** TODAY'S PUZZLE **
Some puzzles are easy and some aren't. This one isn't!

Phistomefel has merged the logic problem Japanese Sums with sudoku in a sublime and mindbending way. The result is one of the greatest puzzles you'll ever try and features the most annoying type of clue: the asterisk which in Japanese Sums is actually LESS useful than a chocolate teapot!!

Play the puzzle at the link below:

https://app.crackingthecryptic.com/su...

Rules:
Shade some of the cells and write a digit from 1 to 9 in every unshaded cell such that no digit repeats within a row or column. Shaded cells cannot contain numbers. A row or column does not necessarily contain every digit from 1 to 9. There are nine orthogonallyconnected sets of unshaded cells containing each digit from 1 to 9 exactly once, in the grid. Each unshaded cell is part of such a region and the regions may not touch orthogonally, but may touch diagonally. The clues outside of the grid are “Japanese Sum” clues. A number indicates the sum of the digits in a consecutive set of unshaded cells. The clues are given in the right order. A single '?' represents a single digit from 1 to 9. Combined with another digit, it can also be 0, as long as it is not the leading digit. E.g. '1?' could be any number from 10 to 19 and '?4' can be 14, 24, 34 or 44. '??' represents some number which is greater than 9. '*' represents any number of sets of consecutive unshaded cells with arbitrary sums including no unshaded cells at all. Every consecutive set of unshaded cell is accounted for by Japanese Sum clues.

The poem Departure mentioned at the start of the video is by Brian Bilson, who appears on Twitter at

@brian_bilston

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** NEW CONTENT ON PATREON **
As well as the Phistomefel and Jay Dyer extravaganzas, Simon's solve of Magnus Josefsson's puzzle Castle Wall Yin Yang #1 is now available as a bonus video. You can play the puzzle at the link below (and the logicmasters link contains an example):

https://app.crackingthecryptic.com/su...

https://logicmasters.de/Raetselporta...

Joining us on Patreon costs as little as $2 a month.

Remember that patrons gets access to their own special channel on the CtC Fan Discord server where you can find hints ;)

  / crackingthecryptic  

** NEW GAS PACK IS OUT **
The new GAS pack is out on Steam for PC here:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/21...

It's already out on Android and App Store. 60 original puzzles by Sam CapplemanLynes, Clover and Philip Newman!! Earn party hats and dinosaurs with these brand new puzzles!

We've also released a FREE app full of handmade puzzles to celebrate reaching 500k subscribers simply download the Cracking The Cryptic app on Android, Steam or App Store and then select the 500k pack. We're streaming a playthrough of this app and you can watch all seven episodes

▶ Contact Us ◀

Twitter: @Cracking The Cryptic
email: [email protected]

Our PO Box address:

Simon Anthony & Mark Goodliffe
Box 102
56 Gloucester Road
London
SW7 4UB

(Please note to use our real names rather than 'Cracking The Cryptic'.)

▶ SUDOKU PAD Use Our Software For Your Puzzles ◀

You can input classic sudoku puzzles into our software and help support Sven, the programmer responsible for the wonderful user interface we all use to play these puzzles everyday. The app also comes with 12 handmade puzzles from us:

iOS:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/svenss...

Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/17...
Android:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...

ALSO on Amazon: Search for “SudokuPad”

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