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200 puzzle series

Posted by Christine 
200 puzzle series
November 09, 2012 07:23PM
As Sue has mentioned in another thread you have been busy Gareth! What a great selection of puzzles books! Such temptation! I have already bought the Sudoku XV, Inequality Sudoku and Mystery Killer Sudoku Pro and several others have made their way onto my wish list!!
I think the KIller Zero and Outside Sudoku might be the next ones to make their way into my basket. No need to be stuck for puzzles for months now!

I don't wish to appear greedy but how about Kropki and Arrow Sudoku selections! Not that I will be in need for a while but they are two of my favourites right now.

Anyway, I quite understand if you are heartily sick of creating puzzles for the moment!

Thanks a lot for all these titles - great to see them smiling smiley
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 13, 2012 02:40AM
I agree - this series is great!

Lucky me for having some Amazon vouchers to use. These are going to be spent on XV, Odd/Even, Outside, Jigsaw 1 and Jigsaw 2!
Elisabeth
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 14, 2012 07:10AM
Have just discovered this series and have bought Sudoku XV, which, incidentally arrived from Amazon within 2 days, and am already into it. A Kropki book would be good as well.......But thanks for all you are providing

Have been hoping for a set of XV for some time, will you be adding one to your website, Gareth? I rather enjoy the interaction and seeing how other people respond. First thing each morning I check to see what is on offer for the day and how everyone is getting on!smiling smiley
jane
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 19, 2012 02:20PM
OMG! Why am I only finding out about this now!! I got the XV a while ago (REALLY enjoying) but nothing else came up on my (obviously wrong) search.

Thank you everyone for the heads up - Have just ordered LOADS on amazon.... (outside, mystery pro, mystery calcudoku etc etc etc )

I agree though - Kropki would be great.......! (I'm sure you have nothing else to do gareth.....)
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 19, 2012 03:04PM
I've been working on Kropki Sudoku and Arrow Sudoku books thanks to the above requests - both should be available from Amazon in the next couple of days! smiling smiley



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/19/2012 03:15PM by gareth.
jane
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 20, 2012 06:53PM
Just ordered the 200 kropki!!

thanks gareth... can't wait!
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 20, 2012 08:36PM
Jane - you sound as addicted to puzzles as me!!!

Gareth - I've just ordered both the Kropki and the Arrow sudoku. Thanks for responding to the requests - much appreciated. I've never been so well off for puzzles smiling smiley
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 21, 2012 03:12AM
Me too, both Kropki and Arrow. Thanks, Gareth, you're the Man!
sue
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 21, 2012 09:53AM
Thank you so much for this series Gareth. I have just ordered 4 more including the 2 new additions. Such a pity only available on tax-avoiding Amazon.

Keep them coming! Samurai Star variants next maybe ?!!!
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 21, 2012 01:14PM
I will make them available for PDF download at some point, hopefully within the next couple of weeks. I really need to get the main website for the series up and running properly too!

Samurais are next on the list, but I can't do 200 I don't think! I was considering a similar format to my Sudoku Xtra Specials for those, where I have 50 16x16 or 50 25x25 in the same book. What do you think? Would that be sufficient? After all, if these are 5-grid puzzles then you're getting 4x50 plus a bit extra worth of normal-size puzzle in those books.

And also, would you want a mix of types in each book or would you rather have 50 of one type in one book and 50 of another type in another?


Gareth
sue
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 22, 2012 11:24AM
Yes 200 is far too many for us as well as you I think! Your suggestion sounds great and I think a mix would be lovely, particularly if you include "variants" on the Star and 5 grid. Always my favourites in Xtra.

Good job I'm retiring next year I think, although your Inequalities 200 will probably keep me going for a goodly while. Really challenging and immensely satisfying. Or perhaps I'm just missing something!

Thanks for all you do. Really appreciated.

Sue
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 22, 2012 04:23PM
I got the 200 Inequalities too Sue, and am also finding them very challenging! I've not had the book long but only completed three at the moment!

