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PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 9:54 pm 
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Grand Master
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Joined: Wed Apr 23, 2008 6:04 pm
Posts: 1893
Location: Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Texas Jigsaw Killer Archive      Image
(with How to Make a V2
and a TJK code string)


Ruud wrote:
Introduction
The combination of Jigsaw & Killer Sudoku must drive you mad. It immediately reminded me of an old horror movie. Try to enforce the Law of Leftovers while doing a '45' test in the same puzzle. Irregularity is the main theme here.

Ed started the archive for Assassins and other killer puzzles in June 2008, work which I've continued from Assassin 101 onward.

I've now decided that it's time to compile an archive for Texas Jigsaw Killers, even though I haven't yet attempted to solve any of them. I hope that posting this archive will prompt me, and other solvers, to attempt them.

I've solved more than 3,000 killers and more than 2,500 jigsaws but so far have one solved one jigsaw killer, a puzzle posted by Pete Ty, on a different forum some years ago. There was another interesting puzzle on that forum, unfortunately now lost; a jigsaw where each box represented the shape of a state of the USA and had two givens, letters for the standard abbreviation for that state. That puzzle was where I first learned about Law of Leftovers, after getting stuck fairly well into the puzzle.

I've now done quite a lot of them (see Solving Note later in this thread). Starting this archive definitely encouraged me to try them.

Ruud posted the early Texas Jigsaw Killers on his site sudocue.net, His last one, TJK #33, was posted on 18th November 2007. A few more have been posted on this forum by Ed, h3lix(Dan), manu and Para; the archive entries for these puzzles, TJK #34 onward, contain links to the original threads on this forum. This archive also includes two Toroidal TJKs which Para posted on Ruud's TJK forum.

Ruud wrote:
Thanks for the encouragement, Mike. I'll try to create and post a new Jigsaw Killer every 2 weeks, but missed the last one because I've been busy with too many other things.

These Jigsaw Killers are not only fun to solve, but also fun to make. It usually takes me 1 to 2 hours to create one with the right difficulty and mix of techniques. This is one of the few puzzle types that I create manually. I also seem to be the only one (intending) to create them on a regular basis.

A very good reason for all of Ruud's Texas Jigsaw Killers to remain "on the record". I also found, while assembling the files which will be used for individual archive entries, that Ruud's puzzles had provided a lot of enjoyment and, of course, a lot of challenges.

Walkthroughs for most of Ruud's Texas Jigsaw Killers, from #18 onward, were originally posted on sudocue.net. Some of these were hard enough to require "tag" efforts, with #18 being particularly notable with the "tag" starting months after this puzzle was first posted and taking several weeks to complete.

Ruud wrote:
Handmade Killer puzzles with 100% irregularity warrantee.
If you can handle these monsters, we'd like to know how you did it.

No walkthroughs were posted on sudocue.net for Texas Jigsaw Killers #1 to #17 and a few later ones. If you solve any of these puzzles and would like your walkthrough included in this archive, please sent it to me by PM. If/when I try any of these puzzles, I will add my walkthroughs to the archive.


Before the puzzle entries, this archive starts with two other threads from the original Texas Jigsaw Killer forum.


Archive Note: Some smileys on Ruud's site aren't available on this site. I've used what seem to be the most appropriate replacements, after discussion with Ed when they occurred in his posts.

Jigsaw Killer (on page 5) appears to be the first jigsaw killer which Ruud posted.

I've corrected obvious typos in walkthroughs which I've worked through (posted walkthroughs for puzzles which I've solved); I've noted that in the archive entries. A few walkthroughs seemed to have other errors but, where I haven't been able to contact the solver, I haven't corrected or commented on those errors.


Puzzle rating table, with links to archive entries (after they have been posted) and puzzle threads in this forum; puzzles from Ruud’s site are temporarily linked to this page until the archive entry has been posted, I’ll remove the * when links are updated.
Score = SudokuSolver v3.6.1 score; original SS scores, where posted, will be included in archive entries.

+--------------------------------------+---------+-------+
| Puzzle | Made by | Score |
+--------------------------------------+---------+-------+
| Normal Jigsaw Sudoku Puzzles | | |
| Killer Jigsaw walkthrough????? | | |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 1 | Ruud | 0.85 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 2 | Ruud | 0.85 |
| Archive Note | | |
| Solving Note | | |
| Creating a V2 from a V1 (Ed) | | |
| Creating a V2 from a V1 (Pinata) | | |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 3 | Ruud | 0.80 |
+--------------------------------------+---------+-------+
Page #1

+--------------------------------------+---------+-------+
| Puzzle | Made by | Score |
+--------------------------------------+---------+-------+
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 4 | Ruud | 0.85 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 5 | Ruud | 0.95 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 6 | Ruud | 0.90 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 7 | Ruud | 0.85 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 8 | Ruud | 0.85 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 9 | Ruud | 0.90 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 10 | Ruud | 0.85 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 11 | Ruud | 0.90 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 12 | Ruud | 0.80 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 13 | Ruud | 0.85 |
+--------------------------------------+---------+-------+
Page #2

+--------------------------------------+---------+-------+
| Puzzle | Made by | Score |
+--------------------------------------+---------+-------+
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 14 | Ruud | 0.85 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 15 | Ruud | 0.85 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 16 | Ruud | 1.05 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 17 | Ruud | 0.85 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 18 | Ruud | 5.80 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 19 | Ruud | 0.90 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 20 | Ruud | 1.05 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 21 | Ruud | 1.00 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 22 | Ruud | 1.35 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 23 | Ruud | 1.10 |
+--------------------------------------+---------+-------+
Page #3

