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Here come your first two Blind Dates.
Hopefully they will be both nice and entertaining and not dreadfully boring.
I now leave the limelight to you, the tough, learned and experienced enchanters.

                    
3x3::k:2842:5409:1290:1290:6166:2316:2316:3360:2587:5409:2842:1291:1291:6166:3085:3085:2587:3360:3348:5409:1544:4611:6166:4098:3335:3360:1810:3348:1544:4611:4611:4609:4098:4098:3335:1810:3865:3865:3865:4609:4098:4609:3864:3864:3864:1301:2825:4612:4612:4609:4357:4357:3334:2067:1301:5150:2825:4612:2583:4357:3334:4639:2067:5150:1053:2832:2832:2583:2574:2574:2076:4639:1053:5150:3601:3601:2583:1807:1807:4639:2076:           3x3::k:2827:5150:2318:2318:4102:3344:3344:2847:2826:5150:2827:2319:2319:4102:2321:2321:2826:2847:1302:5150:2583:4867:4102:3842:1811:2847:3090:1302:2583:4867:4867:5633:3842:3842:1811:3090:2824:2824:2824:5633:3842:5633:4359:4359:4359:2328:3865:4356:4356:5633:3333:3333:3092:3349:2328:3361:3865:4356:4105:3333:3092:2592:3349:3361:1804:2842:2842:4105:3100:3100:3085:2592:1804:3361:2331:2331:4105:2333:2333:2592:3085:
SS Score: 0.97                                                            SS Score: 1.27
 White background version                                                White background version
 Pale make-up version                                                    Pale make-up version

Thanks Børge for your first Assassins! I decided to start with the easier one and enjoyed it; even though it has a low SS score I still had to think hard at one stage so it's definitely an Assassin.

After the first two placements the "arrow into the heart" was very helpful for the next three placements.


Here is my walkthrough for A178 V0.75. Thanks Afmob for pointing out that there was an error at the beginning of the original step 14; I've re-worked steps 14 and 15 and also made a few minor corrections and clarifications to earlier steps.

Prelims

a) 11(2) cage in N1 = {29/38/47/56}, no 1
b) R1C34 = {14/23}
c) R1C67 = (18/27/36/45}, no 9
d) 10(2) cage in N3 = {19/28/37/46}, no 5
e) R2C34 = {14/23}
f) R2C67 = {39/48/57}, no 1,2,6
g) R34C1 = {49/58/67}, no 1,2,3
h) 6(2) cage at R3C3 = {15/24}
i) 13(2) cage at R3C7 = {49/58/67}, no 1,2,3
j) R34C9 = {16/25/34}, no 7,8,9
k) R67C1 = {14/23}
l) 11(2) cage at R6C2 = {29/38/47/56}, no 1
m) 13(2) cage at R6C8 = {49/58/67}, no 1,2,3
n) R67C9 = {17/26/35}, no 4,8,9
o) 4(2) cage in N7 = {13}
p) R8C34 = {29/38/47/56}, no 1
q) R8C67 = {19/28/37/46}, no 5
r) 8(2) cage in N9 = {17/26/35}, no 4,8,9
s) R9C34 = {59/68}
t) R9C67 = {16/25/34}, no 7,8,9
u) 21(3) cage in N1 = {489/579/678}, no 1,2,3
v) 24(3) cage at R1C5 = {789}
w) 20(3) cage in N7 = {389/479/569/578}, no 1,2
x) 10(3) cage at R7C5 = {127/136/145/235}, no 8,9

Steps resulting from Prelims
1a. 4(2) cage in N7 = {13}, locked for N7, clean-up: no 2,4 in R6C1, no 8 in R6C2, no 8 in R8C4
1b. 24(3) cage at R1C5 = {789}, locked for C5 and N2, clean-up: no 1,2 in R1C7, no 3,4,5 in R2C7
1c. Naked pair {13} in R69C1, locked for C1, clean-up: no 8 in R2C2
1d. 1 in N1 locked in R123C3, locked for C3

2. 45 rule on C1234 1 innie R5C4 = 3, clean-up: no 2 in R12C3, no 8 in R8C3
2a. 45 rule on R6789 1 innie R6C5 = 6, clean-up: no 5 in R7C3, no 7 in R7C7, no 2 in R7C9
2b. 45 rule on C5 2 remaining innies R45C5 = 5 = {14}, locked for C5 and N5
2c. 45 rule on R1234 1 outie R5C5 = 1 innie R4C5 + 3 -> R5C5 = 4, R4C5 = 1, R5C6 = 8 (cage sum), clean-up: no 5 in R3C3, no 6 in R3C9, no 2 in R8C7
2d. Naked triple {235} in R789C5, locked for N8, clean-up: no 6,9 in R8C3, no 7,8 in R8C7, no 9 in R9C3, no 2,4,5 in R9C7

