Bit off topic here, but am visiting London this weekend Marilyn - have just had one of those birthdays with a '0' on the end and am visiting the capital with a couple of friends, stopping overnight and doing the theatre and plenty of sightseeing by way of celebration. Does the Japancentre still stock Japanese puzzle books do you know? Not been in London for a couple of years but I know the lastby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
I was in my local town today and picked up a copy of Sudoku Pro on the shelves at Rymans (used to be Partners). They had quite a few copies on the shelves. I will keep buying each copy as I see them (you can never have too many puzzles) but I have to admit Sudoku Xtra has spoilt us for other publications now! It has by far the best variety of puzzles and different levels of challenge.by Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
If I see Sudoku Pro in my local newsagents I will certainly pick up a copy, but am somewhat reluctant to subscribe at the moment seeing as I had just renewed by subscription last time when it folded. I visited the Hobby Store out of curiousity and notice that they are selling downloads of issues 28 to 50 for £2.99. I thought it a bit strange to see they had written "N.B these are not backby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Gareth - just to say how much I enjoyed the extra large yajilin puzzle in issue 7 - it took me quite some time to complete but I managed to get there without any guesswork! It must be quite a work of art creating a puzzle which just reveals itself clue by clue without giving too much away in one go! Anyway, here's to the next one of those.....!by Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Suggestions! Well to my mind the magazine goes from strength to strength with its combination of old favourites and new varieties, but as Sue said you did ask for suggestions.... Firstly, I must have very similar puzzling taste to you Sue as I would like to see any or all of the puzzles you requested, most particularly a samurai star odd pair sudoku. (two satisfied customers then!) A multiby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Well Sue, with your help I'VE DONE IT!! Strangely enough, on my first attempt I'd also noted down a wrong combination for -3 (had managed to get it to add up to -5 for some strange reason - obviously need some more practise with basic negative numbers!). Anyway, having put this right and got the bottom left box solved I moved across to the bottom right as you suggested - my opening for this boxby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Well done on cracking that Sudoku Minus Sue I am well impressed! You might even have inspired me to give it another go this evening, especially as you have provided a further clue for the right hand box....! I was out last night so haven't tried the 15 x 15 yet, but will be giving it a go very shortly - I remember last time it seemed to take quite some time! It is nice to be have someoneby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Hi Sue, well I have to admire your perseverance with the puzzle - I don't think I would have had the patience to list all the possible ways of making -3, -2, -1 but since you had a go I thought I'd do the same and you are right of course that in the bottom left hand corner there is no way to make the -2 or -3 using a 1 or 2, so I followed your lead and knowing that the 1,2 and 5 had to be in theby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Some great community puzzles in the last two mags - they really add variety to the magazine so thanks everyone. Clarity Media's Sudoku Times in Issue 5 was fun, and not too taxing, but I have drawn a blank with the Sudoku Minus in issue 6. Don't know whether I am missing something really obvious, but at the minute I can't find a way to get started. Is anyone out there able to give me any poiby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Sounds great!by Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Sue - have you looked at Gareth's blog site recently - there is a samurai killer plus and minus - I feel sure it's aimed at you!! It was nice to read your views on the magazine - I'm sure I post far too much so it's nice to have other views for a change! Gareth - Sudoku Xtra is a brilliant magazine - I think you've got the vairety and difficulty levels spot on. It's nice to have a few of eachby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
A book of loop puzzles sounds a great idea - I've nearly completed all the Yajilin and Masyu puzzles in the nikoli books so will be needing another source at some point! I enjoy slitherlink but apart from the really easy ones I seem to get stuck on these with no idea how to progress further! The Suraromu were fun so all in all a great idea for a Sudoku Xtra Special! I think I must go againstby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Sounds as though you can compete with the best at Yajilin! I really enjoyed the larger puzzle in Xtra6. I did find it tricky and didn't complete it in one go. If I get stuck oon a puzzle I often leave it and come back to it later with a fresh mind! It was the area just below the four '3s' (left of centre) which was causing the problem, and I eventually completed the loop using I would say aby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Having spent a fortnight doing loads of the puzzles in this book I know what you mean now Gareth! I keep coming across the same patterns in many of the puzzles. Having said that, it hasn't stopped me from getting to the end of some of the larger, harder puzzles and finding on closer inspection that I have two complete loops in there instead of one! Oops! I am definitely a convert to this puzzlby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Sue, I never did manage to complete this one unfortunately but I see Gareth has included another negative number killer in issue 6, so I am ready to do battle with it again - see if I can win this time!! Clarity Media have also sent in a Minus Sudoku which looks as though it could be tricky. I haven't had a go at it yet, but it looks interesting!by Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