+--------------------------------------+---------+-------+
| Puzzle | Made by | Score |
+--------------------------------------+---------+-------+
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 24 | Ruud | 0.85 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 25 | Ruud | 0.90 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 26 | Ruud | 1.00 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 27 | Ruud | 1.20 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 28 | Ruud | 1.45 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 29 | Ruud | 1.75 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 30 | Ruud | 1.45 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 30 V2 | Ed | 1.60 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 31 | Ruud | 0.95 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 31 V1.5 | Para | 1.20 |
+--------------------------------------+---------+-------+
Page #4

+--------------------------------------+---------+-------+
| Puzzle | Made by | Score |
+--------------------------------------+---------+-------+
| How to Make a TJK Code String | | |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 31 V2 | Para | 2.20 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 32 | Ruud | 3.15 |
| About that number 4 … | Ruud | 1.40 |
| Toroidal Killer Sudoku 1 | Para | 1.20 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 33 | Ruud | 2.15 |
| Toroidal Killer Sudoku 2 | Para | 1.70 |
| Jigsaw Killer | Ruud | 0.85 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 34 | Para | 1.25 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 35 | Para | 1.50 |
+--------------------------------------+---------+-------+
Page #5

+--------------------------------------+---------+-------+
| Puzzle | Made by | Score |
+--------------------------------------+---------+-------+
| A New Jigsaw Killer (aka TJK 36) | manu | 1.35 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 37 | Ed | 1.60 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 38 | Ed | 1.60 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 39 | Ed | 1.35 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 40 | Ed | 1.50 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 41 | Ed | 1.80 |
| Jigsaw Killer (aka TJK 42) HARD | h3lix | 1.10 |
| Jigsaw Killer (aka TJK 42) INSANE | h3lix | 1.15 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 42 Really Insane | Ed | 2.00 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 43 | Ed | 1.20 |
+--------------------------------------+---------+-------+
Page #6

+--------------------------------------+-----------+-------+
| Puzzle | Made by | Score |
+--------------------------------------+-----------+-------+
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 44 Practice | Ed | 1.25 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 44 Main | Ed | 1.85 |
| Pinata Killer Sudoku 20 (aka TJK45) | Pinata | 1.45 |
| Jigsaw Killer Sudoku (aka TJK46) | Para | 1.10 |
| Texas Jigsaw Killer 47 | Ed | 1.25 |
|*Texas Jigsaw Killer 48 | ixsetf | 1.25 |
|*Texas Jigsaw Killer 49 | ixsetf | 1.50 |
|*Texas Jigsaw Killer 49 V2 | ixsetf | 3.30 |
|*Texas Jigsaw Killer Sample |Mathimagics| 0.95 |
|*Texas Jigsaw Killer 100 |Mathimagics| 1.00 |
|*Texas Jigsaw Killer 101 |Mathimagics| 0.90 |
|*Texas Jigsaw Killer 102 |Mathimagics| 1.20 |
|*Texas Jigsaw Killer 103 |Mathimagics| 0.90 |
+--------------------------------------+-----------+-------+
Page #7


I’m surprised at the low SS scores for the early puzzles. Maybe they didn’t require the use of Law of Leftovers (LoL) or perhaps SudokuSolver scores LoL lower than I would. LoL is more than just 45 rule with innies equal to outies; for LoL the innies and outies candidates must be the same numbers. (See Solving Note later in this thread)

Texas Jigsaw Killer 18 must have come as a shock after seventeen easier puzzles! Congratulations to the "tag" team for managing to solve it! :applause:

Anyone interested in solving jigsaw killers might also like to try HATMAN's Human Solvable 19 here. It's similar to the Texas Jigsaw Killers, having killer cages and jigsaw patterns, one of which is an Old Lace, but it also has the extra constraint of regular nonets; for that reason it isn't a Texas Jigsaw Killer.

This archive has now been completed. A pity that TJK50 hasn't been reached; unfortunately I can't retrospectively rename any of the puzzles from Ruud's site. Is there anybody out there prepared to create and post a few more TJKs, preferably with SSscores in the range 1.25 to 1.60, to reach the milestone of TJK50? I'd love the chance to try a few more.

UPDATE. Many thanks to Ed for posting a new TJK! :D The introduction to TJK 47 suggests that TJK 50 may be reached. I'll keep trying new ones to encourage Ed! And now ixsetf has posted TJK 48 and told me there will be more to come. Great news!

More recently, in 2019, Mathimagics has posted another five puzzles. Thanks to all puzzle creators! Looks like we've finally finished with Texas Jigsaw Killers but we're getting plenty of other types of puzzles.

When this archive was originally compiled Ruud's site wasn't available so only diagrams generated by SudokuSolver were included for his puzzles. His site has become available again, at least temporarily, so his original diagrams have now been added. SudokuSolver-generated diagrams have also been added to some of the other entries.

Andrew


Last edited by Andrew on Wed Jan 29, 2014 7:51 pm, edited 11 times in total.

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 7:59 pm 
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Grand Master
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Joined: Wed Apr 23, 2008 6:04 pm
Posts: 1893
Location: Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
In the previous post I wrote:
Before the puzzle entries, this archive starts with two other threads from the original Texas Jigsaw Killer forum.
Sorry to be a bit slow in posting them. Here is the first of those threads.

Normal Jigsaw Sudoku Puzzles was started as a Poll by lynn893 in Mar 2007.

Would you like to see Regular (easy, medium, hard difficulty) jigsaw sudoku puzzles here?

I would love to!

