Issue 19

Really happy to have received this issue and seen all the new variants included. Very pleased to find some new challenges in amongst the favourites.

So far can highly recommend the Kropki puzzles. Have managed 3 of the 9x9's but stuck at the minute on the top right one. Looking forward to another crack at it later and am saving the cover one for a holiday.

Cheers Gareth for this. My only quibble (and its a small one) is that there are no Inequalities again. Maybe I am in the minority liking those though.

Also enjoying the Consecutive Puzzles Vol 1. Would enjoy a whole volume of Samurai Star variants sometime but that is probably asking a bit much of you!

Thank you again
Sue

Ah, yes, I tend to think that the Futoshiki covers the inequality front - but I will try to remember to put some in the next issue!

A whole volume of Samurai Stars isn't a bad idea at all - I'll look at doing that. Does anyone else have any interest in that?

I'm glad you like the issue! I've simplified the production process for this issue (the assembly, checking and page layout bit, not the puzzles themselves) which has made it a bit more efficient to produce so hopefully I really will stick to my two monthly schedule in future...

Oh thank you Gareth. That will be great. Good to hear you've made life easier for yourself too. I think you could charge more for a samurai star volume too, and reduce the number of puzzles as they take so much longer to solve. Just a thought. Others might kill me tho for that suggestion!

Have now tried a non-Consecutive puzzle and the XV version from 19. Enjoyed them both greatly. I hope these new variants are here to stay. I much prefer the number placement puzzles to the loop ones, and these new ones introduce some new logic which is always interesting.

Just downloaded a copy of Issue 19 and have to say it looks better than ever. It's great to see that it contains quite a lot of new variants - can't wait to get stuck into the kropki, sudoku XV etc. Like Sue, I would also be pleased to see some more inequalities, but it seems as though you have already agreed to this, so thanks! Futoshiki is good, but just not the same - I always find the inequalities much more of a challenge.

I would definitely be interested in a whole volume of samurai star puzzles but more so if there were to be a variety of puzzle types rather than all standard sudoku.

And just to say thanks again for continuing to produce the magazine for us - it is so difficult to find such a wide variety of puzzles anywhere else.

Hi all

A bit behind, as usual, just about to get Issue 19! Hope everyone's ok.

Another thumb's up for a volume of Samurai Stars. Yes, please, Gareth.

Issue 19 is brilliant, Gareth. Great to see new variants. So far I've thoroughly enjoyed Sudoku XV, Non-Consecutive Sudoku and Integer Multiple Sudoku. Kropi next!

Have just received my copy of SudokuXtra 19 from Amazon, it came in record time inspite of the 4-day Jubilee holiday. I too am particularly interested in the number-based puzzles and am intrigued by the Integer Multiple one, together with Kropki, Sudoku XV, Consecutive etc. Thank you, Gareth, for all these fascinating ideas you are coming up with. I wish they had been around when I was teaching Maths, Sudoku basic hadn't even emerged before I retired, they would have livened up Arithmetic lessons no end!!
My one small complaint is that I find it difficult to keep the pages open flat as the binding is rather stiff, tho' I like the slightly larger format and the quality of the paper. Now I must get started.....

Thanks for all the feedback - and I'm glad the new types are going down well!

I've been hard at work on new varieties for the next issue too. You can look forward to Frame Sudoku, Argyle Sudoku, Anti-King Sudoku, Quad Clue Sudoku and even Mystery Killer Sudoku! And that's not even all of the new types I've been making.

Hi Gareth

That sounds excellent. The current issue has really reawakened by interest. I also commend you for the non-consecutive puzzles which i ignored on first glance as they looked like basic ones. The final puzzle of the 4 kept me thinking for a long time.

Good to see a new contributor here too. I would suggest to Elisabeth she tries the downloaded version rather than the printed one. Much easier to use and you can reprint and retry puzzles if necessary, plus keep a handy file of the ones not completed in one place for future puzzling.

Happy puzzling everyone. What better way to spend a rainy summer!