My vote would also go for a mix of samurai types.
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 22, 2012 06:51PM
Well, I wouldn't say 200 is far too many. I'm sitting here dreaming of a book of 200 13-grid puzzles!

Pulling your leg, Gareth, before you choke!

I'm happy either way - a mix or same type.
jane
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 22, 2012 07:04PM
I'm just awaiting my extremely large order (well, it is nearly Christmas.....!)

A mix sounds good Gareth - I feel I've probably got enough to keep me busy for a while either way.....!! (I can't tell you how long it takes me per inequality - I may have set myslef a challenge too far...)

Thanks again Gareth!
Sue
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 23, 2012 08:25AM
Well it's very good to hear I am not alone in finding the Inequalities tricky. After much head scratching I too have managed 3 of the first 8 so far, Christine, but am persevering and enjoying the challenge.

Given that the puzzles are supposed to be getting harder through the book I looked at the last page in trepidation. They did not look any harder to the naked eye so I had a go and managed to complete puzzle 197 in record time (for me). That was a relief as I was beginning to feel these were beyond me. With slightly more confidence I am now determined to crack the early ones. Still haven't managed puzzle 1 despite several returns which is beginning to bug me!

Nil desperandum, Sue
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 23, 2012 09:20AM
Yes, I've noticed I'm not so great at rating my inequality-based puzzles for difficulty, which I notice in particular with Futoshiki - I think I did a better job in the Futoshiki 2 book than in the first one, for example. The trouble for me is it's difficult to balance the inequality logic against the sudoku logic, and I'm not sure I get that quite right. Do I ignore the sudoku part and rate them for the inequality logic, or assume the inequalities are irrelevant and rate for sudoku? I think the solution lies in the middle but getting that balance is tricky.
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 23, 2012 02:45PM
On the subject of Samurais, I've been working on making sets of these for years so I'm pretty much all ready to get going on publishing some books (finally, after many requests!).

I've done some research and it looks like the standard book size is 100, so I can't really go smaller than that unfortunately! smiling smiley So looks like I'll do books of 100 or 101. That increases the printing costs but I won't put the price up relative to the 200 series.
Elisabeth
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 24, 2012 10:29AM
Have just succumbed and bought some more of these 200 series, Futoshki, Kropki and, possibly my favourite, Jigsaw Killers and await their arrival with anticipation. A late birthday present to myself! Thanks again, Gareth.

Glad to hear Inequalities cause problems to otherssmiling smiley I'm more concerned about the actual inequalities than the basic rules for sudoku when trying to solve these and this is how I personally rate them when on puzzlemix.com.

Must have a cup of coffee and get back to Sudoku XV.............
Elisabeth
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 24, 2012 10:53AM
On second thoughts, use of 'x' wings also affects my rating so it is not easy to assess taking everything into consideration.
P.S. What happens if we get the sum above wrong??smiling smiley
Sue
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 26, 2012 09:59AM
I wouldn't worry about rating the inequalities too much Gareth. They are all very hard, and some of them are even harder. The end. Great tho and ultra satisfying when I manage to complete one. Occasionally I even give myself a mental high five for putting in one number!

Greatly looking forward the samurai book, and after Elisabeths comment I shall order the Killer Jigsaw one too. It feels like Christmas has come early.

Sue
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 26, 2012 04:18PM
Sue - so far I've done numbers 3, 4 and 15. And that's it! But I expect (hope) I will get some more completed eventually. I have to wait until my brain is in the mood for a bit more thinking! On the other hand I am racing through the Sudoku XV puzzles and love the Mystery Killer Sudoku Pro one. I've also bought Kropki and Arrow Sudoku and am sure a couple more will find their way into my Amazon basket before too long! Puzzles to suit every mood!
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 27, 2012 04:17AM
It's been ages since I've done inequalities. Not sure I'm up to the challenge of that book yet if it gives you brainy people problems! I'm enjoying my new books, dipping a bit into each one. I can't get enough XV, but neither do I want to finish the book too quickly! Kropki and Arrow arrived today, so now there's 7 books. I feel drunk with pleasure!
Sue
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 27, 2012 03:27PM
Hi Christine

I feel better knowing I'm not alone! Like you have completed 3and 4 but no other early ones as yet. Have made good progress on 6,7 and 9 but then get stuck. Not giving up tho. Will try 14 now encouraged by your success. I do love the challenge of these and alternate with the other books which I find a bit easier (usually). Keep me posted on your progress.