Not really

I'd play it once in awhile

I'd never play them

For the record, 5 votes were cast; 4 for "I would love to!" and 1 for "Not really".

lynn893: Ruud, have you ever thought of putting 'normal' (as well as the 'killer') jigsaw puzzles on this site? I found them on the other site you moderate on and absolutely love them - although I am just starting out with them and am not a pro yet... it would be nice to see some here.

Mike(mhparker): Ruud,
Although I would also welcome some regular (i.e., non-killer) jigsaws, I definitely wouldn't like this to be at the expense of the Texas Jigsaws. Whereas the former can be found elsewhere, the latter are pretty well unique, and shouldn't be allowed to go the way of the dodo.
A dissapointing feature of other jigsaws found on the web is that they can often be solved without using any Law of Leftovers (even so-called "diabolical" ones!). I would therefore be in favor of any regular jigsaws posted here being pretty tough, without being ruudiculous. In other words, hard enough to generate a bit of talk on them on the forum, whilst remaining fun to solve.

Ruud: I have modified my puzzle generator to create 'regular' 9x9 Jigsaws in SumoCue format.
Here is a sample (in tiny text):
SumoCueV1=6J0=9J0=0J1=0J1=0J1=0J1=0J2=4J2=1J2=0J0=5J0=0J0=0J1=0J1=0J3=0J2=8J2=0J2=0J0=0J0=0J1=0J1=0J1=0J3=0J4=0J2=0J2=0J0=0J0=0J5=0J5=0J3=0J3=0J4=0J4=0J2=0J5=0J5=0J5=0J5=0J3=0J4=0J4=0J4=0J4=0J6=0J5=2J5=6J3=3J3=1J4=7J4=0J7=0J7=2J6=0J6=9J5=0J3=0J8=0J8=1J8=0J7=3J7=4J6=0J6=0J6=0J3=0J8=0J8=0J7=0J7=6J7=9J6=0J6=0J6=0J8=0J8=0J8=0J8=0J7=4J7
I still need to work at a program to rate these jigsaws. Some seem to exceed the "extreme" levels found at the UK competition...
(Archive Note) The code string works for SudokuSolver; v3.6.1 gives it a score of 0.90.

Mike(mhparker): That was quick! Thanks, Ruud. :D
As far as rating goes, I personally throw every jigsaw sudoku I see into one of the following five "buckets", the sample puzzle you just gave us fitting squarely into the second-highest category (category 4):
Category 1: Solveable via naked and hidden singles only. Probably only interesting for commercial publications that need to appeal to the masses.
Category 2: As for category 1, but also requiring line/"box" interaction (locked candidates).
Category 3: As for category 2, but also requiring knowledge of specific jigsaw techniques (Law of Leftovers, triangulation...). Note: This appears to be the end of the road for the Daily Telegraph, which appears to stop here and rate the puzzle "diabolical"!
Category 4: As for category 3, but also requiring medium level vanilla techniques (e.g., naked/hidden subsets, X-Wing, etc.). If The Times published jigsaws, it would probably stop here and rate the puzzle "super fiendish".
Category 5: As for category 4, but also requiring advanced vanilla techniques (e.g., chains/loops, ALS, etc.).
I personally would be interested in categories 3 and 4, but it would be interesting to find out what other people would like to see here (lynn893, are you still listening?!).

lynn893: :D
I'm still listening!
:D

As I posted, I just found jigsaw puzzles. I'm not a pro in the solving techniques - I would say I'm 'medium ' I understand line / box candidates, twins, triples, quads, x-wing.
That is almost my limit - although I have gone farther on occasion - but I also use alot of bifurication (yes, I know I spelled it wrong - whatever - it all comes down to guessing between two numbers in a grid! I end up[ writhing [ g10 - 9 - r4/c9 or r5c9] - then i end p doing one until I can't anymore, then I always do the other as well - to see if one ends up in an error - one usually does - then at least I can continue on with the one bi - whatever - that was correct! :P )
Ruud, please set us up with jigsaw puzzles that are NOT diabolical!!!
Thanks so much from Canada!


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 8:04 pm 
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Killer Jigsaw walkthrough????? was posted in Mar 2007.

lynn893: Can anyone give a definition of EXACTLY what is involved in solving a killer jigsaw puzzle?
I found the 'regular' (gentle, moderate, diabolical) jigsaw puzzles on the other site that Ruud moderates, and really enjoy them.
I'd love to try out some of the ones on this site, but really don't have a clue as to how to start one.
If there is anyone out there who wouldn't mind setting up a little walkthrough/tutorial, that would be absolutely fantastic!!
Thanks in advance!

Mike(mhparker): I've just done the Texas Jigsaws #23, #24, and #25, and have enough material to write a walkthrough (if time allows). Unfortunately, I can already tell you that the initial moves in all three of these puzzles were completely different, so there's no one way to do them. On a positive note, once the first few "killer moves" (excuse the pun!) are found, the puzzles tend to solve quite quickly (unlike some of the Weekly Assassins, which require chipping away at the candidates for ages until a digit materializes).

