Samurai SuDoku, Killer Sudoku and more

I hope you all had a nice Christmas and that you are enduring the cold weather well. Well, those in the Northern hemisphere anyway.

Let me tell you about the changes that I plan for 2009:

There will be more Jigsaw Sudoku puzzles on the Daily Sudoku page. They will be accompanied by the Sudoku Straights puzzles, which is something new, but I think you should learn. There will be fewer (non)consecutive puzzles – it seems they’ve gone out of fashion.

The “Download” page with Perfect Sudoku v0.4 is gone. That software is more than 3 years old and is way outdated. For the time being, I do not intend to release a newer version.

There will be a new page with daily puzzles! In fact, as of tomorrow, you will be able to download Daily Hidoku puzzles from this site! For those unfamiliar with Hidoku, check the puzzle variants category.

I intend to start creating more puzzle types: Hitori and Nurikabe are next in the queue! Stay tuned for updates.

I intend to publish a number of new books as well as new volumes of the old ones. Very soon a Picross (Hanjie, Griddlers, Nonograms) book is coming, followed by new volumes of the “Revenge”, Samurai, Hidoku and KenDoku. I’ll keep you posted.

That’s it for now. Have a great New Year’s Eve! Best wishes!

UPDATE: Sorry folks, for various reasons, I will start posting the daily Hidoku puzzles from around the 15th of January.

Here is a brand new Sudoku variation as a special Christmas present. Hope you will like it.

The rules:
1. Use numbers 1-9. Numbers cannot be repeated in rows/columns.
2. There are no nonets (3×3 boxes) like in other Sudoku puzzles.
3. Black cells do not contain numbers. Therefore, not all numbers 1-9 will appear in all rows/columns. (Be careful when applying hidden singles!)
4. And the main rule: numbers in one row/column that are between two black cells (or between a black cell and the border) must constitute a sequence, or if you prefer poker (texas hold’em or whatever) terminology, they must constitute a straight. Now, do not confuse this with consecutive sudoku! The numbers can be in any order, adjacent numbers need not be consecutive! Just like in poker.

Merry Christmas folks!

UPDATE: A new “Sudoku Straights” puzzle will be shown every Friday on the Sudoku page.

Sudoku Straights for Christmas 2008.
Click to download the puzzle in your favorite format:

png solution – final

Enjoy your holidays!

After so many different Sudoku variations and other puzzle books, it is time to present you something more ordinary, but of the top quality. Three brand new books that are available on Amazon and Lulu NOW!

Djape does Sudoku: 300 puzzles for advanced solvers

Diagonal Sudoku: 200 puzzles with an X

Jigsaw Sudoku: 150 very twisted puzzles

US $5.95	US $5.95	US $4.95

These books, along with the previous ones, should take you through the holiday season. But rest assured there are more coming in January!