29 October 2014

Zurracapote

Title: Zurracapote
Rating: 3/5 


This is a drink I hadn't heard of before I started creating mix puzzles.  This Spanish drink is made with red wine, fruits (in the case of the puzzle colors, peaches and lemon), cinnamon, and sugar.

The official rules:

  • The digits 1 through 9 appear in each row and each column exactly once.
  • Digits in each shaded region must add to the indicated sum (denoted by +) or multiply to the indicated product (denoted by *).   
  • Squares with multiple colors contain a number that’s used in the sum/product for adjacent regions of each of those colors.  
  • Remember: numbers can repeat within a shaded region if that repetition doesn't violate the first rule.

22 October 2014

Storm

Title: Storm
Rating: 3/5

The weather's been rainy where I live for much of the last week, so this product puzzle will fit nicely.  The most challenging part of it involves the regions moving between more than two rows or columns.

The official rules:

  • The digits 1 through 9 appear in each row and each column exactly once.
  • Digits in each shaded region must multiply to the indicated product.   
  • Squares with multiple colors contain a number that’s used in the product for adjacent regions of each of those colors.  
  • Remember: numbers can repeat within a shaded region if that doesn't violate the first rule. 

15 October 2014

Appreciation

Title: Appreciation
Rating: 2/5



In the continued vein of how things get named, I'm hoping you'll be able to cheer about the name for this one.  There are a few areas to be careful of, though.  Make sure to check out the rules below.

The official rules:

  • The digits 1 through 9 appear in each row and each column exactly once.
  • Digits in each shaded region must add to the indicated sum.   
  • Squares with multiple colors contain a number that’s used in the sum for adjacent regions of each of those colors.
  • Cells at the following positions belong to the regions that go horizontally and vertically through that cell: (2,2), (2,8), (8,2), (8,8), (4,4), (4,6), (6,4), (6,6).  The (light purple) color of these cells is the RGB-average of the colors from the horizontal and vertical regions that intersect there. 
  • Remember: numbers can repeat within a shaded region if that doesn't violate the first rule.

08 October 2014

Bronx

Title: Bronx
Rating: 3/5 


Typically made with gin, sweet red vermouth, dry vermouth, and orange juice, the Bronx has unclear origins dating before Prohibition. 

The official rules:

  • The digits 1 through 9 appear in each row and each column exactly once.
  • Digits in each shaded region must add to the indicated sum (denoted by +) or multiply to the indicated product (denoted by *).   
  • Squares with multiple colors contain a number that’s used in the sum/product for adjacent regions of each of those colors.  
  • Remember: numbers can repeat within a shaded region if that repetition doesn't violate the first rule.

01 October 2014

Prorus

Title: Prorus
Rating: 3/5

Not your typical product puzzle this week.  The board is what I call a "toral board," so named because the board is meant to be viewed not as a big square, but as what's called a fundamental region.  In this case, imagine folding the sides of the square together to get a cylinder.  Then fold the ends of the cylinder together, and you get what's called a torus (a donut, if you will).  Those associations (between left and right, between top and bottom, and, hence, between all corners) are reflected in the rules below.

The official rules:

  • The digits 1 through 9 appear in each row and each column exactly once.
  • Digits in each shaded region must multiply to the indicated product.   
  • Squares with multiple colors contain a number that’s used in the product for adjacent regions of each of those colors.  
  • Remember: numbers can repeat within a shaded region if that doesn't violate the first rule. 
  • The board is a “toral board,” that is, cells at the end of one row are considered adjacent to those at the beginning of the same row; cells at the end of one column are considered adjacent to those at the beginning of the same column, and all corner cells are considered adjacent.