Unfortunately, I can't provide a tutorial here, because I haven't got a web site where I can host the screenshots. So my walkthroughs (should I post them) will be in textual form only. Therefore I strongly recommend reading Jean-Christophe's killer lingo guide (http://jcbonsai.free.fr/sudoku/?page_id=3), if you haven't already. Armed with this information, you'll be able to follow the walkthroughs using SumoCue, by performing the candidate eliminations manually. Unfortunately, it's common for people to by-pass steps they consider obvious when posting walkthroughs. For example, they'll just say something like "digit 6 locked in 15/3 cage in N1/C3", instead of "digit 6 locked in 15/3 cage in N1/C3, candidate 6 eliminated from all other cells in N1 and C3". So one has to be careful not to miss any intended candidate eliminations.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 8:55 pm 
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Location: Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Texas Jigsaw Killer 1 by Ruud (June 2006)
Puzzle Diagrams:
ImageImage
Code: Select, Copy & Paste into solver:
SumoCueV1=10J0+0J0=8J1=13J2+3J2+3J2=21J2+6J2=11J2=12J0+9J0+2J1=18J2+12J2=21J4+14J4+6J4+8J2=13J0+18J1+18J1+12J1+12J1+14J4+14J5=13J4+8J4=9J0+27J0=12J1+29J1=18J5+31J5+31J5+25J4=4J4=15J3=9J0+37J0=18J1+39J5+39J7=9J8+42J8+35J4+36J3=4J3=17J5+47J5+47J5=10J7+50J7=8J8+52J8=13J3+46J3=23J5+56J3=14J7+58J7=18J7+60J7+60J8+54J6=22J3+56J3+56J3+58J6+58J6=10J7=10J8+70J8+54J6+64J6+64J6=12J6+75J6+75J6+69J7=10J8+79J8
Solution:
+-------+-------+-------+
| 1 9 5 | 3 4 6 | 8 7 2 |
| 8 4 3 | 1 9 7 | 2 6 5 |
| 5 7 1 | 2 6 9 | 3 8 4 |
+-------+-------+-------+
| 3 6 8 | 4 7 2 | 9 5 1 |
| 6 2 7 | 9 1 8 | 5 4 3 |
| 9 1 4 | 5 8 3 | 7 2 6 |
+-------+-------+-------+
| 4 3 6 | 7 2 5 | 1 9 8 |
| 7 5 2 | 8 3 4 | 6 1 9 |
| 2 8 9 | 6 5 1 | 4 3 7 |
+-------+-------+-------+

Quote:
SSscore: 0.85

Andrew (in 2013): An easy puzzle for anyone who wants to try their first Jigsaw Killer. Just use the cages and the jigsaw nonets for this one.

Andrew's walkthrough:
Prelims

a) R1C12 = {19/28/37/46}, no 5
b) R12C3 = {17/26/35}, no 4,8,9
c) R2C12 = {39/48/57}, no 1,2,6
d) R34C8 = {49/58/67}, no 1,2,3
e) R4C12 = {18/27/36/45}, no 9
f) R4C34 = {39/48/57}, no 1,2,6
g) R45C9 = {13}
h) R56C1 = {69/78}
i) R5C23 = {18/27/36/45}, no 9
j) R5C78 = {18/27/36/45}, no 9
k) R67C2 = {13}
l) R6C67 = {19/28/37/46}, no 5
m) R6C89 = {17/26/35}, no 4,8,9
n) R89C7 = {19/28/37/46}, no 5
o) R8C89 = {19/28/37/46}, no 5
p) R9C89 = {19/28/37/46}, no 5
q) 21(3) cage at R1C7 = {489/579/678}, no 1,2,3
r) 11(3) cage at R1C9 = {128/137/146/236/245}, no 9
s) 14(4) cage at R7C5 = {1238/1247/1256/1346/2345}, no 9

1. 45 rule on R123 1 outie R4C8 = 5, R3C8 = 8, both placed for NR2C6, clean-up: no 4 in R4C12, no 7 in R4C34, no 1,4 in R5C7, no 3 in R6C9, no 2 in R8C9, no 2 in R9C9

2. 45 rule on R1234 1 outie R5C9 = 3, R4C9 = 1, both placed for NR2C6, clean-up: no 8 in R4C12, no 6 in R5C23, no 6 in R5C78, no 7 in R6C8, no 7,9 in R8C8, no 7,9 in R9C8

3. 45 rule on R6789 1 outie R5C1 = 6, R6C1 = 9, both placed for NR5C1, clean-up: no 1,4 in R1C2, no 3 in R2C2, no 3 in R4C2, no 1 in R6C67

4. 45 rule on R789 1 outie R6C2 = 1, R7C2 = 3, both placed for NR5C1, clean-up: no 7 in R1C1, no 8 in R5C3, no 7 in R6C9

5. 11(3) cage at R1C9 = {245} (only remaining combination), locked for C9, 5 also locked for NR1C4 -> R6C9 = 6, R6C8 = 2, both placed for NR5C7, clean-up: no 7 in R5C78, no 4,8 in R8C67, no 4 in R8C8, no 8 in R8C9, no 4 in R9C8, no 8 in R9C9
5a. Naked pair {37} in R6C67, locked for R6 and NR5C6
5b. Naked triple {458} in 17(3) cage at R6C3, locked for NR3C7

6. Naked pair {13} in R89C8, locked for C8 -> R5C8 = 4, R5C7 = 5
6a. Naked pair {79} in R89C9, locked for C9 -> R7C9 = 8

7. 21(3) cage at R1C7 = {678} (only remaining combination) -> R1C7 = 8, placed for NR1C4, R12C8 = {67}, locked for C8 -> R7C8 = 9, placed for NR5C6, R7C7 = 1 (cage sum), placed for NR5C6, clean-up: no 2 in R1C12, no 2 in R89C7

8. Naked pair {46} in R89C7, locked for C7 and NR5C6
8a. Naked pair {25} in R7C56, locked for R7, 14(4) cage at R7C5 and NR5C6 -> R5C6 = 8, clean-up: no 1 in R5C3
8b. Naked pair {27} in R5C23, locked for R5 and NR1C1 -> R4C12 = [36], both placed for NR1C1 -> R1C2 = 9, R1C1 = 1, clean-up: no 5 in R2C12, no 7 in R2C3, no 9 in R4C34

