A practice puzzle Consecutive: http://swaroopg92.blogspot.com/2015/03/puzzle-no-129-consecutive-su... by me.
Also Rajesh, posted a average sudoku: http://www.funwithpuzzles.com/2015/03/average-sudoku-daily-sudoku-l...

Can I please get Hints to get started with kropki sudoku?

Try to find a series of two or three black dots in succession within a row/column/box. They can be 124 or 248 (for 2 black dots) and 1248 (for three black dots). Normally you will get a contradiction with some of the possibilities and be able to proceed. Also, 5/7/9 cannot occupy a cell with a black dot. If there is no series of two or three dots, you may have to go ahead with pencilmarking of the cells containing black dots first, and proceed. In general, the starting hints are hidden in or around the cells with black dots. Also, if there is a long series of white dots in succession, they can also help start.

You can also look through the following discussions:

http://rohanrao.blogspot.in/2008/11/rules-of-kropki.html

http://www.sudokuxtra.com/forum/read.php?2,1138

With less than a hour left,
I would like to wish all participants BEST OF LUCK !
It's your last chance to come back and make it to finals.
I strongly recommend for all beginners to go through tricks and practice puzzles from the links shared in earlier posts.
Good Luck ! :)

Edited by swaroop2011 2015-03-21 4:54 AM

Link to score page : http://logicmastersindia.com/SM/201503/score.asp

How well did the variants represent the theme of the test ?	variations represented the theme well
What was your opinion of the distribution of easy/hard puzzles?	Just right
What did you think about the puzzle quality of the test?	Fairly Nice
Of the puzzles you solved/attempted, how well did the point values reflect the difficulty?	Many puzzles were worth too much or too little

Thanks a lot!!

How well did the variants represent the theme of the test ?	variations represented the theme well
What was your opinion of the distribution of easy/hard puzzles?	Just right
What did you think about the puzzle quality of the test?	Very nice
Of the puzzles you solved/attempted, how well did the point values reflect the difficulty?	Most puzzles were worth the right amount

How well did the variants represent the theme of the test ?	variations represented the theme well
What was your opinion of the distribution of easy/hard puzzles?	Too many hard puzzles
What did you think about the puzzle quality of the test?	Very nice
Of the puzzles you solved/attempted, how well did the point values reflect the difficulty?	Most puzzles were worth the right amount

How well did the variants represent the theme of the test ?	variations represented the theme well
What was your opinion of the distribution of easy/hard puzzles?	Just right
What did you think about the puzzle quality of the test?	Very nice
Of the puzzles you solved/attempted, how well did the point values reflect the difficulty?	Most puzzles were worth the right amount

There were a lot of good variants in this test. I especially liked the average sudoku, which I had never seen before. Nice job with this, Swaroop.

How well did the variants represent the theme of the test ?	variations represented the theme well
What was your opinion of the distribution of easy/hard puzzles?	Just right
What did you think about the puzzle quality of the test?	Very nice
Of the puzzles you solved/attempted, how well did the point values reflect the difficulty?	Most puzzles were worth the right amount

I am not able to solve online the puzzles. a message of submission not allowed is displayed.

You might have cleaned your cache after starting the test.
Option 1) Open a new tab and submit there. (Don't close the old tab - you can copy the solution from the old tab)
Option 2) Submit using the text boxes (type the 2 rows in the text boxes), if that works.

How well did the variants represent the theme of the test ?	variations represented the theme well
What was your opinion of the distribution of easy/hard puzzles?	Just right
What did you think about the puzzle quality of the test?	Very nice
Of the puzzles you solved/attempted, how well did the point values reflect the difficulty?	Most puzzles were worth the right amount

This test, I think, is a good way for beginners to join and start solving sudoku. Everything came out well and easily. Well done!

