So far, 5 solves on LMD. Hoping it will get enough to be given a rating.

In the meantime, I have a simpler puzzle to celebrate my debut there.


(Name of puzzle removed because it didn't seem appropriate on the day of the Queen's passing.)

Standard sudoku rules apply: each row, column, and 3x3 box must contain all the digits from 1 to 9.

Digits separated by an X must sum to 10. Digits separated by a V must sum to 5. Not all Xs and Vs are necessarily given.

The green lines are Whispers lines: adjacent digits connected by a green line must have a difference of at least 5.

F-puzzles https://f-puzzles.com/?id=2l8nnb8g

CtC https://************/yck9d8ym uh-oh. I can't seem to get the tinyurl to work. Asterisks should be tinyurl dot com.

Sadly, Zen-Ten has only gotten 5 solves. Oh well, it is based on an unfamiliar constraint, so I shouldn't be surprised. I did put one of my old puzzles up: Three at a Time. It has had 79 solves and a 93% rating, so I am really pumped about that.

At this time, when I make a new puzzle, I put it on the CtC discord server for testing and feedback, and it might make its way onto Logic Masters Germany. Of course, those sites get a lot of submissions, so there isn't always a lot of feedback, but there are a lot of people who solve a lot of puzzles.

What I would like to know is should I continue to post at least some of my less weird puzzles here? Maybe what I could do is post a link to Logic Master Germany, for example, when I post a puzzle there. If any POGGERS want to try it, they can use the link and claim solves there, and provide feedback, as well as rating the puzzle. On the internet, ratings and reviews are king.

Thank you all for the support you have given me in this thread. I really think it has made me a better setter, and pushed my passion for this hobby even further. A special thank you to POGcrazy94 for starting this thread on the day after my anniversary in 2020. Coincidentally, I got married in '94.

Bold seems good.

I have tried your last two.. got what I thought was fairly deep into finding a break in, but stalled on both.

But, I am a GAS guy, and those were above that level..

Keeping plugging away Eric. It seems a tough gig as there are probably more keeners wanting to make hard puzzles then there are people wanting to take the time to solve them. I wanted to get your "solves" and feedback up but not smart enough to solve them..lol

I spoke too soon on Happy Day..
fresh eyes helped

It seemed to have several small break-in points as opposed to one "ah hah" moment where I knew I was going to get it.

It was a nice puzzle..

Thanks, AK, for doing the puzzle and the support. I think I'll go with the plan as outlined.

Yesterday's puzzle that Simon done on the channel is one of the greatest i've seen (the chess one)

The one he did the day before was right up there as well

Well, it didn't register my solve when I put in the solution as I haven't made an account on there. So you have 1 more technically

Thanks!

Actually, I thought you might have been the jalebc on LMD.

A few others have asked the same question, but no. There are 0 c's in my name. (I think Derektionary asked one time from Rangsk's/ZetaMath's community)

Btw, if people haven't looked them up, they stream on Youtube solving puzzles submitted by viewers (Zeta is a bit more picky and more difficult) multiple afternoons during the week.

https://www.youtube.com/c/zetamathdoespuzzles
https://www.youtube.com/c/Rangsk

I've had a few of mine show up on Rangsk's streams. Haven't done the fish puzzle yet (Which I wish I named One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Duplex) but that's just a pun only a few people would get.

I have seen them. I can't quite commit to a lengthy viewing, though. I don't expect any of mine to show up; only "Three at a Time" has gotten much attention on either discord or LMD. I really thought the anti-palindrome puzzle would have at least aroused more interest.

Rangsk is often searching for puzzles, and they're live streamed, so it's not expected for you to be there the whole time. They each have testers before they even broadcast the solve to ensure it won't break.

I messaged zetamath about how Zen-Ten has fared on LMD. I wasn't too optimistic, given it only has six solves and no rating. However, I just heard from zetamath that six solves for a new setter on the site isn't bad, and that he would "add it to the bucket." So not there yet, but encouraging.

Since posting Zen-Ten, I have put up eight more - all of which are in this thread. My most successful has been Three at a Time, with 93 solves and a 93% approval rating.

Once again, I would never have gotten to this point without this forum and all of you sudoku lovers. If zetamath does a live solve of my puzzle, I will certainly post it here.

Another volume of Cracking the Cryptic's Greatest Hits has been announced! The Kickstarter has just begun. If anyone is interested in backing the new book (and perhaps getting a copy of volume 1), here is a link.

https://emails.kickstarter.com/ss/c/...hVuSQRW57QrSZ0

Based on how fast pledges are coming in, it wouldn't surprise me if it were fully funded within a few hours.

I just published a new puzzle on Logic Master Germany. I have also put up a bunch of my old ones.

That's 3 in the DNA

https://logic-masters.de/Raetselport....php?id=000C9G

I'll give it the good old college try this month.... I have not been able to get the last two or yours.... too tough for me..

I would probably be having a lot of problems solving (and setting) these kinds of puzzles if I weren't watching a lot of video solves. CtC, BremSter, zetamath are all good channels.

I'll be getting some extra books from the kickstarter, so I'll need to find a way to distribute some of them.

I'm participating in the Secret Santa event on the Cracking the Cryptic discord server. I created a nice looking puzzle, and have gotten grkles (!) to be a tester for me. I'm pretty pumped.

I'll get my puzzle after the 19th. Really looking forward to it.

I'll have to redo it. Somehow broke for me.

I did that while testing, too. I think I found it easy to lose track of things.

zetamath is doing my puzzle (zen-ten) on his channel right now!

It's about 2:07:00 into the stream.

I watched that. Neat.

I am glad your hard setting work has gotten some attention and that puzzle was really good.

Nice job Eric!!!

POGGY NEW YEAR

Here is an easy sudoku to celebrate turning the calendar one more time with POG, and all the great people who hang out here. This is for POG alone, and doesn't appear anywhere else. It is also easy enough that novice solvers should be able to do it.


Standard sudoku rules apply: each row, column, and 3x3 box must contain all the digits from 1 to 9.

The grey lines are Thermometers: digits in cells along a thermometer must increase from the bulb to each tip.

Cells with an X between them contain digits which sum to 10. Not all possible Xs are shown.


The puzzle can be found here: https://f-puzzles.com/?id=2mlzzp2c

Or, try going to tinyurl dot com /3fm2ycsp. This doesn't like to work if I try to put in the link.

That was fun Eric. Trickier than I thought it would be...

solve sent

Thx for making this for us. Have a great holiday and a happy new year.