9. Naked pair {48} in R2C12, locked for R2 and NR1C1 -> R3C1 = 5, R3C23 = 8 = [26/71]
9a. Naked pair {27} in R35C2, locked for C2

10. 13(3) cage at R7C1 = {247} (only remaining combination), locked for C1, 2 also locked for NR8C1 -> R2C12 = [84]
10a. R9C1 = 1 (hidden single in R9)

11. R7C3 = 6 (hidden single in R7), R3C3 = 1, placed for NR1C3, R3C2 = 7 (step 9), R5C23 = [27], R5C4 = 9, placed for NR1C3, R5C5 = 1, clean-up: no 2 in R12C3
11a. Naked pair {35} in R12C3, locked for C3 and NR1C3
11b. Naked pair {48} in R4C34, locked for NR1C1

12. Naked pair {26} in R3C45, locked for R3 and 18(4) cage at R2C4 -> R3C9 = 4, R3C67 = [93], R6C67 = [37], R2C7 = 2, R2C6 = 7 (cage sum), R12C8 = [76]

13. 13(3) cage at R1C4 = {346} (only remaining combination), locked for R1 and NR1C4 -> R1C45 = [19]

14. Naked pair {48} in R46C3, locked for C3 -> R8C3 = 2, R9C3 = 9, R9C9 = 7, R9C8 = 3, R8C89 = [19]

15. R78C3 = [62] = 8 -> R78C4 = 15 = [78]

16. R7C56 = {25} = 7 -> R8C56 = 7 = [34], 4 placed for NR8C5

and the rest is naked singles, without using the nonets.


Last edited by Andrew on Mon May 06, 2013 1:05 am, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 11:37 pm 
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Posts: 1893
Location: Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Texas Jigsaw Killer 2 by Ruud (June 2006)
Puzzle Diagrams:
ImageImage
Note that R3C3, R3C7, R7C3 and R7C7 are diagonally connected to the outer corner nonets,
R4C4, R4C6, R6C4 and R6C6 to the outer centre nonets and R3C4, R4C7, R6C3 and R7C6 to the 24(5) cage
Code: Select, Copy & Paste into solver:
SumoCueV1=12J0=16J0+1J0+1J0=30J2=16J1+5J1+5J1=11J1+0J0=5J0+10J2+4J2+4J2+4J2=8J2+15J1+8J1=14J0+18J3=12J0+20J4+4J2=6J2+23J1=16J5+25J1+18J0=29J3=11J3+29J2=24J4=9J5+32J4=25J5+25J1+28J3+28J3+28J3+31J4+31J4+31J4+34J5+34J5+34J5=13J8+28J3=4J4+47J3+31J4=10J7+50J5+34J5=17J6+45J8+45J3=15J8+56J7=18J7=9J4+59J6+53J5+53J6=8J8=12J8+64J7+58J7+58J7+58J7=10J7+69J6=7J6+63J8=16J8+73J8+73J8+58J7=22J6+77J6+77J6+71J6
Solution:
+-------+-------+-------+
| 4 9 6 | 1 7 8 | 3 5 2 |
| 8 2 3 | 4 5 6 | 1 7 9 |
| 3 6 7 | 5 8 2 | 4 9 1 |
+-------+-------+-------+
| 5 7 2 | 9 4 1 | 8 3 6 |
| 9 1 4 | 2 6 3 | 5 8 7 |
| 7 8 1 | 3 9 4 | 6 2 5 |
+-------+-------+-------+
| 1 5 9 | 6 3 7 | 2 4 8 |
| 6 4 8 | 7 2 5 | 9 1 3 |
| 2 3 5 | 8 1 9 | 7 6 4 |
+-------+-------+-------+

Quote:
SSscore: 0.85

Andrew (in 2013): Apart from the difficulty of keeping track of the jigsaw nonets, because of the diagonal connections, this is another easy puzzle.

Andrew's walkthrough:
For clarity I’ve given eliminations in the diagonally connected cells in brackets.

Prelims

a) R12C1 = {39/48/57}, no 1,2,6
b) R12C9 = {29/38/47/56}, no 1
c) R2C23 = {14/23}
d) R2C78 = {17/26/35}, no 4,8,9
e) R3C34 = {39/48/57}, no 1,2,6
f) R3C67 = {14/23}
g) R4C34 = {29/38/47/56}, no 1
h) R4C67 = {18/27/36/45}, no 9
i) R6C34 = {13}
j) R6C67 = {19/28/37/46}, no 5
k) R7C34 = {69/78}
l) R7C67 = {18/27/36/45}, no 9
m) R89C1 = {17/26/35}, no 4,8,9
n) R8C23 = {39/48/57}, no 1,2,6
o) R8C78 = {19/28/37/46}, no 5
p) R89C9 = {16/25/34}, no 7,8,9
q) 22(3) cage at R9C6 = {589/679}
r) 18(5) cage at R7C5 = {12348/12357/12456}, no 9

1. 45 rule on R12 1 outie R3C5 = 8, placed for NR1C5 (no 8 in R4C4), clean-up: no 4 in R3C34, no 3 in R4C3

2. 45 rule on R89 1 outie R7C5 = 3, placed for NR6C6 (no 3 in R6C6), clean-up: no 7 in R6C7, no 6 in R7C67, no 9 in R8C2, no 7 in R8C8
2a. 18(5) cage at R7C5 = {12348/12357}, no 6, 1,2 locked for NR6C6 (no 1,2 in R6C6), clean-up: no 8,9 in R6C7, no 8,9 in R8C8