3. 16(4) cage at R3C6 = 4{129/156/237} (cannot be 4{138} because R4C6 only contains 2,5,7,9), no 8
3a. 1 of 4{129/156} must be in R3C6, only 2,3 of 4{237} can be in R3C6 -> R3C6 = {123}
3b. 6 of 4{156} must be in R4C7 -> no 5 in R4C7

4. 45 rule on R12 3 outies R3C258 = 20 = {389/479/569/578}, no 1,2

5. 45 rule on C12 3 outies R357C3 = 16
5a. Max R3C3 = 4 -> min R57C3 = 12, no 2,4 (R7C3 cannot be 4 because no 8 in R5C3), clean-up: no 7,9 in R6C2

6. 45 rule on C12 2 innies R46C2 = 1 outie R5C3 + 1
6a. Max R46C2 = 9 -> no 9 in R5C3

7. 18(3) cage at R3C4 = {189/279/369/459/567} (cannot be {378} because no 3,7,8 in R3C4, cannot be {468} because no 4,6,8 in R4C4)
7a. 2 of {279} must be in R3C4 -> no 2 in R4C34

8. 45 rule on R89 3 outies R7C258 = 12 = {129/138/156/237/345} (cannot be {147} because R7C5 only contains 2,3,5, cannot be {246} which clashes with R7C1)
8a. Min R7C25 = 6 -> max R7C8 = 6
8b. 1 of {156} must be in R7C8 -> no 6 in R7C8

9. 45 rule on N7 4 innies R7C13 + R89C3 = 21 = {2469/2478/2568}
9a. 2,4 of {2478} must be in R7C1 + R8C3 -> no 7 in R8C3, clean-up: no 4 in R8C4
9b. 5 of {2568} must be in R8C3 -> no 5 in R9C3, clean-up: no 9 in R9C4

10. Naked pair {68} in R9C34, locked for R9, clean-up: no 1 in R9C67, no 2 in R8C8

11. R9C67 = [43], clean-up: no 6 in R1C6, no 5 in R1C7, no 8 in R2C7, no 5 in R6C9, no 7 in R8C6, no 6 in R8C7, no 5 in 8(2) cage in N9

12. R3C4 = 6 (hidden single in N2) , R9C34 = [68], clean-up: no 7 in R4C1, no 7 in R4C8, no 5 in R6C2, no 5 in R8C3
12a. R4C34 = 12 = [39/57/75], no 4,8,9 in R4C3

13. R67C3 = {89} (hidden pair in C3), CPE no 9 in R7C4, clean-up: no 4 in R6C2

14. R45C3 = {57} (hidden pair in C3), locked for N4, clean-up: no 1 in R3C3, no 9 in R4C4 (step 12a)
14a. Naked pair {57} in R4C34, locked for R4, clean-up: no 8 in R3C7, no 2 in R3C9
14b. Naked pair {24} in R38C3, locked for C3, clean-up: no 1 in R12C4
14c. Naked pair {24} in R12C4, locked for C4 and N2, clean-up: no 7 in R1C7
14d. Naked pair {24} in 6(2) cage at R3C3, CPE no 4 in R3C2
14e. Naked triple {135} in R123C6, locked for C6, clean-up: no 9 in R8C7

15. R7C4 = 1 (hidden single in C4), R6C34 = 17 = [89], R7C3 = 9, R6C2 = 2, R4C2 = 4, R3C3 = 2, R8C34 = [47], R4C34 = [75], R4C6 = 2, R67C6 = [76], R6C7 = 4 (cage sum), R8C67 = [91], R6C8 = 5, R7C7 = 8, R7C1 = 2, R6C1 = 3, R5C3 = 5, R9C1 = 1, R8C2 = 3, R7C8 = 4, R8C8 = 6, R9C9 = 2, clean-up: no 7,8,9 in R1C1, no 1,5 in R1C6, no 4,6 in R1C9, no 9 in R2C2, no 8 in R2C8, no 5,8,9 in R3C1, no 7,9 in R3C7, no 3,5 in R3C9, no 9 in R4C8, no 5 in R7C9

and the rest is naked singles and a cage sum.

Thanks for this fun Assassin, Borge!

The cracking move I used might be a bit over the top but it leads to a short solution path and I really enjoyed finding it.

