The V2 was a really tough one. After an interesting start I had to resort to chainy combination/permutation analysis so found myself doing what I'll call "solution by attrition".
Here is my walkthrough for A202V2. I enjoyed this puzzle as far as step 14, then it started getting very heavy going
Prelims
a) R1C12 = {49/58/67}, no 1,2,3
b) R1C34 = {18/27/36/45}, no 9
c) R23C1 = {29/38/47/56}, no 1
d) R2C23 = {19/28/37/46}, no 5
e) R3C23 = {17/26/35}, no 4,8,9
f) R4C12 = {19/28/37/46}, no 5
g) R45C3 = {69/78}
h) R5C12 = {15/24}
i) R67C9 = {19/28/37/46}, no 5
j) R7C56 = {16/25/34}, no 7,8,9
k) R78C7 = {29/38/47/56}, no 1
l) R78C8 = {39/48/57}, no 1,2,6
m) R89C5 = {19/28/37/46}, no 5
n) R89C6 = {18/27/36/45}, no 9
o) R89C9 = {17/26/35}, no 4,8,9
p) R9C78 = {14/23}
r) 20(3) cage in N7 = {389/479/569/578}, no 1,2
s) Both 45(9) cages = {123456789}
1. 45 rule on N1 1 innie R1C3 = 3, R1C4 = 6, clean-up: no 7 in R1C12, no 8 in R23C1, no 7 in R2C23, no 5 in R3C23
1a. 6 in 45(9) cage at R2C4 only in R6C5678, locked for R6, clean-up: no 4 in R7C9
2. 45 rule on N7 1 innie R7C3 = 1, clean-up: no 9 in R2C2, no 7 in R3C2, no 9 in R6C9, no 6 in R7C56
2a. R89C6 = {18/27/36} (cannot be {45} which clashes with R7C56), no 4,5
3. 45 rule on N9 1 innie R7C9 = 9, R6C9 = 1, clean-up: no 2 in R78C7, no 3 in R78C8, no 7 in R89C9
4. 1 in N9 only in R9C78 = {14}, locked for R9 and N9, clean-up: no 7 in R78C7, no 8 in R78C8, no 6,9 in R8C5, no 8 in R8C6
4a. Naked pair {57} in R78C8, locked for C8 and N9, clean-up: no 6 in R78C7, no 3 in R89C9
4b. Naked pair {38} in R78C7, locked for C7
4c. Naked pair {26} in R89C9, locked for C9
5. 6 in R7 only in R7C12, locked for N7
6. 6 in N8 only in R89C5 = [46] or R89C6 = {36} -> R7C56 = {25} (only remaining combination, cannot be {34} which clashes with R89C5 or R89C6, locking-out cages), locked for R7 and N8 -> R78C8 = [75], clean-up: no 8 in R89C5, no 7 in R89C6
7. 45 rule on N8 3 innies R789C4 = 19 = {379/478}, 7 locked for C4, N8 and 34(7) cage at R6C1, no 7 in R6C123, clean-up: no 3 in R89C5
7a. 3 of {379} must be in R7C4 -> no 3 in R89C4
7b. 45 rule on N6 3 innies R6C123 = 14 = {239/248}, no 5, 2 locked for R6 and N4, clean-up: no 8 in R4C12, no 4 in R5C12
7c. Naked pair {15} in R5C12, locked for R5 and N4, clean-up: no 9 in R4C12
7d. 34(7) cage at R6C1 = {1234789}, CPE no 3,8,9 in R6C4
8. 1 in 45(9) cage at R1C5 only in R1234C5, locked for C5 -> R8C5 = 4, R9C5 = 6, R89C9 = [62], clean-up: no 3 in R89C6
8a. R89C6 = [18], R7C4 = 3, R78C7 = [83], R89C4 = {79}, locked for C4 and 34(7) cage at R6C1
8b. Naked triple {248} in R6C123, locked for R6 and N4 -> R6C4 = 5, clean-up: no 6 in R4C12, no 7 in R45C3
8c. Naked pair {37} in R4C12, locked for R4
8d. Naked pair {69} in R45C3, locked for C3, clean-up: no 1,4 in R2C2, no 2 in R3C2
9. R9C3 = 5 (hidden single in C3), R7C12 = {46} -> R8C23 = 24 – 10 – 5 = 9 = {27}, locked for R8 and N7 -> R89C4 = [97], R8C1 = 8, clean-up: no 5 in R1C2
9a. Naked pair {27} in R38C3, locked for C3, clean-up: no 8 in R2C2
10. R3C2 = 1 (hidden single in N1), R3C3 = 7, R8C23 = [72], R4C12 = [73], R5C12 = [15], R9C12 = [39], clean-up: no 4 in R1C1, no 4 in R23C1
[It’s now possible to do a forcing chain, based on the candidates in R6C1, to eliminate one candidate from R6C2. I’ll leave that for now because it doesn’t contribute toward progress.]
