Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
h a l f b a k e r y
Funny peculiar.

idea: add, search, annotate, link, view, overview, recent, by name, random

meta: news, help, about, links, report a problem

account: browse anonymously, or get an account and write.

user:
pass:
register,


                                                                     

cryptic sudoku

help me here…
  (+7, -2)
(+7, -2)
  [vote for,
against]

o.k. you know the regular sudoku square – 9 x 9 square

its divided by 9 little boxes 3 x 3 = 9

we will identify these boxes
A B C
D E F
G H I

and call them the squares…

Each square has a line – numbered 1, 2, & 3

and within each line is a cell, numbered i, ii, iii.

So you want to complete the puzzle?

every day we (?) give you a new puzzle and new clues…

you must solve the cryptic clue that gives you the number for each square.

I have to give credit to [dub] for the essence of this idea.

po, Sep 02 2006

A different Cryptic Sudoku http://www.crossbud.com/forum10/34.html
With letters taking the role of numbers. (And I've been starting at the solutions for a few minutes now and *still* can't figure out four of the clues.) [jutta, Sep 02 2006]

standard grid http://216.92.105.178/gifs/Sudoku.png
[po, Sep 04 2006]

Sudoku Puzzle Master Sudoku_20Puzzle_20Master
Alas - read my comment [DesertFox, Sep 05 2006]

The Times daily sudoku puzzle. http://www.timesonl...on/0,,23509,00.html
Never could get to grips with cryptic clues. I'll stick with the standard stuff thanks. [DrBob, Sep 05 2006]

[link]






       So, what would one of those daily clues look like? All those squares within squares have me a little confused.
jutta, Sep 02 2006
  

       hmmmm, desperately coming up with a clue for one!
po, Sep 02 2006
  

       o.k.   

       A,1,i = happy lottery event.
po, Sep 02 2006
  

       Ah. Got it. But I wouldn't change the coordinate systems for the outer and inner 3x3 squares; just make it A-IxA-I on both scales. That way, you have more chances for puns that involve partial coordinates.
E.g. C = prior to?
  

       Either way, I'd enjoy playing this!
jutta, Sep 02 2006
  

       I think I get this and it sounds like an evil little teaser. Could you set us one?
wagster, Sep 03 2006
  

       give me thyme.
po, Sep 03 2006
  

       <OT> Sorry to miss you at the Windmill. Obviously we miss each other at these things because we are both croissant charged, and like charges repel. Or something.</OT>
wagster, Sep 03 2006
  

       what can I say? <bang>   

       I have a whole week off next 5 days? any chance meeting me and dub?
po, Sep 03 2006
  

       :)
Dub, Sep 03 2006
  

       No idea. Is there somewhere online where I can try it?
jutta, Sep 04 2006
  

       My son introduced me to a sudoku in one of his magazines ("Valiant Card Playing Ninja Kids With Spiky Hair" I think it was) which replaced the numbers with random symbols (star, heart, skull, club etc.). It was surprisingly difficult.   

       [po/dub] - I have returned from holiday to a backlog of work that will see me happily through the week and weekend :..(
wagster, Sep 05 2006
  

       Alas, po, I have beaten you to the concept of sudoku puzzles making up parts of larger sudoku puzzles. Read the last bit.   

       I hereby launch a formal complaint against your unfair treatment of nahrwals.
DesertFox, Sep 05 2006
  

       But... this idea is about sudoku starter numbers being provided by cryptic clues... isn't it?
wagster, Sep 05 2006
  

       it couldn't be less cryptic.   

       starter numbers? hmmm, thats interesting - but actually I meant all of them.
po, Sep 05 2006
  

       Right. So this is a 27 x 27 grid with a cryptic clue for each square?
wagster, Sep 05 2006
  

       I think this is great, despite (or because) there can only be a limited number of ways you can cryptically describe any particular digit.
a) Oh, North Easterly! Al is not alone.
b) More than one, but less than a baker's quarter dozen.
c) A place of healing inside a tall perennial woody plant ?
d) A garrison with no hot beverages?
e) Logical branching clause backs into end of bee's house, backwards.
f) Not sex. Not with me anyway.
g) Ballesteros looks towards the Arctic.
h) Of past food and negative emotion.
i) Nine.
zen_tom, Sep 05 2006
  

       I'm stuck on b.
po, Sep 05 2006
  

       Come to think of it, b) did suffer from some ambiguity, it should be altered to read:
b) More than one, but less than a baker's quarter dozen, minus one.
or
b) More than one, but less than a regular quarter dozen.
I was never very good at maths - or sudoku for that matter.
zen_tom, Sep 05 2006
  

       well, it is *cryptic*
po, Sep 05 2006
  

       <ahem> *too* cryptic?
zen_tom, Sep 05 2006
  

       Well that's just great. I start off by understanding the whole concept and now I understand neither the puzzle nor the clues. I'm just going to draw a random grid, fill it with numbers and feel satisfied.
wagster, Sep 05 2006
  

       Let me try to summarize.
The cryptic clues all evaluate to numbers.
(For example, "A garrison with no hot beverages" is a "fort" without "T", or - 4)
In the real puzzle, the clues would be prefixed by a coordinate that tells you where in the 9x9 sudoku grid the number belongs.
A fully solved cryptic puzzle yields an unsolved sudoku, with enough numbers filled in to begin solving it.
Clearer now? (Po, did I get that right?)
jutta, Sep 05 2006
  

       //A fully solved cryptic puzzle yields a//... a solved sudoku puzzle.   

       I think you'll all hate me when you realise the simplicity.
po, Sep 05 2006
  

       The 'bakery moniker version:   

       Quest-20
longshot/1111
A canonized 'baker
...
Shz, Sep 05 2006
  

       clever
po, Sep 05 2006
  

       In a sneaky attempt to turn this into a list..

a) A Spanish male, less tidy than the female.
b) A slice of ballet dress, as well.
c) Succinct alternative to a more economic outcome at Balaclava.
d) Golfing outburst to the front.
e) Glumm girlfriend in front of insect house (bit obscure that one but po will remember it!)
f) Fallen branches missing their evening meal.
g) Former England football manager needs a bit of effort.
h) No greeting outside of Caribbean country.
i) Negative German.
DrBob, Sep 05 2006
  

       much too young to remember (e), DrBob. :)
po, Sep 06 2006
  

       Cool. I now get this although I won't have time to solve the clues - I have no time at work for messing around, you know...
wagster, Sep 06 2006
  

       we understand that and feel your pain. ;)
po, Sep 06 2006
  

       That's a cakewalk, compared to King Magazine's "Wu Tang Sudoku"...that one was hard.
sleeka, Sep 06 2006
  
      
[annotate]
  


 

back: main index

business  computer  culture  fashion  food  halfbakery  home  other  product  public  science  sport  vehicle