Sue

Hi Sue, I've got to agree with you - the latest issue was better than ever with all the new puzzle types - really enjoyed them all (though one or two are causing me a bit of a headache - but in this instance that's good!). It sounds as though the next issue is going to have lots new as well.

Thanks for the suggestion, Sue, to download next time. I will do this, as I ended up cutting up the magazine, and have now all the separate pages on a clipboard, so I might as well have downloaded in the first place!!
It is good to sit with pencil and paper away from the cut and thrust of the online puzzles and just enjoy working at them at leisure. It seems some af the youngsters are only interested in how quickly they can do them, I must admit, tho', that the competitive instinct is strong, part of our evolution equipment I suppose.
I am enjoying Issue 19 , particularly the Kropki Samuri at the beginning, it just somehow grew! Am busy now on the Extra Region ones. How often do you publish SudokuXtra, Gareth? Not that I am ready for the next one yet.

Sudoku Xtra varies in frequency, but I do intend it to be every two months. It was originally every month but I put so many puzzles in it that people couldn't get through it in a month so I had to change it to every two months (it also took me too long to make to get through on a monthly cycle!).

Right now I have just about all of the material for issue 20 ready, so I do think it will be out on time, in the middle of next month (July). I've said it before, but this time it will happen!

I'm interested in your report on the printed edition. I have the printed version of issue 19 from Amazon UK here at home and, as it should be, the binding is the same as that in a standard book, since that's quite literally how it is printed (as a very large book). Did you not find that if you pressed down with sufficient weight that it would lie flat? I agree it's never going to be totally flat like a puzzle magazine, but I think it's the same problem you'd have with any regular puzzle book.

With issue 19 I moved the puzzles further away from the spine, so if you didn't like issue 19 in that format I recommend getting the PDF versions of the previous 18 issues!

But all that said, Amazon keep the majority of the money when you buy a printed edition, so I'm all in favour of you preferring the download anyway!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/22/2012 12:49AM by gareth.

I shall look forward to edition 20, Gareth and will download it this time. Dare I say that Sudoku Pro was stitched so it lay flat without any difficulty, but was smaller and perhaps SudokuXtra would not work that way. Books are not always easy to hold open, particularly Large Print ones which I read these days. Often the spine breaks as do paperbacks in general.
More important tho' I am much enjoying number 19, and as you say there are plenty of back numbers if needed!

Yes; Kropki, XV, Integer Mulitiple, and Non-consecutive are excellent additions.

I also particularly like the more geometric, non-numerical puzzles like Masyu, Labyrinth, and Windows.

A query; in the (or maybe just my) downloaded printout there are no dotted lines on the Sumaromu puzzles on page 41. Is this a general problem or some oddity of my system? I seem to have lost the file, so I can't check if it was a print problem or a download problem. Has anyone else had this?

Re my previous message: I have now found the file (on a different computer). The dotted lines are in the pdf, and even print out, so it was some bizarre print problem! Sorry to waste bandwidth on this.

Congratulatory remarks still apply!

I was just thinking I'd go back and reprint a few old samurai variants like the 'SOS' and 'SSSS' as I've enjoyed the challenge so much - so a whole volume of these would be brilliant.

Very much looking forward to mystery killer sudoku and your other new variants - they sound intriguing!

Thanks for all new variants in Issue 19 - I've enjoyed them very much.

Amanda

I second Amanda's suggestion. SOS and SSSS my favourites too.

Is just it me or are the jigsaw, extra regions in issue 19 particularly tricky? Progress very slow over here.

Sue

Hi Sue - yes! It took me several days to do the first one, but very satisfying when finally got there. I haven't succeeded with the second one yet. The last one seemed to fall into place a little more easily.

So glad to hear I'm not the only one having difficulty with Jigsaw Extra Regions and had hoped the first one would be fairly straightforward to get one into the mindset required!! Progress very slow. Also,I am completely stuck on the last Non-consecutive (page 37), having coped with the other 3 without too much of a problem. I've managed to fix only half a dozen numbers, insert a few pencil marks, but the rest of the grid remains alarmingly empty! Any suggestions?