3. Naked pair {13} in R6C34, locked for R6, clean-up: no 7,9 in R6C6

4. 22(3) cage at R9C6 = {589/679}, 9 locked for R9 and NR6C9

5. 45 rule on R9 3 innies R9C159 = 7 = {124}, locked for R9, clean-up: R8C1 = {67}, no 1,2,4 in R8C9

6. 3 in R9 only in 16(3) cage at R9C2, locked for NR6C1, clean-up: no 9 in R8C3
6a. R8C7 = 9 (hidden single in R8), R8C8 = 1, placed for NR6C9 (no 1 in R7C7), clean-up: no 7 in R2C7, no 8 in R7C6

7. 18(5) cage at R7C5 contains 1 -> R9C5 = 1, R9C1 = 2, R8C1 = 6, placed for NR6C1 (no 6 in R7C3), R9C9 = 4, placed for NR6C9 (no 4 in R7C7), R8C9 = 3, clean-up: no 7,8 in R12C9, no 9 in R7C4, no 5 in R7C6

8. 16(3) cage at R9C2 = {358} (only remaining combination), locked for R9 and NR6C1 (no 8 in R7C3), clean-up: no 7 in R7C4, no 4,7 in R8C3
8a. Naked triple {679} in 22(3) cage at R9C6, locked for NR6C9 (no 7 in R7C7), clean-up: no 2 in R7C6

9. R7C1 = 1 (hidden single in NR6C1), clean-up: no 8 in R7C7
9a. 45 rule on R6789 3 innies R6C258 = 19 = {289/469} (cannot be {478/568} which clash with R6C67), no 5,7
9b. R6C9 = 5 (hidden single in R6), placed for NR6C9 (no 5 in R7C7) -> R7C7 = 2, R7C6 = 7, placed for NR3C4 (no 7 in R3C4 + R4C57 + R5C45), R7C9 = 8, R7C3 = 9, placed for NR6C1 (no 9 in R6C1), R7C4 = 6, R7C8 = 4, R7C2 = 5, R6C1 = 7 (cage sum), R8C2 = 4, R8C3 = 8, R6C7 = 6, placed for NR3C8 (no 6 in R4C6), R7C6 = 4, R9C7 = 7, clean-up: no 5 in R12C1, no 6 in R12C9, no 1 in R2C3, no 2,6 in R2C8, no 5 in R3C3, no 3 in R3C4, no 3 in R3C6, no 1 in R3C7, no 5 in R4C3, no 2,3 in R4C4, no 2,3 in R4C6, no 3,5 in R4C7

10. Killer pair 1,3 in R2C23 and R2C78, locked for R2, clean-up: no 9 in R1C1

11. 45 rule on R1 3 innies R1C159 = 13
11a. Min R1C15 = 5 -> no 9 in R1C9 -> R1C9 = 2, R2C9 = 9, clean-up: no 3 in R1C1
11b. R1C9 = 2 -> R1C15 = 11 -> R1C1 = 4, R1C5 = 7, placed for NR1C5 (no 7 in R4C4), R2C1 = 8, clean-up: no 4 in R4C3

12. R13C5 = [78] = 15 -> R2C456 = 15 = {456} (only remaining combination), locked for R2 and NR1C5 (no 4,5 in R4C4) -> R4C4 = 9, R4C3 = 2, R2C3 = 3, R2C7 = 1, R2C8 = 7, R3C6 = 2, R3C7 = 4, R3C4 = 5, placed for NR3C4 (no 5 in R4C5 + R5C56), R4C7 = 8, placed for NR3C4 (no 8 in R5C46), R4C6 = 1

and the rest is naked singles, without using the nonets.


Last edited by Andrew on Mon May 06, 2013 1:06 am, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 12:58 am 
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Archive Note: Please don't get put off because Texas Jigsaw Killer 2 has diagonally-connected jigsaw nonets. Most of the puzzles in this archive have well-behaved jigsaw nonets and killer cages. The next puzzle with any diagonal connections will be Texas Jigsaw Killer 32, which has some diagonally-connected cages. From memory I think Texas Jigsaw Killer 34 is the only other one with diagonally-connected jigsaw nonets; it only has one nonet with diagonal connections.

As an aside, some of the jigsaw nonet patterns are familiar to me, because they are ones regularly used on my first sudoku website http://www.sudoku.org.uk. This isn't surprising; Ruud used to be the forum moderator for that site. It originally had eight jigsaw patterns; then it held a competition for more patterns and the twelve winners have been used regularly since then making a total of twenty patterns. I'll give credits for any I which I recognise; they start at Texas Jigsaw Killer 22 (Orig 8 refers to one of the original eight patterns).

Andrew


Last edited by Andrew on Sun Apr 07, 2013 4:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 10:55 pm 
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Solving Note
In the main post I wrote:
I’m surprised at the low SS scores for the early puzzles. Maybe they didn’t require the use of Law of Leftovers (LoL) or perhaps SudokuSolver scores LoL lower than I would. LoL is more than just 45 rule with innies equal to outies; for LoL the innies and outies candidates must be the same numbers.
I've now solved the first twenty five Texas Jigsaw Killers, apart from TJK 18 which I'll try later.

Nineteen of the first twenty puzzles all have low SS scores. These ones can all be solved by using standard killer steps; there's no need to use CPEs or LoL for these puzzles, although in some cases they may give slightly shorter solving paths.

If anyone wants a good puzzle to try using LoL:
Texas Jigsaw Killer 22 is a good one to try. This one definitely benefits from using LoL.

My feeling is that Texas Jigsaw Killers are a bit harder to solve than might be expected from the SS scores. That's because I sometimes found it hard to spot 45s, because the thick lines of the jigsaw pattern tend to distract one's eyes from the cage pattern.

