Hope your magazine has arrived now Cathy - mine arrived in the post yesterday. It was interesting to read about the 'new look' next issue. Sixteen extra puzzle pages sounds an awful lot extra (no complaints mind!!). Is that a one off for the launch of the new look magazine or are you going to have to come up with all those extra puzzles each month Gareth?by Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Hi Cathy, did you order online or by telephone? I subscribed online on 28th August and was e-mailed that my first magazine would be mailed out on or around 24th September (so hopefully any day now!) It just seems strange that your subscription was taken out later than mine, yet you were promised an earlier magazine! Here's hoping that both our magazines arrive in the next day or two.by Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
I have taken to entering the competitions on the Logic Masters India site following the sampler platter which David submitted a few weeks ago,not because I am anywhere near competition standard (that's a laugh), just as a personal challenge to myself to try and improve a bit and get used to puzzling against the clock (why do you get nervous when you see a timer counting down even though you knowby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
That's the question. Since it's (cough) 30+ years since I took my maths O'level as they used to be called, I'd forgotten what the hypotenuse was!. Dare say I could soon remind myself if I had a mind, but would rather spend the time puzzling! The way you describe above is more or less the way I solved it. It really helped knowing there was a limit to the number of shaded squares per region as iby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
This one is still a work iin progress for me but am still enjoying it so that's a third vote for something similar!by Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
I have just managed to complete both of these puzzles from the Community section of issue 10 and absolutely loved them! (and Tom if you read this then I would have commented on your own site but not being a mathematician was unable to answer the anti-spam question - hangs head in shame!!) For some reason I've always had a bit of a block with nurikabe puzzles except for the very easy ones, butby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Well I couldn't resist downloading issue 10 last night even though it was a return to work for me today after the six week school break (well at least it will make the magazine last longer!). There is so much in this month I just don't know where to start (I don't know about you Sue but I don't like to do my favourites immediately - I like to save them up a bit!) The highlights for me this montby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
I am sure it will be worth the wait this month (not that it isn't always) but from what you have already posted in the Coming Soon thread, this next issue sounds amazing - some of my favourite puzzles coming up in the community section - really looking forward to labyrinth, and have had a sneaky peek at Palmer Mebane's blog site to get a preview of the new loop puzzle. The community puzzle sectiby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Went to pick up the latest copy of Sudoku Pro at the stationers in town today only to find that the shop was in the middle of a closing down sale with no magazines to be had, Grrr! So I have just had to come back home and take out a subscription, although it won't start until next month.by Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Hi Gareth, thanks for the link. Have been and registered and had a look at the puzzles. Believe me I have no illusions whatsoever about trying for any UK team!!!!!! I think there are only about four or five puzzles on there that I would even attempt - the masyu being the first. I've not really got into puzzles which are not of the japanese variety, and just to look at some of those made my braby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
I'n most probably missing something extremely obvious, but I have visited the above link and can't actually find the puzzles. Is there a direct link to them anywhere?by Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Hi Jeff, needless to say there are several hitori tutorials to be found on the internet if you have a good look round, but the point I was really trying to make was that of all the interesting puzzles out there, that one isn't on my list! Since Gareth says in his Xtra editorials that we can mention our dislikes as well as likes, I was simply curious to see how popular hitori actually was. What'by Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
I must admit, hanjie is not my thing - the easy ones you put in Xtra Gareth are just about my limit, but my husband does hanjie and nothing else and has done almost every day for the past few years without feeling the need to branch out into other puzzles! He gets the Super Hanjie magazine and any other large puzzles he can get his hands on. Some of the really difficult ones he does over a fewby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Just about the only puzzle I never attempt to do in Xtra is Hitori - I have had done this puzzle type in the past, but this is one puzzle that doesn't interest me. I just wondered how everyone else feels about Hitori and if anyone would like to jump to its defence!! May I hasten to add that I am in no way being criticall of the content of Xtra (the best puzzle mag on the market by a mile) -by Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Just a quick post to say how much I've enjoyed the jigsaw skyscrapers which have started appearing in the last few issues. I am not normally a 'jigsaw' fan but in this instance the extra jigsaw clues mke the puzzles a bit easier than ordinary skyscrapers. Fun puzzles - keep them coming!by Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Thought I'd start a new thread for this one. Great mag Gareth. Anyway