Well I am so glad it's not just me then. Really enjoying them now although they tie my limited brain in knots. I took your tip, Amanda, and tried the last one (usually the hardest) and managed it finally. Flushed with that success I have now done the bottom left. Haven't had time to look at the first one again but feel a bit more confident. I do find it very easy to go wrong tho as there are so many things to consider.

Hello Elizabeth. I did manage the last non-consec but it was quite a few weeks ago now so not much help I 'm afraid. I do remember it required a minor light bulb moment of some form I so might have another go and see. A good new variant tho. Good luck.

Sue

Success at last! Thanks for your comments, Sue, I have at last managed the non-secutive over my breakfast cereal! Finally saw top right hand corner could be fixed and then all the rest followed. Also solved the first jigsaw extra regions so my confidence is restored, for now.
I too am much enjoying all the new variants of the number puzzles.

Hi Amanda, Elisabeth and Sue - it's nice to see a bit of discussion going on in the forum again. I think Gareth's new puzzle variations have sparked off a bit of renewed interest. I'm really enjoying issue 19. I don't normally do the jigsaw sudokus - not one of my favourites but after reading the discussions you've been having, you've inspired me to have a go!

I've really enjoyed the Sudoku XV, Kropki sudoku and non-consecutive sudoku this issue. The multiple integer ones are not too difficult at all (not often that I say that!) I've done the first, third and fourth kropki sudokus but am still looking for a way in to the second one - that's the hardest bit isn't it? Once you reach a certain point with them, they start to fall into place, but it's getting to that point in the first place! Has anyone had a go at the Kropki samurai star yet? I haven't been brave enough to start yet - need to find some time when I can really concentrate!

Hello Christine, good to chat again ... agree that it is great to see some discussion on the go. The latest issue has certainly renewed my enthusiasm. Do have a go at the Kropki Samurai tho. I found it OK once I'd cracked the 9x9's.

I have never really tried the extra region jigsaws much before as they never particularly called to me. Now I have discovered them I have been going back through past issues and reprinting. This is the first time they have been given the prominence of a whole page it seems. There is an extra level of logic which I am slowly discovering and wonder now why I overlooked them for so long. I shall try and catch up with Elisabeth now by finally completing the first one!

Gareth, if you are reading, please can you continue with these (as well as all the other new variants). I agree with Christine that the multiple integer ones were not as challenging as they first appeared. No doubt you have some fiendish ideas on that tho!

Happy puzzling everyone. Its certainly a summer for it!

Sue

All noted - thanks for all the feedback; very useful!

I personally find the Extra Regions Jigsaw puzzles extremely difficult, so it sounds like you're all doing really well!

Yay - I've done the samurai kropki! Actually it wasn't too bad at all once I'd found the way in so thanks for the encouragement Sue! That's al I had to say really! Hope there are some more of them in the next issue. Now to have a go at the jigsaw extra regions.....

I too did the Samuri Kropki and found it much less daunting than I thought it would be, yes, more please! Also the Killer Samuri. I have done 3 of the Jigsaw Extra Regions so only one left, but each is taking a long time to do. Interested to hear you find them difficult, Gareth, so we aren't doing too badly! I am still hoping for some new sets to appear, in particular Sudoku XV, Kropki, Wraparound,( which seem different from Toroidal) and a variety of Extra Regions. Nothing like asking.

Oh good ...not just me at all then! Thanks for the encouraging comment, Gareth. I shall battle on with the first one in Issue 19 which I have still not cracked! Think I might start again from scratch. Desperate measures! These are immensely satisfying when they finally fall into place but agree they do take quite a while.

Good luck all. Hopefully will be done before Issue 20 arrives to distract me.

Sue

Have just completed Xtra Calcudku (page 43) which includes Kropki. This was intriguing, once I found out how to start and then, like Topsy it just grew! Now on to SudokuXtra 20, downloaded successfully this time.