New puzzles for issue 2

There've been lots of ideas for what people would like to see in the magazine, both to me by email and also posted in the comments on my puzzle blog, so I thought it would be a good idea to start summarising some ideas here. If there's a type of puzzle you'd like to see, or be sure is still in issue 2 that's already in issue 1, then please post here!

I'll start the ball rolling with some ideas people have already sent:

• ABC puzzles
• Tent puzzles
• More large Sudoku (16x16 and above)

The very large Sudoku one will probably be catered for with a dedicated book of just these larger puzzles, since it's one of those puzzle types that people either love or hate, but the other two - ABC puzzles in particular, as a favourite of mine - are definite candidates.

If you've come across an interesting type of puzzle elsewhere that you don't know how to describe but would like to see, feel free to post a link or pointer to it!

I've had an email request for Extra Regions Sudoku, so that's a good one for issue 2.

Not a new puzzle for the next issue, but could I put in a request for some more skyscraper/skyscraper sudoku please! I have found the ones in this issue quite challenging, but very enjoyable. Unlike many other types of puzzles I can't find any other source of these except on your sites Gareth, so would love to see some more to practise on! Thanks in anticipation!!

Another type of puzzle which makes a nice change is hidato. I don't know what anyone else thinks of that one?

i like hidato too, altho the ones i've seen are always very easy. maybe we can have hard hidato!
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Hidato puzzles are part of a class of travelling puzzles, where you have to find a route whilst obeying certain constraints. I think there's lots of scope for nice logic puzzles with pretty simple rules here, so it's a great idea! We can just change the rule over what constitutes a valid move from square to square.

I'm pretty certain Hidato is a trademark, however, so they will need to have a different name in Sudoku Xtra!

More Consecutive Suduko's please - maybe a Samurai Star one?

I also enjoy Mosaic and Labyrinth puzzles - the main reason I buy Beyond Sudoku (sorry) these days.

Mosaic puzzles (which are essentially Minesweeper with pictures of course) are pretty easy to make, so I could definitely do these. The Labyrinth puzzles are great fun I agree, albeit somewhat more complex to make because of the combination of Hanjie-style placement with maze-solving logic - so these will definitely go 'on the list' but I wouldn't expect to see these any time soon (definitely not in issue 2 at any rate! ). Those Labyrinth puzzles are unique to Beyond Sudoku so far as I'm aware - has anyone seen them anywhere else?

Consecutive Sudoku really does seem popular (and I enjoy them a lot myself too), so I'll definitely put more of those in issue 2. A Samurai Star one is a good idea.

I've had a few emails with suggestions in too, so I should go through those and summarise them here soon as well.

Cheers Gareth - am now looking forward to Issue 2 even more. The perfect accompanionment to mince pies and chocolates! Merry Christmas and thanks again.

I quite like mosaic puzzles too although they are not something I have every done regularly.

Another variation on the sudoku theme is Hanidoku.

Thanks Sue! Issue 2 will be out in plenty of time for Christmas, so you'll need to have more chocolates and mince pies on stand-by!

In terms of Hanidoku, I tried it once and found it quite complex - in fact I made a Hanidoku puzzle since BBC MindGames asked for a sample (they never used it). I thought it was overly-complex, or perhaps that was just me? So I could put that in the magazine since it's never been used, but I'm not too sure.

I was going to ask for Extra Regions but I see that's already on your list! Is there any chance of a Futoshiki/Inequality Samurai for a future issue?

Futoshiki/inequality Samurai is a fantastic idea! I thought of doing something like that long ago, but never got round to it and had completely forgotten about it. So yes - I'd love to do that for issue 2! I'd better get working on that...! I had better keep the difficulty level fairly low (logic-wise) because I think following all those arrows around a large grid will be fairly crazy!

Maybe I'll start with a 6x6 Inequality Samurai, and see how that goes. I might put a sample on my blog before I decide what will go in the magazine.

I'd personally love to see a hybrid Samurai Inequality/Sum Sudoku of some sort in issue 2.

Dave Millar, Puzzle Creator
See my puzzles at http://www.thegriddle.net

I've been and had a look at your site Dave - there are some great puzzles on there! Am enjoying the funky kakuro!

Interesting idea, Dave! I am just posting some inequality puzzles on my blog right now, so I will try a sum sudoku plus inequality hybrid shortly!

I've seen Killer-type puzzles where there are inequalities between the region totals (so you know region 'a' is greater than region 'b', but not either exact total), but they're just a bit too complicated and require too much "book-keeping" when solving for me, so I think I will go with the more obvious interpretation - placing the two types of clue together!

Quote
gareth
...so I think I will go with the more obvious interpretation - placing the two types of clue together!

Right, that's exactly the interpretation I meant!

Also, thanks for the kind comments as well Christine!

Well I have now made a Samurai Star Inequality Calcudoku, and even if I do say so myself it looks pretty stunning! Adding the inequality means I can stick to 'easy' Calcudoku logic without having any singleton boxes left over, whilst having some great symmetry to the Calcudoku regions. It turns out you need surprisingly few inequality signs to tip the balance from unsolvable to a finished puzzle, and so there aren't that many in the final grid at all. (In fact I might put a few of them back in...)

I just posted an inequality samurai star on garethmoore.co.uk, and I have a 6x6 Calcudoku inequality to post tomorrow as a little taster.

So thanks Dave for the great seam of interesting puzzles which I hope to mine for quite a while yet!

A while back I promised to post some of the email requests I've had for issue 2 here. Well here are two of them I just reviewed - Sue would like some Extra Regions Sudoku (a great idea!), and Danielle asked for more Hanjie (a popular request on puzzlemix, incidentally!). I can't promise more Hanjie for issue 2 since they take so long to make (but it's definitely a possibility for future issues - I have some ideas for speeding it up!), but I will try to squeeze some Extra Regions puzzles in.

Issue 2 sounds very promising! Have you any date in mind yet for its publication?

Now that I have some more time to respond, I'll throw in my requests:

What you have now
More Calcudoku, Skyscraper, and Consecutive puzzles.
If you could put some Str8ts puzzles and Chess Mazes in that would be great.

Now to re-pitch an idea

Have a Sudoku Dragon...

What you do is have puzzles throughout the publication which have marked squares that, when filled in, tell you what digits to add as givens to an empty "Dragon 9x9 Sudoku Grid" in the back. For example, one of the Futoshiki puzzle squares could be shaded and have the clue "D7". When I do the Futoshiki, if that square solves as a '4', then I know to put a 4 in square D7 in the Dragon puzzle.

Once you get all of the grid clues from other puzzles you are now ready to solve the Dragon Sudoku, which could be a tough one.

Yes, you can tell I play many board, card, and video games.