Sue
Elisabeth
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 27, 2012 04:08PM
My order for 3 sets of 200 puzzles has just arrived, in record time. I ordered on Sunday p.m. only used free business class and they all came this morning, Tuesday. So no need for super delivery etc!! I'm now set up for Christmas

In case you check, Gareth, I purposely put in the wrong answer to 20 plus 15 just to see what would happen, I did really know the right answersmiling smiley
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 27, 2012 04:55PM
Ah, the sum you're referring to is the "anti-spam" bit of the forum! The sum you get is random, Elisabeth, so I had to think for a minute about what you were referring to! I can't see what you're asked or what you enter, so nothing to worry about there. winking smiley I think if you get it wrong your message won't appear, although it should tell you so!

You can create an account on this forum if you want; then you won't need to enter that spam check in future. I have an account so I haven't that seen that sum request for years - I'd completely forgotten it existed, to be honest!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/27/2012 04:56PM by gareth.
Elisabeth
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 30, 2012 04:56PM
Have got started on my collection of 200 puzzles and enjoying them all. So far no problems with Futoshiki and Sudoku XV, but have only done the first few. I have difficulty getting started on Kropki, but once I have a foothold everything goes OK. Jigsaw Killers start off being quite tough,but enjoyable. I love the way the digits all fit together in these, which I find very satisfying. I hope you enjoy them, Sue; next year, like me, you will have more time (hopefully!), I've been retired for longer than I like to remember and hope these puzzles keep the brain cells ticking oversmiling smiley

Gareth, I was told my 'sum' was incorrect and obediently corrected it so my comment was allowed through. Was just curious to know what happened!!
Re: 200 puzzle series
November 30, 2012 06:21PM
Hi Elisabeth - funny how we find some puzzle types easier than others isn't it? I'm having a bit of difficulty with the inequality sudoku, but doing pretty well with Sudoku XV and Arrow so far - I know they are supposed to get harder as they go. I'm working steadily on the Mystery Killer Sudoku Pro but progress is a bit slower.

I love the Kropki and like you find the hardest bit getting started (much easier when there are lots of black dots in the grids) but once you get a foothold there are plenty of clues to help you. I was just going to start a thread for a bit of Kropki advice so let's see what we get!
Re: 200 puzzle series
January 02, 2013 10:43PM
Can I make a request? If you have bought any of these books on Amazon would you mind posting a brief review of some of them? Reviews help people make purchasing decisions (even bad reviews) which in turn drive sales and means I can carry on making more books - so it's a virtuous circle.

Indeed the same applies for any of my other content on Amazon too. Thanks! smiling smiley



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/02/2013 10:43PM by gareth.
Re: 200 puzzle series
January 03, 2013 03:58AM
Absolutely!

I did a review for XV and thought I had done one for Kropki, but looking back at Amazon there is no Kropki review! Must have been one of the other magazines!

Will definitely do another one or two.

Happy New Year!
Sue
Re: 200 puzzle series
January 03, 2013 06:04PM
Have been thinking of doing that and Amazon have asked a couple of times. Will get onto it in a day or so when all the New Year jobs are done. I hope they are selling well Gareth.

Happy New Year to you and fellow puzzlers everywhere.

In other news, I am still obsessed with the inequalities book! Mixed results still but the successes are very very satisfying. It is certainly not for the fainthearted or people with not much time. Or maybe I am just missing something!

Sue
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