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#718, March 24 - March 30:
The Weekly Extreme Str8ts Puzzle

by Andrew Stuart

WARNING: This is the Weekly 'Extreme' Str8ts.
Only attempt this puzzle if you have time and patience.
Using the solver will not help you. (much).

Archive
Since there has been interesting strategy discussion on these puzzles and by popular request, I have opened an archive on the last thirty weeks. The discussion section is open for continued posting.
Share and Enjoy
Puzzles 1 to 250 are available as Puzzle Packs, just $5.49. Pack 3, 4 and 5 just released!

Discussion...
Posts you have NOT read are in normal colors, older ones are in grey.
Please email me if you experience problems or bugs. Cheers, Andrew Stuart


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by: hone

 
is.gd/hone718_Bow_B

 

by: hone

 
 
Sorry if someone's cash messed up. By mistake I used the same number as last week.
You can use instead

is.gd/hone718_8004_Bow_B

 

by: BP

 
 
Many thanks, hone! A really beautiful pattern and a really challenging puzzle! I solved it with CE and B settis and one small SI. However there were so many non trivial little steps I'm not sure I didn't make a lucky mistake. Maybe I do it again to check and see whether I cannot get rid of that SI.

 

by: BP

 
 
I checked again and could get rid of the SI. So here's my solution with CE, settis, B settis and hopefully no typos:

CE in B678, A1B12 => NQ 45678 in B

CE in BCD8 => C89 low

B-Setti: 5,6,7 in A,B,C => 5,6,7 in Boxes 1,2,3 => single 5 in Box 3

C23=59

B-Setti: 4 in ABC => single 4 in Box 1

B-Setti: 3 not in Box 1 => 3 not in B

B-Setti: 8 not in Box 3 => 8 not in A

A456=135

B-Setti: 1,3 not in Box 1 => 1,3 not in col 3

CE: 9 not in E

B-Setti: 9 not in E => 9 not in Box 4 => all other digits in Box 4

8 in Box 4 => 8 in DF3

B-Setti: 8 not in Box 7

CE: G1=45;

CE: G1=45 and 1,3,8 not in HJ3 => HJ3=567

CE: G2<>46 => G1<>5 => G1=4

4 in Box 4 => 4 in DF3 => DF3=48 (see above: DF3=8)

B-Setti: 1 in cols 1,2, 1 not in Box 1 => 1 in Box 7, 1 in H1 or J2

CE in Box 7: J2=1 => J3=5 => 6 cells in Box 7 are <=5, contradiction. Therefore H1=1.

GJ2=35

CE: G9=56, G67=123

CE: HJ5=2345 => 7 in CDEF5

B-Setti: 7 in cols 4,5,6 => single 7 in Box 8

H46=68

CH4=68

NQ 2345 in Box 8

B-Setti: 3,5 in Boxes 2,5,7 => 3,5 in col 5

Setti 5

B-Setti: 8 in DE9 => 8 in Boxes 4,5,6 => 8 in E

Settis 8,4,2,7,9

Thanks again, hone, for the challenge.

 

by: neunmalneun

Add to this thread
 
A perfect puzzle and a wonderful explanation. Thanks to both of you.

by: kst

 


 

by: witch

 
 
very nice one. not too difficult

 

by: Martinus

 
 
Like witch. Thanks, kst!

 

by: Hel

 
 
43' WC

 

by: charliepat

 
 
Just standard tools, nice and easy, 20 min.

 

by: kmr

 
 
Nice, straightforward and relaxing. Thank you, kst.

 

by: ThomasF

 
 
very nice, thanks

 

by: optimator

 
 
24', thanks

 

by: Susan

 
 
Relaxing 20 min, very nice

 

by: Loser

Add to this thread
 
THX for the nice set

by: kst

 


 

by: Martinus

 
 
B power and some CE in box 8. Thanks.

 

by: Hel

 
 
Also done WC (30'), thanks a lot, kst!

 

by: kmr

 
 
Like Martinus, very nice one, also straightforward. Thanks!

 

by: BP

 
 
Nice and quick.

 

by: optimator

 
 
normal tools, thanks

 

by: Susan

Add to this thread
 
B-Settis and CE, very enjoyable, thanks!

by: kst

 


 

by: jgrab

 
 
50 min; very good puzzle! Wings and Setti; and a veritabel UR within the X structure.

 

by: Hel

 
 
Tricky, but very nice. Couldn't do it WC. Thanks!

 

by: kris

 
 
some skewed wings, didn't use the UR

 

by: kmr

 
 
Very nice, tricky, and challenging. Thanks, kst.

 

by: optimator

Add to this thread
 
difficult: 2 interesting swordfish with the diagonals

by: kst

 


 

by: Hel

 
 
UR festival. Thanks for the wonderful set!

 

by: BP

 
 
Beautiful puzzle, solves with standard tools and some really nice UR applications.

 

by: BP

 
 
Here are the URs for those who are not too conversant with the concept:

UR: 1 not in col 7. (Otherwise we could swap J4 and J7.)

UR: 1,9 not in H. (At that point 1,9 are only possible in H9. If H9=1 the 1 could be replaced by the 9. And vice versa.)

UR: H9<>23. (At that point we already have J1=4 and J9=23 and 2,3 impossible in H1256. If H9=23 we could swap H9 and J9.)

UR: G9<>3. (Otherwise we could swap G9 and J9.)

 

by: jgrab

 
 
A nice one. The Setti interdependencies were too compliocated for me; therefore I used two chains towards the end.

 

by: Auwei

 
 
as BP said: ||: UR :||
no chain needed. I loved it!

