Brassica Collection
Puzzles in this collection should be very approachable even for solvers without experience with a particular variant or constraint. Most of the puzzles are intentionally "over-clued" meaning that there are more clues than are strictly necessary to solve the puzzle. The purpose is twofold: to provide multiple next steps so you never feel completely stuck and to provide extra practice with a constraint. Puzzles are added in reverse chronological order so newer puzzles are at the top of the page. All of the puzzles on this page should be at most 1/5 in difficulty.
Adding to My Exes
We set this 6x6 as an introduction to the types of logic that are common to the X-sums constraint.
Rules
Normal 6x6 sudoku rules apply. Every row, column, and box must contain a complete set of the digits 1-6.
X-sums: values outside the grid give the sum of the first X digits seen along that row or column from the direction of the clue, where X is the digit in the cell closest to the clue.
Foglet
This puzzle was set while students in our Puzzles and Paradoxes class were setting their first 4x4 puzzles. We used the same constraints of killer cages but also allowed ourselves to have fun with Fog of War.
Estimated difficulty: Brassica
Rules
Standard 4x4 sudoku rules apply: every row, column, and 2x2 box indicated by darker shaded lines must contain a complete set of the digits 1-4.
Killer cages: digits inside cages marked by dashed lines cannot repeat and must sum to the number shown in the top left corner of the cage.
Fog: Part of the grid is covered with fog. As correct digits are placed, the fog will clear from cells surrounding the correct digit, revealing additional clues. There is always enough information in the revealed portion of the grid to place another correct digit. Digits can be placed within the fog.
No Marks
This puzzle was set as an introduction to killer cages for those who may not have seen regular sudoku before. It can be solved entirely without any need for center- or cornermarks. It also appears in our Brassica Collection.
Estimated difficulty: Brassica
Rules
Normal sudoku rules apply: every row, column, and box must contain a complete set of the digits 1-9.
Inside cages marked by dashed lines, digits must sum to the number shown in the upper left corner of the cage.
Laughing Gas-XV
Rules
Standard sudoku constraints: each row, column, and box must contain a complete set of the digits 1-9.
Killer cages: Digits within cages marked by dashed lines cannot repeat within the cage and must sum to the number in the upper left corner of the cage.
XV: Digits separated by an "X" sum to 10. Digits separated by a "V" sum to 5.
Roped Into It
Rules
Standard sudoku constraints: each row, column, and box must contain a complete set of the digits 1-9.
Killer cages: Digits in cages indicated by dashed lines cannot repeat and must sum to the number shown in the upper left corner of the cage.
Dance Around the Maypole
Inspired by Wind Up Wind Down, this is the first in a set of killer cage puzzles of increasing difficulty. If you start at the upper left corner, you'll find you can weave your way around the puzzle, intertwining clues until you wind up at the center.
Rules
Standard sudoku rules apply. Within cages, digits cannot repeat and must sum to the number shown in the upper left corner.
All Around My Hat
Slightly harder than Dance Around the Maypole, this is the second in a set of killer cage puzzles of increasing difficulty. At each step, look around the grid for cages that have only one possible pair of digits.
Rules
Standard sudoku rules apply. Within cages, digits cannot repeat and must sum to the number shown in the upper left corner.
Outward Expansion
Slightly harder than Dance Around the Maypole, this is the third in a set of killer cage puzzles of increasing difficulty. Instead of starting at the outer corner and weaving your way in, try starting in the center and working your way out.
Rules
Standard sudoku rules apply. Within cages, digits cannot repeat and must sum to the number shown in the upper left corner.
Absolute GAS
The solve path for this is all naked singles, meaning that at every step there is at least one digit that can be placed immediately. This puzzle is so pretty that we didn’t feel we created it but rather discovered it, and that it should be shared. The community seems to agree, having awarded it several "mind-blowing puzzle" and "beautiful logic" reactions. It is currently in the top 20 most solved puzzles of all time on LogicMasters Deutschland.
We are particularly delighted that this puzzle helped inspire the brilliant setter Philip Newman to find new "smallest known givens" for thermo constraint puzzles. (You'll have to join the Discord server to see his post and lovely puzzle.)
Estimated difficulty: 1/5
Rules
Standard sudoku rules apply. Digits on thermometers increase from bulb to tip.
Do You Want to Know a Secret?
Simon Anthony has a secret, a secret that he only tells his closest friends. (As of this writing, there are only 435,000 of them.) This puzzle will help you practice using this secret! An introduction to killer cage and locked sets logic, this puzzle also appears in the Showcase.
Rules
Normal sudoku rules apply. Digits inside the cages marked by dashed lines add up to the small number in the corner of the cage.
Something to think about: What are the digits in every row, column, and box? What do they add up to?
Exes and Vees and Dots, Oh My!
This puzzle introduces new constraints to go along with kropki dots for someone new to variant constraint logic.
Rules
Roman Numerals and New Ratios
Black dots with "3" in the center indicate that one of the cells they join is 3 times the other. For example, 6 and 2 could be on either side of a black dot in this puzzle.
Cells joined by a "V" must add to 5. For example, if a 2 is on one side of a V, the digit on the other side must be a 3.
Cells joined by an "X" must add to 10. For example, if a 2 is on one side of a X, the digit on the other side must be an 8.
Category 6: Eye of the Storm - Brassica Version
This puzzle is part of our Brassica-to-Gas series. A harder version can be found in the GAS Collection.
Rules
Normal sudoku rules and standard Kropki dots apply. (Digits separated by a white dot differ by 1. If two digits are separated by a black dot, then one is twice the other.)
Driving Me Dotty - Brassica Version
This puzzle is part of our Brassica to Gas series. A harder version can be found in the GAS Collection.
Rules
Normal sudoku rules and standard Kropki dots apply. (Digits separated by a white dot differ by 1. If two digits are separated by a black dot, then one is twice the other.) Not all possible dots are shown.
Brassica Dots and a Thermo
This puzzle is intended as a first introduction to thermos for someone who has started to become comfortable with kropki dot logic.
Rules
Normal sudoku rules apply. Cells separated by a white dot contain consecutive digits. If two cells are separated by a black dot, one is double the other. Some possible dots may not be shown. Digits on the thermometer increase from the bulb to the tip but do not have to be consecutive.
7-Up!
This was the first puzzle we created for what became the Brassica Collection. We set it as an introduction to Kropki dot logic for a novice solver.
Rules
Normal sudoku rules apply. Cells separated by a white dot differ by one (standard Kropki difference dots). Cells separated by a black dot are in a 2:1 ratio (standard Kropki ratio dots).