Another excellent set of puzzles, I'm really impressed! I was the one who slipped on a symmetric tapa and again dropped the second place. The question is how to cure children's diseases?

I'm looking forward to the hardest contest. I just hope that I will not see a big-size grids, like 17x17 or something.

Nikola

In this year we are not using optimizer puzzles, so it causes that some solvers get same points, and it is hard to identify who is better. So i've been trying to design tests
that are finishable by one or two competitors. It worked smoothly in the 1st test, but it didnt for 2nd. I have to design like this, because i have not any optimizer puzzles or time bonuses which provide acceptable result distribution.

I think it is an easy way to make giant puzzles to reduce competitors' performance. Another easy way is making a lot of puzzles in only one test. The solution is neither making hard puzzles. Because as a contest designer i have to offer some fun to every participant. Each participant should enjoy the test. So, clearly we have two main missions with this series:

1- Test should be designed in a way that it doesn't include giants, so many hard puzzles or a lot of puzzles
2- Fun for everyone

I have to make some tricks or whatever you say to make some troubles for competitors, due to lack of optimizer and time bonuses, like more attention requiring answer rows. I am so sorry for this. Because i think every participant should get points which deserve. But this answer rows prevent it to happen.

In the TVC VII, i will design considering these, and of course before the end i have to make some different tricks because of deciding only one Tapa Master.

All the best,

Serkan

I really liked a lot of the puzzles, much more than in the last contest. Especially the (at least for me) surprising end of the first Same as Tapa is great.