No offence taken whatsoever Sue (well apart from the "a bit late" bit - but I guess the 'O' level comment gave it away!!!) I don't envy you the reports Sue - I think I have the best job in the world - I am a teaching assistant in a yr 5/6 class so get to work with kids who are old enough to have a decent conversation with, but not too cheeky! I also get all those lovely holidays WITHOby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Hi Spittledung, sounds like the move has been quite stressful for you. Hope you're getting sorted now. I've noticed you've started commenting on Gareth's blog site again, so look forward to your views on some of the Xtra puzzles when you get the time!!by Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
I've just got an 'O' level in maths and used to hate it at school, but for some reason have got totally addicted to the number puzzles over the last few years! I will persevere with the puzzle - thanks for the encouragement - I had worked out that the rows/columns/boxes would add up to zero - I think what I need to do next is write down possible combinations for the different numbers. I'll let yby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Just to echo everything Sue said above, and very relieved to hear Sudoku Xtra will continue! It really is the only devent Sudoku tyoe mag around with continual new challenges - I woiuldn't go back to Sudoku Pro now either. Thanks Garethby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Thanks for clarifying Gareth - just leaves me wondering - if you do get asked to supply puzzles for Sudoku Pro will you still produce Sudoku Xtra as well, because as you say it is "a leap beyond", but I know there are only so many hours in a day! Wouldn't want to see the demise of Xtra though!by Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Well done Sue on completing that one. How difficult/easy did you find it? I must admit, I'm struggling with the negative numbers. I've completed nearly all the left 3 x 3 boxes and also the right ones, but the ones in the middle are causing me a bit of a headache! Having said that, I think a bit more playing around with negative number combinations will help! I still enjoy the standard killeby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Perhaps you can clarify Gareth? It seems a bit strange to me. I had noticed a post on your blog site saying something about this, and that Sudoku Pro really had not been ressurrected, but that post seems to have been deleted now. I have just followed the above link out of curiosity and the issue they have on display is issue 27 when there were 50 issues of the magazine before it folded I thinkby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
I can only speak for myself because I am not a yajilin expert, but I am finding some of the difficult puzzles in the above book difficult! They start off easy enough bit once I get about two thirds of the loop done I am finding there are no clues left that I can use! I am having to avoid the tendency to trial and error the rest as it ends up in a mess! I know the clues must be in there somewheby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Troy, I don't know whether you've seen, but nikoli have added two more sample puzzles to their Yajilin page both 20 x 36 classed as 'hard' - I haven't tried them yet, but a couple more for you to do whilst you wait for Sudoku Xtra 5 to arrive!!by Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
The Yajilin book arrived from Amazon on Saturday and needless to say I've done a good few of the puzzles over the last couple of days and so now feel well equipped to tackle the one you are promising for issue 6! Just in case anyone is interested the Nikoli series of books are really great for learning a new puzzle. This particular one - Yajilin and Sudoku contains 48 sudoku puzzles and 96by Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Definitely more straight forward than masyu and yajilin! I never thought I'd hear myself say this about a loop puzzle but I found these quite easy!! A good introduction to a new type of puzzle. I found that the single cell gates and the relatively large number of black cells meant that you could plot quite a large part of the loop before having to apply any logic. I am sure they could get hardby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Well, I've not cracked the samuai version in issue 4 yet, but not prepared to give in as yet! The 9 x 9 puzzles in issue 5 are quite a bit easier than the ones in issue 4 and as such very good fun. Would like to see them continue.by Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Thought I'd start a new thread for this since it seems to have got mixed in with the Skyscraper topic. Lucky me has two weeks holiday from work over Easter so lots of extra time for puzzles! Troy, thanks for the tips, these came in really useful - sometimes you just need the obvious stating like putting dots where squares are definitely part of the loop. Gareth, it was great to have soby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
Thanks for the tips Troy - I am hoping the easier ones Gareth has promised for Issue 5 will get me started - will have a serious look at the ones in the older magazines when I get in from work tonight and see how I get on! I tend to go for number puzzles rather than loop ones but am trying to branch out a bit now! Dave, have also done the SSSSSS now - a fun puzzle and not too difficult with iby Christine - Sudoku Xtra Discussion Forum
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