A178 V1 Walkthrough:

1. R456
a) Overlap of R5+C5 = R5C5 = 4
b) Innie R6789 = R6C5 = 2
c) Innie C1234 = R5C4 = 5
d) Innie C5 = R4C5 = 7
e) Innie R5 = R5C6 = 8
f) 11(3) = 3{17/26} -> 3 locked for R5+N4
g) 9 locked in 17(3) @ R5 for N6

2. C1234 !
a) Innies+Outies C12: -14 = R5C3 - R46C2 -> R5C3 <> 6,7; R4C2 <> 1,2,4
b) ! Innies C12 = 25(4) = 9{178/268/367} -> 9 locked for C2+N4
c) ! Grouped Hidden Killer quad (1234) in each of 19(3), 11(2) and R3C3 (each can only have one of (1234)) for C34
since each of the three 9(2)s, R5C3 and 17(3) can only have one of (1234)
-> 19(3) <> 5, 11(2) <> 5,6 and R3C3 = (1234)
d) 19(3) = 9{28/37/46} because R4C4 = (369) -> 9 locked for C4
e) 17(3) = 6{38/47} since R6C6 = (136)
f) Hidden Single: R6C1 = 5 @ N4 -> R7C1 = 4
g) 5(2) = {23} -> R4C1 = 2, R3C1 = 3
h) 7(2) = {16} locked for N7
i) 13(3) = {238} -> R8C1 = 8; 2,3 locked for C2+N7

3. R6789
a) Hidden Single: R9C3 = 5 @ N7 -> R9C4 = 4
b) 11(2) = {29} -> R8C3 = 9, R8C4 = 2
c) R7C3 = 7 -> R6C2 = 8
d) 17(3) = {368} -> R6C3 = 6, R6C4 = 3, R7C4 = 8
e) Naked pair (47) locked in R6C89 for R6+N6
f) R6C7 = 1, R6C6 = 9 -> R7C6 = 3
g) 12(2) @ R6C8 = {57} -> R6C8 = 7, R7C7 = 5
h) 12(2) @ R8C6 = {57} -> R8C7 = 7, R8C6 = 5
i) R6C9 = 4 -> R7C9 = 9

4. R123
a) 11(2) @ N1 = [65/74]
b) Hidden Single: R2C1 = 9 @ N1, R1C7 = 9 @ N3 -> R1C6 = 4
c) 11(2) @ N3 <> 2
d) 1 locked in 11(3) @ N3 <> 5

5. Rest is singles.

Thanks for fixing us up with these Blind Dates, Børge. I've only spent time with one so far; I like symmetrical, but a tiny asymmetry is quite fetching, especially when there's an interesting personality too.

One small suggestion: heavy make-up is eye-catching, but distracts from the essential bone structure, such as the nonet dividers. Could either desaturate the colours or darken the dividers.

cheers

_________________
Joe

Sorry about that.
I did not image anyone actually solving on these coloured images. Their main purpose is to clarify the cage layout, but I did spend some time fine tuning the colours to try to achive a pleasing and alluring appearance.
I have added links to white background versions in my original post.

In THIS SkyDrive FOLDER you can find my original Excel workbook RA #178 hot.xls allowing you to change the makeup and the nonet dividers to suite your personal preferences.
There you can also find all six Blind Dates. I do not consider this breaking the convention that "Variants of the current Assassin should not be posted until next week's Assassin has been claimed".
Just bending/circumventing it a little bit.

Thanks. I do indeed print the puzzle pictures and scribble on them till I get them solved. Pale colours are nice, and as you say, bring out the cages clearly: I wouldn't want to discourage that. Only if the colours are too strong relative to the dividers does it become a little confusing.

cheers

_________________
Joe

I called all the dates in, had them redone with paler make-up and darker eye-liner and shot new photos, to which I have added links in my original post.
The white background versions have also been improved. Stringed some code together that automatically colours the cage cells connector tubes with the same colour as the cells they connect.

You might want to revisit The SkyDrive Folder.

_________________
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

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The posting of Assassins in the Killer Puzzles forum is guided by a number of conventions, which are not especially easy to find since they are "hidden" in the "Assassin schedule" thread and in various other threads in the Killer Puzzles forum.

IMHO all these conventions, their rationales and the objectives that are to be achieved by having them in the first place, should all be clearly stated in the sticky thread "Advice for Newbies and Regulars". In addition, in regular intervals it should be carefully examined if the stated objectives have been achieved, and if not, the conventions and/or the objectives should be adjusted. IMVHO the current conventions have not at all achieved the objectives that I think they are supposed to achieve.
Next week I might be posting a separate thread regarding this. I think it is time to do a thorough examination and discussion of this stuff.

