Mock Test 16 will be on 14-Mar-2010

Sudoku Author - Amit Sowani and Kshitij Sharma
Tester - Rajesh Kumar
Number of Rounds - 1
Type of Sudokus - Sudoku mixed with basic logic puzzle variants.
Time - 24 hours

We are planning to include the following types in this mock test:
Battleship Sudoku
Skyscraper Sudoku
Sudokuro
Minesweeper Sudoku
Domino Sudoku
Easy as Sudoku
Mastermind Sudoku
Word Search Sudoku
Kropki Sudoku
Basic Sudoku
Paint by number Sudoku
Pirate Sudoku

Will upload the instructions for these puzzles soon.

Looks like a fine and interesting bunch of puzzles!! Am trying to figure out whether these are sudokus based on puzzles or puzzles based on sudoku :D .... Looking forward to it....

Hey Amit... This is a sudoku mock test, not a puzzle mock! ;-)

Interesting variants... waiting for the IB...

What is Pirate Sudoku?

Pirate Sudoku is a new variant created by Kshitij.
The rules are as follows:

Fill in the grid with digits from 1 to 9 so that each row, column and 3x3-box has exactly one of each digit. The 5’s represent treasure chests and are completely surrounded by (horizontally and vertically only) pirates (1, 2, 3 and 4). The commoners (6, 7, 8 and 9) cannot be found next to a treasure chest (5)

So Basically, Amit what you are saying is the numbers 1,2,3,4,5 will always form a plus sign... and there is an option of the numbers 1,2,3,4 repeating in that with 5 always in the center?? and also that 6,7,8,9 will never be vertically or horizontally adjoining the number 5.... If this is correct then I have solved it... lol

It is not necessary to form + sign.
5 can also be at a corner or on the sides.

ok.. I accept it Deb.. I havent solved it then... lol

While the IB is put up in a couple of days, I think it is better that everyone gets a chance to discuss the rules for the new puzzles.

Most of the puzzles have appeared in various sources earlier. Apart from that there are a couple of puzzles which have been developed by us. I have already explained the rules for Pirate Sudoku and I hope that Deb's explanation has satisfied Rishi's curiosity :)

The other new type is Mastermind Sudoku. The rules for which are as follows.

Fill in the grid with digits from 1 to 9 so that each row, column and 3x3-box has exactly one of each digit. The black and white markers to the right of the grid correspond to the 5 consecutive marked cells in that row and the code given below the grid. Black markers indicate correct numbers in the right position in the 5 digits and the code, while the white ones mark correct numbers in the code in the wrong place among the 5 digits.

I will provide an example for this puzzle in the IB.

Either way you look at it, we have tried to make the puzzles in a way so that the sudoku solving element dominates the puzzle. We have also tried to make the sudokus simple and enjoyable to solve. Hope you have fun solving them!!

My main aim is to introduce the sudoku solving audience to the wider range of puzzles. I will also provide simple examples of the basic puzzle types for participants to solve in the instruction booklet.

Amit, Good to know that "Sudoku solving elements dominates". It clarifies whether it is a Sudoku Mock or Puzzle Mock :)

I did not understand "Basic sudoku" (unless it is classic)

Ya its classic, Sudoku in its most basic form. That was my internal representation, to signify that it is not a mix with any other type.
At one point I thought I should call it Sudoku Sudoku after which I thought that I was going a bit overboard.

Amit I think what you are doing is great.... Sudokus are but a small part of the puzzle world. Lot of sudokists are not very good at puzzles and do not understand them completely... Im one of that majority.... This will help ppl like us to attempt puzzle competitions in the future .... Nice idea....

I agree with you Rishi... I personally dont like puzzles as much as sudokus, and I am not even good at them :(

So seems like Amit is gearing everyone to give a good shot at IPC 2010. Good news is more participants, bad news is more competition ;-)

The IB should be out by tonight. Meanwhile I will give a preview of some of the sudokus for which I have borrowed ideas from external sources.

Battleship Sudoku
Fill the grid also that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contain the digits 1 through 9. To solve the sudoku you will need to locate the position of the 10-ship fleet in the grid. The ships with size greater then 1 can be placed only in horizontal and vertical directions. The ships do not touch each other, not even diagonally. The numbers outside the grid indicate how many cells in that row or column contain parts of ships. The ship can not occupy the cells with given digits.
Example: http://motris.livejournal.com/79580.html

Digital Paint by Number Sudoku
Fill in the grid with digits from 1 to 9 so that each row, column and 3x3-box has exactly one of each digit. You also need to shade a few cells within the grid to find out a hidden figure. The numbers on the sides of the grid give the sum of the shaded cells in each shaded stretch in a certain row or column. The black regions are separated by at least one or more empty cells.
Example: http://motris.livejournal.com/23949.html

Easy as Sudoku
Fill the grid with the digits 1 to 6. Each row, column and 3x3-box has exactly one of each digit and 3 empty cells. The clues along the edges tell you which digit you can see from that direction
Example: http://www.sachsentext.de/en/endview_sudoku1.htm

Word Search Sudoku
Place the alphabets C,D,E,K,M,O,S,T and U in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3 X 3 box contains each alphabet at least once. You should be able to find the words given below the grid. These words can be placed horizontally, vertically, or diagonally - forward or backward.
Example: http://www.sachsentext.de/en/wortsuch_sudoku1.htm

The Instruction Booklet is available for download at the mock 16 test page.

Thanks to Deb for creating examples for 3 of the puzzles. (Minesweeper, Mastermind and Pirate Sudoku)
I also borrowed 3 puzzles from Ritesh's mock 6 (Sudokuro and Skyscraper Sudoku and the Classic Sudoku)

Unfortunately I couldnt create examples for some of the types for which I have provided links to external sources.

The Instruction Booklet also contains an Appendix (last 5 pages). This is mainly for participants who are new to logic puzzles apart from Sudoku. It is only to help you solve the Sudoku variants and they will not appear in the mock test.

Hope you have a fun mock test !!

Amit,

Couple of doubts with the IB.
1. Mastermind Sudoku - I thought the 5 digit code will be given. In the IB it is not.
2. The Dominos given in the appendix has no similarity with the 'Domino Sudoku'

@ Deb:
You are right about the Mastermind Sudoku, the code will be given in the puzzle. I forgot to enter it in the IB.

For the IB example the code is "28471"

I have not seen this puzzle type before an wanted to have a simple introductory puzzle. However in the future I think puzzle creators can choose to create puzzles without the code given, where identifying the code will be a part of the puzzle solving process.

The Dominos example is not similar to the Domino Sudoku, but that is the best introductory example I had. I have also created a separate example for Domino Sudoku which should make the rules of domino Sudoku pretty clear. More examples can be found in previous Japanese Number Place Championships.

thanx.....I wasted so much of time indentifying the code...........but the puzzle was one star when the code was known.

One request to organisers - please see that the grid lines are marked properly in the puzzle especially the region boundaries as in Sudokuro it was difficult to identify regions as the boundaries were not bold at places.

Grid lines will be marked properly in the puzzle pdf and also online flash

Amit,

Can you please tell me if in the minesweeper sudoku of IB, r9c3 shouldn't be coloured in grey? If not, can you tell me the solution, because I've done a mistake :( .

Thanks

Fred

Fred, I'd created this example, and here is the solution.

[ debmohanty edited - Corrected example after amnon pointed a mistake ]