it's taken me the best part of two hours but just had one of those 'yeah' moments with this puzzle!! What a wicked (in the old fashioned sense) idea to jumble up the mix of positives and negatives just when we'd got our lists sorted! Actually I think this was a little easier than the -4 through to +4 combination, given thatby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Well I also decided to give it a go, but have to say did very badly indeed!!!! I think the timer put me off a bit and for some reason I couldn't even solve the second two of the 10 point ones (I'm sure if I go back to them now I'd do them without any trouble!). Anyway I plodded my way through the rest of the 6 x 6s and then stupidly decided that as I had about 40 minutes left I would just try aby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Hi Deb Thanks very much for the info. That has certainly clarified matters. I still haven't decided yet whether to have a go at the actual timing, or whether to do the puzzles at my own leisure after the contest has ended. I will see how the mood takes me over the weekend!!by Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Issue 9 sounds great as ever, and it also sounds as though you will be ready for that holiday Gareth!! Hope you have a great time and manage a few days away from the conputer at least!by Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Have you ever wanted to kick yourself? For some strange reason (impatience I presume) I followed the rules precisely for the Minus puzzles that have appeared in Sudoku Xtra, but upon starting your variety mag Dan, totally forgot that the lower numbers have to be subtracted from the higher one!! No wonder I was making heavy weather of composing my "options sheet" when I had combinatioby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Hi Sue and Marilyn (and Gareth and Dan for that matter!) I've been following your conversation with interest and just thought I'd put in my two pennorth! I've downloaded from Dan's site the Arrow, Consecutive, and the Variety magazines and fantastic value for money they are too! I've done about 50 of the consecutive puzzles so far and find them a bit easier than the ones Gareth puts in Xtra.by Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Hi Kevin Glad you decided to give Sudoku Xtra a go. I am sure you will really enjoy it. As someone who does both, I have to say that good as Sudoku Pro is, Sudoku Xtra has so much more variety and a few new challenges each month. And as you have mentioned to Sue, you obviously like a challenge! The beauty of this magazine is that whilst retaining some old favourites each month, there is alby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Hi David Well I definitely don't think I'm a particurly quick or expert solver, but couldn't resist having a look at your sample platter and I must say, these are really fun little puzzles. Lucky for me I was familiar with all the variations (just not the lot mixed together) and so I was able to solve all the 6 x 6 ones without too much difficulty - I just wouldn't be able to match most peopby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Thanks for the tips Gareth - I've been having another look at these since writing my previous post and to be quite honest, came to the conclusion that the most difficult part about them was doing the slitherlink loop in the first place (that and nurikabe not my best puzzles - masyu and yajilin much easier!). In the end I cheated a bit and looked at the answer to fill in my partially completed Slby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
First of all. it's great to hear we have a brand new Community Puzzles editor (sounds as though you've thrown yourself into the job Dave!) I thought it might be fitting to give a bit of feedback on the puzzles in the last issue - a fabulous selection by the way. (To think I only ever used to do straight forward sudoku!) New Year's Day - I normally only do number puzzles but enjoyed this one fby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Congratulations on that Sue! I know what you mean about sharing the moment! It's a shame there aren't a few more regular posters on the forum because talking about doing similar puzzles does encourage you. I've had a couple of goes at the samurai odd/even from a few issues ago and not managed to crack it yet, but now I know you've done it, well I don't like to be beaten either, so here I go aby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
I've got the consecutive download too Sue - great fun - have done about a third of them so far. I can also recommend the arrow sudoku if you like a bit of a challenge! Think my puzzling tastes are quite similar to yours as I enjoy having a go at the minus numbers killer too (I don't always complete it but enjoy having a go). In fact sometimes I feel I spend half my puzzling time doing puzzlesby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
That's great news Dan - will add that magazine to my list then!!by Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Fantastic issue Gareth - even better than usual if that's possible. I love the 'S' shaped puzzles. Not had time to do too many yet, but have completed the Skyscraper S - great fun. Fabulous community section this time - can't wait to have a go at some of the different types of puzzles - some interesting puzzle combinations by the looks of it. Will give some feedback in due course!!by Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Great to see another one of these this month Dan. Pleased to say I have managed to complete this one on the first attempt! I think it was a little easier that the last one. It definitely helped that I had kept a list of number combinations from the previous one (all the possible combinations for -3, -2 and -1 ) It saved a bit of working out this time, that and Sue's advice that working out thby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
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