Heyawake

This is a puzzle I have never tried before but decided to give it a go. I started by taking myself off to the nikoli website and working my way through the tutorial there (I find it much easier to pick up new rules watching a puzzle being solved than by reading a list of instructions). Anyway, I have got as far as being able to solve some of the easy puzzles, but drew a blank with the harder ones.

Returning to the puzzles in issue 11, apart from the two 4 x 4 boxes bottom left and right (first puzzle) I really don't know where to get started so if anyone had a bit of time to spare it would be great if someone could talk me through the first few moves - maybe I'm missing something blindingly obvious but I can't see how to get in other than by a lot of trial and error which I am sure is not the right idea!! Thanks.

I presume you mean 2x2 boxes, and yes those are the easiest bit. Both puzzles are a little tricky - it's actually much easier to make easy puzzles so I was pretty pleased with how these came out since I haven't made many Heyawake before (in fact only four ever I think!). The top one with the 2s is probably harder to get going on - you need to realise that the 2 in the middle of the right-hand side must be \ or / so the squares above and below it on the right must be empty. Then try out the combinations with the 2 above it.

On the bottom puzzle, the 4 in the top-right corner can be filled out - can you see how?

Yes, I did mean the 2 x 2 boxes - sorry!

Thanks for the tips - it's taken a while but I have managed to complete the first one successfully - only managed to do it by printing it out twice and trying out one of the 2 x 2 combinations on each sheet and following them round to see how they worked out. I eventually reached the point where I knew which one was going to be correct and the second half of the puzzle fell nicely into place. I find colouring in the continuous area helps because I sometimes find I have blocked off an area without realising it.

I still haven't got the second one done yet, although I can see now which must be the four shaded squares in the top right hand box - will have another look with a fresh mind tomorrow!

Finally saw the light with this one and have managed to complete it. I am now about half way through the very large one of Tom's which appeared in an earlier issue. I have come to a full stop at the moment but it's surprising what a fresh brain can do sometimes if you come back to it later! Anyway just wanted to say I have enjoyed this puzzle type and would like to request a few more at some time please!!