If you haven't tried them yet, please try Texas Jigsaw Killers. I found TJK 22 a particularly enjoyable one.

Andrew


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PostPosted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 1:11 am 
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Creating a V2 from a V1

(Archive Note) This was posted in the TJK 30 thread but it's interesting enough to deserve its own archive entry.

Ed: Sounds promising: a V2 perhaps :)


Mike (mhparker): Unfortunately, I haven't got into V2 production yet :( . But I've got an idea how I could go about it :idea:. Just need to find the time (think you will be able to sympathize with that remark!). I suspect that by the time I've finished getting the production process sorted out, TJK31 will probably be upon us!

In the meantime, any tips you or anyone else on the forums can give me about the best way to create V2's from V1's will be much appreciated.


Para: If you need a challenge, there is always TJK 18.


Ed: I might regret doing this ... :wink: .

Making a harder version (V2) for TJK030

There are different ways to try and make a harder version.

Same solution: close a front door
.
1. open TJK030 in SumoCue
2. F10 to solve
3. combine/redesign cages that do not have the same digits. I usually combine 2 cages that lead to the first 'easy' placement. But no front doors in this puzzle, so I'll be cruel and try and close Mike's solution path and leave mine open.

Decide to combine 10(2)r6c5 and 24(4)r7c5 to make a 34(6).

4. open a 2nd SumoCue
5. under File select New Jigsaw
6. Select (ZigZag) pattern

7. click in r1c1, type in the cage sum: "19"
8. hold down Shift key and click in each cell for the 19(5) (doing it this way means you can also make remote and diagonal cages if you want)
9. If you make a mistake with the cage shape, click in the cell that has the cage sum and press Delete. Start that cage again.

10. Once all the cages are in (with the new 34(6)) then press F10 . SumoCue has even more of a struggle to solve it, so you know its harder than the original.

But the real good news is that it says "Puzzle solved". It has a unique solution.

If it had said "multiple solutions found", break those two cages you combined and try something else.(you don't have to put all the other cages in again)
11. Under File, select "save" once you get a puzzle you're happy with.

12. Now comes the time consuming part: try and solve it. If it is solvable, its a V2, if its not, try something else or make it a tag solution.

Same cages, slightly different solution. (Jean-Christophe first showed how to do this type)
1. Look at the solution to TJK030
2. See if the digits 1&2 share a cage. If they do, try 1&3 etc.....2&3 etc....3&4 etc...
3. If you find two digits that don't share a cage then you are in business. TJK030 doesn't have any, so can't use this way.

4.If you find 2 digits that don't share a cage, use the same cage pattern, and just adjust the cage sums to do a complete swap of locations for all of those 2 digits.
5. check for a unique solution (maybe not needed: but just for safety)
6. if its unique, try and solve.

Same cage pattern, completely different solution.
Don't know how to do this since I don't have a jigsaw sudoku generator. If I did, would just randomly see if I could find a solution that happens to fit into the cage pattern with no repeats.

Can do your own solution manually as well. Haven't tried this way much. Para is good at doing this.

Good Luck! Let me know if anything needs to be clearer. Looking forward to the revenge V3 :twisted:

(Archive Note) The code string for TJK 30 V2 was included at the end of Ed's post. It will be given in its own archive entry.


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PostPosted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 10:03 am 
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Andrew wrote:
Creating a V2 from a V1

Same cage pattern, completely different solution.
Don't know how to do this since I don't have a jigsaw sudoku generator. If I did, would just randomly see if I could find a solution that happens to fit into the cage pattern with no repeats.

Can do your own solution manually as well. Haven't tried this way much. Para is good at doing this.

Good Luck! Let me know if anything needs to be clearer. Looking forward to the revenge V3 :twisted:

(Archive Note) The code string for TJK 30 V2 was included at the end of Ed's post. It will be given in its own archive entry.


Copy the cage pattern into jsudoku and then click on design then generate grid and check each grid for a v2 score.


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PostPosted: Sun May 05, 2013 1:02 am 
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Texas Jigsaw Killer 3 by Ruud (June 2006)
Puzzle Diagrams:
ImageImage
Code: Select, Copy & Paste into solver:
SumoCueV1=7J0+0J0=15J1+2J1=5J1=15J1+5J1=13J1+7J2=14J0+9J0=17J3+2J3+4J3+5J3=11J1=12J1+16J2=4J0+11J3+11J3=18J4+21J3+21J3+15J2+15J1=12J2+18J0=11J0+28J0=14J4=23J3=15J4=7J2+33J2+26J2=14J5+36J5+36J0+30J4+31J4+32J4=15J6+42J2+42J2=16J5=9J5+46J5+30J4+31J7+32J4=11J6+51J6=9J6+45J5=10J8+55J5=10J7+57J7+57J4=14J7+60J7+53J6=12J5+63J8+55J8=10J7=9J7=19J7+60J7=13J6+70J6=14J5+72J8+66J8+66J8+67J8+68J8+68J8=7J6+79J6
Solution:
+-------+-------+-------+
| 2 5 6 | 8 1 7 | 3 4 9 |
| 6 8 7 | 1 4 5 | 2 9 3 |
| 1 2 8 | 9 3 6 | 4 5 7 |
+-------+-------+-------+
| 3 7 4 | 2 9 8 | 6 1 5 |
| 4 1 9 | 7 6 3 | 5 8 2 |
| 7 6 3 | 5 8 4 | 9 2 1 |
+-------+-------+-------+
| 9 3 2 | 4 5 1 | 7 6 8 |
| 8 4 5 | 3 2 9 | 1 7 6 |
| 5 9 1 | 6 7 2 | 8 3 4 |
+-------+-------+-------+

Quote:
SSscore: 0.80

Andrew (in 2013): An easy one with a short solving path.

