Logic Masters Deutschland e.V.

Seeing how the practice puzzle that accompanied Archean seems to have been appreciated on its own, but not quite been the stepping stone to help figuring out the puzzle linked above, here is another one that is a bit trickier while still being approachable, and that you can claim the solve of!

And you can of course still play the previous - and overall easier - practice puzzle (also a Dynamic Fog puzzle) as an icebreaker or a warmup. Plus, as usual, illustrations of the mechanics of Still Life are presented further below.




RULES

Normal 6x6 sudoku rules apply: Place the digits 1 to 6 in each row, column, and 2x3 box.

STILL LIFE
Shade some cells green ("active cells") such that the – up to – eight cells neighboring each green cell contain exactly 2 or 3 other green cells and the neighbors of each 'unshaded' – or black/red/etc. – cell ("inactive cells") do not contain exactly 3 green cells.
– A CIRCLED cell's digit indicates the number of cells that are in the SAME state as its own in its neighborhood, including its own cell
– A SQUARED cell's digit indicates the number of cells that are in a DIFFERENT state from its own in its neighborhood (therefore not including its own cell)

DYNAMIC FOG
– The grid is covered in fog. Entering correct digits or sets of digits might clear fog somewhere in the grid. No guessing is required.

In Example 1, a 3x3 box with a Game of Life pattern is shown (green for active cells, grey for inactive cells). But the cells marked with a ! are unstable : they either are inactive but with 3 active neighbors, or active but with less than 2 or more than 3 active neighbors. Therefore this pattern is not a Still Life pattern, and can not appear in a Still Life Sudoku puzzle.

In Example 2 (using the digits of a normal 9x9 sudoku grid), a 3x3 box is shown filled with digits and clues (circles and squares), the Game of Life pattern that is shown is stable, and all the clues are fulfilled. This could appear in a Still Life Sudoku puzzle. fog of war FOW