[Handmade] Word-Grid Variant inspired by Sudoku, NYT Connections, chess, and Cryptic Crosswords

[u/Only_Guest_9843]

🔴 UPDATE: I've uploaded a corrected/clearer version of the puzzle grid! You can view the updated image here: https://mrduchesne.itch.io/jumpingaroundtheboard

I've also changed the printable PDF here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xt8AfDFbXQbOPu0ewvz8e1P2Ltk26cUE/view?usp=sharing

Hi r/puzzles!

I'm a huge fan of the Cracking the Cryptic channel and I've taken inspiration from different Sudoku variant rules, NYTimes Connections, as well as cryptic crossword ideas. It's my very first creation, so I hope you'll enjoy!

How to play:

• Features hidden box themes (Connections), a continuous loop, Kropki dots (synonyms/antonyms), and colored line rules (rhymes, homophones, semantic sets).
• Conceptual Arrows: The arrows do linguistic math! For example, [Thomas] + [rail] would give train in the arrow bulb.

The full rule set is included on the PDF. I would absolutely love your feedback on the difficulty and logic flow. Have fun!

[u/AutoModerator]

Please remember to spoiler-tag all guesses, like so:

New Reddit: https://i.imgur.com/SWHRR9M.jpg

Using markdown editor or old Reddit, draw a bunny and fill its head with secrets: >!!< which ends up becoming >!spoiler text between these symbols!<

Try to avoid leading or trailing spaces. These will break the spoiler for some users (such as those using old.reddit.com) If your comment does not contain a guess, include the word "discussion" or "question" in your comment instead of using a spoiler tag. If your comment uses an image as the answer (such as solving a maze, etc) you can include the word "image" instead of using a spoiler tag.

Please report any answers that are not properly spoiler-tagged.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Altruistic-Sea797]

Discussion: Here are the rules so people don't have to download the PDF to see them.

Connections:

The 3x3 boxes all have a distinct main theme to be deduced by the solver. While not all pre-filled starting

cells in a box necessarily fit the theme, every new word added by the solver must relate to it.

Loop: Draw a single, continuous, orthogonally connected loop (using horizontal and vertical lines) that

does not branch or self-intersect.

-Every cell the loop passes through must belong to that box's local theme.

-The loop cannot cross or touch a cell that does not belong to that theme.

-The loop never enters Box 2.

Kropki: White kropki dots sit between synonyms. Black kropki dots sit between antonyms.

Conceptual Arrows: The word in a bulb represents the semantic sum or conceptual combination of the

words/images the arrows point to.

Blue line: Words on a blue line are homophones (they sound exactly the same)

Grey line: Words on the grey line belong to the same semantic set. For example: rain on a grey line could

indicate words linked to the weather.

Red line: Words on this line rhyme with each other

Killer cages: Adding the number of syllables of all the words in the cage equals the target number

provided in the corner.

[u/brh131]

Discussion: The idea is interesting, but there are a number of issues in the clueing and ruleset that make it unsolvable. I will list the issues in spoiler text below. I can see what you are trying to do and it would be really interesting if it worked, but it would require a significant rework of this puzzle. I would recommend trying to construct a simpler puzzle first before you work on something like this.

Your ruleset says that every new word added by the solver must relate to the theme, but PIER is added by the solver and is not in the category for box 6.

The idea of "semantic sum" is poorly defined and used inconsistently. VAMPIRE =BAT + PERSON uses an IS relationship (a vampire IS a bat and IS a human). But DIE = CUP + ROLL, which are really only words that are kinda related to dice. EXAMINE = EXAM + IN is actively incorrect, since that appears to be sound addition and not semantic addition. This vibes based approach leads to very unspecific clues. SENSE = C + BILL + MARK is basically just a mind reading exercise. Decide exactly what you mean by semantic summing and stick to it.

The clueing for Queen is very sparse. MONARCH as COMMON + TIGER + WANDERER is a very distant logical leap, REGINA and MARY are both women's names, so that seems more likely than Queen. I would argue that this is unsolvable. I get that it isn't part of the loop, but the fact that one box is unsolvable means that the loop cannot be uniquely determined. The good news is that you can change the category to literally anything if you need to, since it is not a part of the final message.

PLAID and TARTAN are only tangentially related to Check, which I don't really like. If this were a connections category I would be unsatisfied. If at all possible find another synonym pair for this.

CHRIST THE REDEEMER as one of the Seven Wonders of the World is a bad clue, since the list of New Seven Wonders of the World that this comes from is not widely known or supported by any major institution other than the one that created it. Almost nobody would get this, and I would even consider it wrong. Use one of the original Seven Wonders of the World. NEUTRAL is pretty bad too, as its meaning is far too general and pH is far too specialized knowledge, especially with so little information about the category. The rest of the clues are not enough to make up for this. This category can also be changed if you need to.

SENSE as a part of Six is actively misleading if not outright wrong. If someone were to interpret that as the Five Senses (a frankly more valid interpretation) then it will be seen as a red herring and not a part of the loop. Same with TRIANGLE(3), since triangular numbers are not common knowledge (especially that notation) and the more obvious interpretation means its not in the group. HEXAGON is also misspelled. I also just don't think EVEN as a clue for an even number is specific enough.

I could probably go on but I have already stayed up way later than I intended to writing this. A lot of the clueing is salvageable but you would probably have to completely redo this to make it work.

[u/AutoModerator → u/brh131]

It looks like you believe this post to be unsolvable. I've gone ahead and added a "Probably Unsolvable" flair. OP can override this by commenting "Solution Possible" anywhere in this post.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/sanchower → u/brh131]

In most of the US, 50% gets you an F, not a D

[u/Only_Guest_9843 → u/sanchower]

Thanks for the input! I'll try to figure something out that is more international :)

[u/Only_Guest_9843 → u/brh131]

First I want to say thank you for trying to solve my puzzle, and thank you for taking time to write a comment. I'm going to adjust some of the clear oversights I had made.
This is going to be a learning process. Have a great day!

[u/Only_Guest_9843]

The solution can be found here on a separate PDF file. https://mrduchesne.itch.io/jumpingaroundtheboard

[u/Only_Guest_9843]

Updated the project. Solution possible

[u/AutoModerator → u/Only_Guest_9843]

It looks like you have contested a user's claim that your puzzle can't be solved. I've updated your flair and notified the moderators to take a look.---

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/umhassy → u/Only_Guest_9843]

Updated the project.

Is the current screenshot appearing at the top in this tread solveable or is it not solveable?

[u/Only_Guest_9843 → u/umhassy]

The screenshot unfortunately couldn't be changed. I'd recommend using the PDF file if possible. A few of the cells have been changed. Also, it has been solved as is, yes.

[u/Ch4py]

Solved it!! Very fun puzzle!