Samurai SuDoku, Killer Sudoku and more

I told you there is something special coming today and here it is: my first Hidoku puzzle!

These puzzles have been introduced earlier this year and it seems they’re catching on. They are being published under the name “Hidato” but I will have to use Hidoku.

The rules of Hidoku are very simple:
1. It can be played on a square or rectangle of any size
2. Numbers from 1 to the size of the puzzle are used. For example, for 9×9 puzzles, numbers from 1 to 81 are used.
3. First and last numbers are always shown in the puzzle and they’re circled.
4. Now, the main rule: consecutive numbers MUST BE adjacent to each other, horizontally, vertically OR diagonally. Therefore, there is a connected path of consecutive numbers from 1 to 81 (or whatever the size). Your job, of course, is to fill in all the numbers.

9×9 Hidoku for Friday, October 24, 2008.

Click to download the puzzle in your favorite format:

png solution – final

Questions, comments, ideas?