 

by: Frank

 
 
I discover all the URs too but I think there is no chainless way in the end.

 

by: kris

 
 
Besides standard eliminations, only 6 steps are needed, not too hard:
BP's UR #1 (no 1 in col 7)
CE in col 8 (no 1 on B8)
x-wing on 1
BP's UR #3 (no 23 on H9)
setti 3
setti 2

 

by: BP

 
 
@kris: Thanks, that was my way, too. At the beginning I've also noted two singles in D and at the end setti 7 instead of setti 2.

 

by: kmr

 
 
Thanks for a great set, kst.

 

by: optimator

Add to this thread
 
thanks again, kst!

by: Klaus

 

easier as it looks for some time, hi/lo in column 6 is a HC, the rest is basics

 

by: hp

 
 
good example of the question of all questions: when is a HC a HC?
I was able (unfortunately not alone in my head) to rule out ABC6 high after several steps (F1 then no longer has a digit).
But perhaps there is also a shorter variant (which you can do in your head)??

 

by: MME

 
 
@hp: If ABC6 ist high: B6=8 => ABC1 is low => A6=6 and F12=45 and no digit left for F6

 

by: Fred

 
 
Thx, but no headchain. By all means not for normal Heads.

 

by: RudiK

 
 
MME, I cannot follow your argumentation.
If ABC6 are high, they could be 789. In that case, F6 can very well be 6 - the only digit left, since F1234 = 2345.

 

by: Klaus

 
 
Hi RudiK,

due to AB9 ABC6 cannot be 789.

And Fred, i dont think you need an extra brain for that, maybe 4 easy steps combined together, for me HC, not eveb a hard one...

 

by: MME

Add to this thread
 
@RudiK: B6=8 => B9=3 => A9=2 => A6=6

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This page was last modified on 08-Jan-2023.
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  • 46 Min
    - Elli
  • 19:50 Tried out low in column 1, did not work, afterwards pure logic. Nice one
    - Filip
  • 35' with the HC hint
    - Maven
  • 22' - not too difficult. Thanks!
    - triemers
  • 49' very tough...h/l column also did it for me, then basic tools
    - Puszek
  • 39' Coloumn 9 is clear, from this comes col 1 high-low decision, then from col 1 comes col 6. So from start pure logic.
    - vicus
  • it took me a very long time even with the hint
    - Emma
  • 34:00 hi/lo decision column 1, then settis, x-wings and logic
    - Joe Reitzl
  • 39' without hint, but with high/low-decisions in column 6 and 1.
    - Ske
  • 34:17 the h/l made it in collumn 1! But it was my 4th attempt.
    - Latimer
  • 32 min. - with the hint
    - tbr
  • 45 min-A1 is the key. After that pure logic, but hard one.
    - effchen
  • 3h, A1 mit low getestet, Widerspruch. Viele Settis, schweres Rätsel. Danke
    - S. Walt
  • 42 min im 3. Versuch
    - Rot
  • 25 min with hint
    - Loser
  • 2nd with right decision, hard work
    - chris
  • 34 min, on third try
    - Nessie
  • 31 min second attempt, no hints
    - Beate
  • Used Klaus' chain (which definitely was no "head" chain). Then a single in a long road and it collapsed.
    - Fred
  • 1'20" chain to eliminate low in B12 then it is not too hard.
    - GT
  • 45' second attempt, no hint used, very nice one
    - Richard
  • 14 mins, no chains needed
    - Setti
  • 21 min - the hint helped a lot
    - Susan
  • 42' - needed a chain in the solver to decide high/low, still some work from there
    - COM
  • 49 min the correct decision in D2 and J6 and then pure logic.
    - poblid
  • brauchte zwei Anläufe :-)
    - meli
  • 44'; after the right hi/lo decission in column 6 (aka guess) everything was easy.
    - Ute
  • 57` - harte Arbeit
    - ihgs
  • 36 min. tough nut. some settis, CE. really proud to get in on first try without hint.
    - juehe
  • 26 min richtige Wahl H/L in Spalte 1....sehr schön
    - Angelina 75
  • 29 min - logic, difficulty I like and solved by myself without hints needed.
    - Susi
  • 15’ either no 2 or no 7 in A5-9, one option solves quickly, one leads to conflict quickly
    - OneGuess
  • 1h with the HC clearing the h/l in 6 and 1 and the rest is standard tools
    - ThomasF
  • 18' WC in a second attempt, but at that time I already had clarified H/L in col. 1 using head chaines.
    - pax
  • 38' following Klaus' advice
    - Hel
  • 13 min. one chain
    - Nessi
  • 24` Hi/Lo decision in col1. Rest easy
    - Dida
  • 26 min. on 2nd try / wrong assuption on H/L in col.6 leads quickly to contradiction in row F, rest easy
    - mpaul
  • 33 min, 1 chain to decide hi/lo in 1, rest is logic
    - EC
  • About 45 min. Took a chain starting in B2, after that it's standard tools and one setti.
    - flowerwaffle
  • 45'. Lots of combined settis. Went through without direct hi/lo in col. 6.
    - MartinL
  • 49' schwer aber schön
    - zoo-pony
  • no clou.
    - puzzled one
  • 24min`, im 3. versuch, mit etwas raten
    - dersoloist
  • About one hour, HI/LO in col 6, then SI and singles.
    - E.H.
  • 48'. one chain, rest fairly easy
    - puzzled
  • 43' setti, singles
    - Manfred
  • Not so satisfying as a strategy. I expect better pathways to come ...
    - jgrab
  • Hard work. Needed two chains to decide the hi/lo options in cols 1 and 6.
    - jgrab