11. 5 in 45(9) cage at R1C5 only in R123C5, locked for C5 and N2 -> R7C56 = [25]
11a. 2,6 in 45(9) cage at R1C5 only in R5C678, locked for R5 -> R45C3 = [69]
11b. 9 in 45(9) cage at R1C5 only in R1234C5, locked for C5
11c. 7 in R5 only in R5C5679, locked for 45(9) cage at R1C5, no 7 in R12C5
11d. 7 in N2 only in R12C6, locked for C6
12. 38(7) cage at R1C6 = {2345789}, 3,7 locked for C6 and N2
13. Naked quad {1589} in R1234C5, 8 locked for C5 and 45(9) cage at R1C5, no 8 in R5C589
13a. R5C4 = 8 (hidden single in R5)
14. 24(4) cage in N3 cannot be {1689} (because 1,6,9 only in R12C8) -> no 1 in R12C8
14a. 1 in N3 only in R12C7, locked for C7 -> R9C78 = [41]
15. 24(4) cage in N3 = {2589/3489/3579/3678/4569/4578} (cannot be {2679} because 2,6,9 only in R12C8)
15a. 4,9 of {3489} must be in R1C89 (R1C89 cannot be {48/89} which clash with R1C12), 4,9 of {4569} must be in R1C89 (R1C89 cannot be {59} which clashes with R1C1), 5,7 of {4578} must be in R12C9 -> no 4 in R2C9
16. 21(5) cage in N3 (from combinations for 24(4) cage, step 15) = {12369/12378/12459/12468/12567/13467}
16a. 5 of {12459} must be in R3C79 (R12C7 cannot be {15} because R5C789 cannot be {249} which clashes with R3C4), 1,7 of {12567} must be in R12C7 -> no 5 in R12C7
17. 21(5) cage in N3 (step 16) = {12369/12378/12459/12468/12567/13467}
17a. {12369} => R3C5 = 8 (hidden single in R3) => R3C1 = 5 (hidden single in R3) => R2C1 = 6 => 6 of {12369} not in R2C7
1,7 of {12378/12567/13467} must be in R12C7 => killer pair 2,4 in R3C4 and R3C789, locked for R3
{12459/12468} => two of 1,2,4 must be in R12C7 and the other in R3C789 (R3C789 cannot contain both of 2,4 which would clash with R3C4) => killer pair 2,4 in R3C4 and R3C789, locked for R3
-> no 6 in R2C7, no 2 in R3C1, clean-up: no 9 in R2C1
18. 2 in N1 only in R2C12, locked for R2
[Now for some heavier chaining of permutations.]