One convention guiding the posting of Assassins is: "Variants of the current Assassin should not be posted until next week's Assassin has been claimed".
The rationale behind this convention is presumably to avoid "rewarding" others for not stepping in and claiming next week's puzzle, i.e. to assure that their is a new Assassins every week.

On the other hand, if next week's puzzle is not claimed and no variants of the current Assassin are posted, the interest in the forum could degrade. I think having no puzzles is the worst scenario. Hence I have decided to post the remaining four Blind Dates. Anyway I do not think you will have any success with them all, except for maybe with the "Tall Blonde". They are all pretty vain and self-opinionated, and exceptionally difficult to get.

Since their appearance gives vague hints on how to get the "Short Redhead", I have decided to conceale them a bit.

 
 Hot Tall Blonde            Pale Tall Blonde            White Tall Blonde           SS Score: 2.56

3x3::k:2830:7450:7450:7450:4104:6171:6171:6171:2834:7450:2830:2320:2320:4104:2321:2321:2834:6171:1293:7450:2575:4867:4104:3842:1811:6171:3082:1293:2575:4867:4867:5633:3842:3842:1811:3082:2825:2825:2825:5633:3842:5633:4359:4359:4359:2316:3863:4356:4356:5633:3333:3333:3092:3339:2316:5661:3863:4356:4102:3333:3092:4892:3339:5661:1816:2838:2838:4102:3093:3093:3097:4892:1816:5661:5661:5661:4102:4892:4892:4892:3097:

 Hot Tall Redhead           Pale Tall Redhead           White Tall Redhead          SS Score: unsolvable

3x3::k:5397:5143:2321:2321:4102:3338:3338:2841:4626:5143:5397:2320:2320:4102:2315:2315:4626:2841:1302:5143:5397:4867:4102:3842:4626:2841:3096:1302:5397:4867:4867:5633:3842:3842:4626:3096:2823:2823:2823:5633:3842:5633:4360:4360:4360:2330:5652:4356:4356:5633:3333:3333:6163:3356:2330:3355:5652:4356:4105:3333:6163:2589:3356:3355:5652:2830:2830:4105:3084:3084:6163:2589:5652:3355:2319:2319:4105:2317:2317:2589:6163:

 Hot Short Brunette         Pale Short Brunette         White Short Brunette        SS Score: unsolvable

3x3::k:5377:5131:2318:2318:4112:3343:3343:2826:4611:5131:5377:7175:7175:4112:6150:6150:4611:2826:1297:5131:5377:7175:4112:6150:4611:2826:3092:1297:5377:7175:7175:5637:6150:6150:4611:3092:2835:2835:2835:5637:6150:5637:4374:4374:4374:2322:5634:7176:7176:5637:6409:6409:6148:3349:2322:3340:5634:7176:4121:6409:6148:2573:3349:3340:5634:7176:7176:4121:6409:6409:6148:2573:5634:3340:2328:2328:4121:2327:2327:2573:6148:

 Hot Tall Brunette          Pale Tall Brunette          White Tall Brunette         SS Score: unsolvable

3x3::k:5390:7442:7442:7442:4103:6163:6163:6163:4623:7442:5390:7171:7171:4103:6146:6146:4623:6163:1293:7442:5390:7171:4103:6146:4623:6163:3082:1293:5390:7171:7171:5633:6146:6146:4623:3082:2824:2824:2824:5633:6146:5633:4358:4358:4358:2316:5649:7172:7172:5633:6405:6405:6160:3339:2316:5653:5649:7172:4105:6405:6160:4884:3339:5653:5649:7172:7172:4105:6405:6405:6160:4884:5649:5653:5653:5653:4105:4884:4884:4884:6160:

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Here is another way to get the "short redhead" :

Edit : Some corrections have been added : thanks Andrew.

We really need new puzzle makers, so I am glad that Börge is interested in our killer puzzles. I think his first ones were really interesting. Thanks ! Hope you will post others




It's a really interesting question : some participants, like Ronnie G , have raised this question ("three weeks rule" for instance) yet. We should think about that : I am afraid this forum becomes less active too. Since your last versions of A 177 are "variations" of v1, I have personally nothing against you have posted them whereas the next assassin is not claimed.



I wonder if you have solved the other versions (> v1) by yourself. This is a problem for me, since I (and some others I guess) have some hesitations in trying to solve your last 'difficult' versions of A177 if you cannot assert there are solvable without T&E moves.