How well did the variants represent the theme of the test ?	variations represented the theme well
What was your opinion of the distribution of easy/hard puzzles?	Just right
What did you think about the puzzle quality of the test?	Very nice
Of the puzzles you solved/attempted, how well did the point values reflect the difficulty?	Most puzzles were worth the right amount

How well did the variants represent the theme of the test ?	variations represented the theme well
What was your opinion of the distribution of easy/hard puzzles?	Just right
What did you think about the puzzle quality of the test?	Very nice
Of the puzzles you solved/attempted, how well did the point values reflect the difficulty?	Most puzzles were worth the right amount

Nice puzzles Swaroop. I liked the mini Average Sudoku the most and this the Sudoku which took maximum time for me to solve. At the beginning, I was not getting any opening in this Sudoku and then once I found out the 6 cannot be on line then it went through and ending of this puzzle was interesting. It again took me time to use converse rule and put 1 and 3 at end.
Great puzzles and great job Swaroop, looking forward for more such tests from your side.

How well did the variants represent the theme of the test ?	variations represented the theme well
What was your opinion of the distribution of easy/hard puzzles?	Just right
What did you think about the puzzle quality of the test?	Very nice
Of the puzzles you solved/attempted, how well did the point values reflect the difficulty?	Most puzzles were worth the right amount

Great puzzles... Thanks a lot, Swaroop!

Thank you all for all comments so far, I am glad and happy that you all enjoyed the test.

@ghirsch -- Yes average sudoku is not so commonly used but is a nice variant for Converse type.

@rajesh -- Thanks, I suppose if you would have the read the tips and tricks i have shared; you wouldn't have spent time on thinking for it. I also look forward to create more tests in future. :)

How well did the variants represent the theme of the test ?	variations represented the theme well
What was your opinion of the distribution of easy/hard puzzles?	Just right
What did you think about the puzzle quality of the test?	Very nice
Of the puzzles you solved/attempted, how well did the point values reflect the difficulty?	Most puzzles were worth the right amount

How well did the variants represent the theme of the test ?	variations represented the theme well
What was your opinion of the distribution of easy/hard puzzles?	Just right
What did you think about the puzzle quality of the test?	Fairly Nice
Of the puzzles you solved/attempted, how well did the point values reflect the difficulty?	Most puzzles were worth the right amount

How well did the variants represent the theme of the test ?	variations represented the theme well
What was your opinion of the distribution of easy/hard puzzles?	Just right
What did you think about the puzzle quality of the test?	Very nice
Of the puzzles you solved/attempted, how well did the point values reflect the difficulty?	Most puzzles were worth the right amount

That was a fitting finale to the series of Sudoku Mahabharat episodes.All the sudokus were neatly crafted and had lovely logical solve paths.I got broken in the Anti-Knight(11) which slowed down my solve considerably towards the end.I enjoyed solving the Consecutive(13)and the Sudoku XV(10)the most.These stand out as my favourites from the whole lot.

The password for the test couldn't have been more apt and the test just couldn't have been any better .I am satisfied with my show through all the episodes .I am a little disappointed that there wouldn't be any more episodes to look forward to from such a great crop of Indian authors and utterly dejected even more for a different reason..............

Thanks to all the Indian authors and to Swaroop for concluding this SM series in a great way!After seeing so many new names in the Indian contestants contingent,I am sure the main prerogative of this whole SM Idea which is to attract more new Indians into sudoku and to give a chance for the lesser known solvers to compete in an offline final modelled similar to a WSC has certainly been achieved .

How well did the variants represent the theme of the test ?	variations represented the theme well
What was your opinion of the distribution of easy/hard puzzles?	Too many medium difficult puzzles
What did you think about the puzzle quality of the test?	Very nice
Of the puzzles you solved/attempted, how well did the point values reflect the difficulty?	Most puzzles were worth the right amount

How well did the variants represent the theme of the test ?	variations represented the theme well
What was your opinion of the distribution of easy/hard puzzles?	Just right
What did you think about the puzzle quality of the test?	Very nice
Of the puzzles you solved/attempted, how well did the point values reflect the difficulty?	Most puzzles were worth the right amount