containing exactly one dot in its interior. Region
boundaries may pass through dots and those dots are ignored and
not considered part of any region.