19. 5 in N3 can be in either 21(5) cage or 24(4) cage
24(4) cage (step 15) = {2589/3489/3579/3678/4569/4578}
21(5) cage (step 16) = {12369/12378/12459/12468/12567/13467}
19a. 5 in 24(4) cage = {2589/3579/4569/4578} must be in R12C9 => no 5 in R4C9
Consider now the two other combinations for the 24(4) cage
24(4) cage = {3489} => 21(5) cage = {12567} => R3C9 = 5 => no 5 in R4C9
24(4) cage = {3678} = [8763] => R5C9 = 4, 21(5) cage = {12459} => R3C9 = 5 => no 5 in R4C9
-> no 5 in R4C9
19b. R4C7 = 5 (hidden single in R4)
20. 21(5) cage in N3 (step 16) = {12369/12378/12459/12468/12567/13467} cannot be {12459}, here’s how
{12459} = [21945] (cannot be {19}[245] which clashes with R3C4) => R23C1 = [56] => R1C1 = 9 => 1,5 in R1 only in R1C5
20a. -> 21(5) cage = {12369/12378/12468/12567/13467}
24(4) cage = {2589/3489/3579/4569/4578}
21. 21(5) cage (step 20a) = {12369/12378/12468/12567/13467} cannot be {12567}, here’s how
{12567} = {17}{26}5 => 24(4) cage in N3 = {3489}, R23C1 = [29] => R1C12 = [58], R3C45 = [48] (hidden singles in R3), R2C4 = 1 => R1C5 = 9 clashes with 24(4) cage
21a. -> 21(5) cage = {12369/12378/12468/13467}, no 5
24(4) cage = {2589/3579/4569/4578}
21b. 5,7 of {3579} must be R12C9 -> no 3 in R2C9
22. 21(5) cage (step 21a) = {12369/12378/12468/13467} cannot be {12378}, here’s how
{12378} = {17}2{38} => R3C4 = 4 => R2C4 = 1, 24(4) cage in N3 = {4569} = [9465] (R1C89 cannot be [95] which clashes with R1C1) => R1C12 = [58] => no remaining candidates for R1C5
22a. -> 21(5) cage = {12369/12468/13467}, 6 locked for R3 and N3, clean-up: no 5 in R2C1
24(4) cage = {2589/3579/4578}
22b. 5,7 of {4578} must be in R12C9 -> no 4 in R1C9
23. 24(4) cage (step 22a) = {2589/3579/4578}
5,8 of {2589} must be in R12C9 => R4C9 = 4 => R3C9 = 3
3 of {3579} must be in R2C8
{4578} => 21(5) cage = {12369} => 3 of {12369} must be in R3C9
-> no 3 in R3C8
24. 24(4) cage (step 22a) = {2589/3579/4578}
24a. {2589} => R1C8 = 2, R2C8 = 9, R12C9 = {58} => R4C9 = 4, 21(5) cage in N3 = {13467} = {17}[643], R3C4 = 2, R3C6 = 9, R3C1 = 5, R1C1 = 9, R1C2 = 4, R2C3 = 8 => R2C9 = 5
5 of {3579} must be in R2C9 (R1C89 cannot be [95] which clashes with R1C1)
4,8 of {4578} must be in R12C8 => naked pair {48} in R2C38, locked for R2 => R2C4 = 1, naked pair {48} in R1C28, locked for R1 => R1C5 = {59} => naked pair {59} in R1C15, locked for R1
-> no 5 in R1C9
24b. R2C9 = 5 (hidden single in C9)
25. 24(4) cage (step 22a) = {2589/3579/4578}
{2589} = [2895] => R1C2 = 4, R1C1 = 9 => R1C6 = 7
7 of {3579/4578} must be in R1C9
-> no 7 in R1C7
26. 24(4) cage (step 22a) = {2589/3579/4578}
26a. 8 of {2589/4578} locked in 24(4) cage => no 8 in R3C9
{3579} = [9735] => 21(5) cage = {12468} = [216]{48} => R1C6 = 4 => R4C9 = 8
-> no 8 in R3C9
27. 21(5) cage (step 22a) = {12369/12468/13467}
27a. {12369} cannot be [21]{69}3, here’s how
{12369} = [21]{69}3 => R3C1 = 5, R1C1 = 9, R1C2 = 4, 24(4) cage in N3 = {4578} => R1C9 = 7 => no remaining candidates for R1C6
27b. -> {12369} = {19}{26}3, no 9 in R3C78
27c. 2 of {12369} must be in R3C78
4 of {12468/13467} must be in R3C9 => R3C4 = 2
-> no 2 in R3C6
28. 21(5) cage (step 22a) = {12369/12468/13467} cannot be {12468}, here’s how
{12468} = [21684] => R5C7 = 7, R5C9 = 3 (hidden single in C9) => R5C79 = [73] clashes with R5C5
28a. -> 21(5) cage = {12369/13467}, no 8 -> R3C9 = 3
28b. R2C6 = 3 (hidden single in N2), R3C5 = 8 (hidden single in R3)
28c. 4 in C9 only in R45C9, locked for N6
29. Naked pair {19} in R24C5, locked for C5 -> R1C5 = 5, R1C1 = 9, R1C2 = 4
30. Naked triple {149} in R2C45 + R3C6, locked for N2 -> R3C4 = 2
and the rest is naked singles.
Rating Comment. I agree with the SS score. My walkthrough was definitely in 1.75 territory.
Congratulations to Joe Casey for solving this V2 with paper and pencil.
I used coloured candidates on my worksheet to keep track of the analysis which I was doing and, even then, found I had to re-work part of one sub-step when I checked my walkthrough before posting it.