Andrew's walkthrough:
Prelims

a) R1C12 = {16/25/34}, no 7,8,9
b) R12C5 = {14/23}
c) R1C89 = {49/58/67}, no 1,2,3
d) R2C12 = {59/68}
e) R2C89 = {39/48/57}, no 1,2,6
f) R34C1 = {13}
g) R34C9 = {39/48/57}, no 1,2,6
h) R4C23 = {29/38/47/56}, no 1
i) R4C78 = {16/25/34}, no 7,8,9
j) R67C1 = {79}
k) R6C23 = {18/27/36/45}, no 9
l) R6C78 = {29/38/47/56}, no 1
m) R67C9 = {18/27/36/45}, no 9
n) R8C12 = {39/48/57}, no 1,2,6
o) R89C5 = {18/27/36/45}, no 9
p) R8C89 = {49/58/67}, no 1,2,3
q) R9C12 = {59/68}
r) R9C89 = {16/25/34}, no 7,8,9
s) 11(3) cage at R2C7 = {128/137/146/236/245}, no 9
t) 23(3) cage at R4C5 = {689}
u) 10(3) cage at R7C2 = {127/136/145/235}, no 8,9
v) 10(3) cage at R7C4 = {127/136/145/235}, no 8,9
w) 10(3) cage at R8C4 = {127/136/145/235}, no 8,9
x) 19(3) cage at R8C6 = {289/379/469/478/568}, no 1

1. Naked pair {13} in R34C1, locked for C1 and NR1C1, clean-up: no 4,6 in R1C12, no 8 in R4C23, no 9 in R8C2
1a. Naked pair {25} in R1C12, locked for R1 and NR1C1, clean-up: no 8 in R1C89, no 9 in R2C12, no 3 in R2C5, no 6,9 in R4C23
1b. Naked pair {68} in R2C12, locked for R1 and NR1C1, clean-up: no 4 in R2C89
1c. Naked pair {47} in R4C23, locked for R4 and NR1C1 -> R5C3 = 9, clean-up: no 5,8 in R3C9, no 3 in R4C78
1d. R5C3 = 9 -> R5C12 = 5 = [23/41]

2. Naked pair {79} in R67C1, locked for C1 and NR5C1, clean-up: no 2 in R6C23, no 3,5 in R8C2, no 5 in R9C2

3. Naked triple {689} in 23(3) cage at R4C5, locked for C5, clean-up: no 1,3 in R89C5
3a. Killer pair 2,4 in R12C5 and R89C5, locked for C5

4. 2 in NR1C3 only in R2C7 + R3C8, locked for 11(3) cage at R2C7, no 2 in R3C7
4a. 11(3) cage = {128/236/245}, no 7

5. 45 rule on R12 2 innies R2C37 = 9 = [45/54/72], no 1,3, no 2 in R2C3

6. 45 rule on R89 2 innies R8C37 = 6 = {15/24}
6a. Killer pair 4,5 in R8C12 and R8C37, locked for R8, clean-up: no 8,9 in R8C89, no 4,5 in R9C5
6b. Naked pair {67} in R8C89, locked for R8 and NR5C7 -> R8C5 = 2, placed for NR6C5, R9C5 = 7, placed for NR7C2, clean-up: no 3 in R1C5, no 4,5 in R6C78, no 2,3 in R67C9, no 5 in R8C1, no 1 in R9C89
6c. Naked pair {48} in R8C12, locked for R8
6d. Naked pair {15} in R8C37, locked for R8 -> R8C4 = 3, R8C6 = 9, both placed for NR6C5
6e. R8C6 = 9 -> R9C67 = 10 = {28/46}, no 3,5
[I’ve deliberately avoided using several CPEs, based on naked pairs, because they aren’t necessary in this puzzle.]

7. Naked pair {14}, locked for C5 -> R7C5 = 5, placed for NR6C5, R3C5 = 3, placed for NR2C3, R34C1 = [13], R8C7 = 1, placed for NR6C5, R8C3 = 5, placed for NR7C2, clean-up: no 4 in R2C7 (step 5), no 9 in R34C9, no 6 in R4C8, no 4 in R6C2, no 4 in R6C9
7a. Naked pair {47} in R24C3, locked for C3, clean-up: no 5 in R6C2
7b. R8C7 = 1 -> R7C78 = 13 = {67}, locked for R7 and NR6C5 -> R7C4 = 4, R7C6 = 1 (cage sum), placed for NR3C4, R67C1 = [79], R7C9 = 8, placed for NR5C7, R6C9 = 1, R6C5 = 8, R5C5 = 6, placed for NR3C4, R4C5 = 9, placed for NR2C3, R4C9 = 5, R3C9 = 7, both placed for NR1C9, R8C89 = [76], R7C78 = [76], clean-up: no 5 in R2C8, no 2 in R9C8
7c. Naked pair {28} in R4C46, locked for R4 and NR3C4 -> R4C78 = [61]
7c. Naked pair {36} in R6C23, locked for R6 and NR5C1
7d. Naked pair {29} in R6C78, locked for R6 and NR5C7 -> R6C46 = [54], R5C4 = 7, R4C4 = 2 (cage sum), R4C6 = 8, R5C6 = 3 (cage sum), R5C2 = 1, R5C1 = 4 (cage sum)
7e. R3C4 = 9, R3C6 = 6 (cage sum), R9C6 = 2, R9C7 = 8 (cage sum)

8. R5C9 = 2, R5C7 = 5, R3C7 = 4, placed for NR3C7 -> R1C9 = 9

and the rest is naked singles, without using the nonets.


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