A Puzzling Video Production Switcher
(Eingestellt am 30. März 2026, 16:10 Uhr von HalfBakedLunatic)
I needed extra digits to disambiguate the solution, and to make it 'approachable' - but didn't want to obscure the initial illusion ... so the solver places additional digits "as part of running the show".
Probably best viewed on a larger screen (not a cell phone) to see the rules and the grid at the same time.
The Rules:
• Normal Sudoku Rules Apply - Place the digits 1 to 9 in every row, column, and 3x3 box
• Program, Preset, and Key bus (all buttons in Rows 6/7/8) only contain even digits
• Consecutive cells along the teal T-Bar and around the display screen must have digits that differ by at least 4 (i.e. 3 and 6 can't be next to each other)
** Initial Setup **
• GVG Model 100 horizontal wipe is pattern #1. Place the digit 1 in R4C7
• GVG Model 100 corner wipe is pattern #6. Place the digit 6 in R4C9
** We start the show with the director calling the first shots **
• Director: "Take Camera 2". Place the digit 2 in R7C1 on the Program Bus
• Director: "Ready Camera 6 ... " Place the digit 6 in R8C3 on the Preset bus
• Director: " ... and take with a 3 second transition". Place the digit 3 in the Auto Trans box at R9C8
• Director: "The video is a bit hot!!!" Set video gain to unity by placing 1 in R5C2
** It's now up to you to finish the rest of the show :-) **
Solve Online here (right-click and open in new tab):
A Puzzling Video Production Switcher (Sudokupad)
Here are some examples of video production switchers: a Vintage Model 100, Vintage Model 1200 (both small switchers for their time in the mid-80's), and the largest high-end/modern-day switcher used for things like broadcasting a national news program or the Olympic Games:
Puzzle by David Workman
Lösungscode: Column 6 top to bottom
Kommentare
am 30. März 2026, 19:23 Uhr von BobAndWeave
Awesome puzzle, quite a remarkable achievement. I used the Model 100 in college, this felt like the real thing :-)
Sorry I'm going to miss NAB again this year.
-EDIT:My only concern is that the 'candidate marks' on the buttons are hard to see, but I don't know any way around it.
am 30. März 2026, 17:39 Uhr von CitrusGremlin
Is the joystick in box 3 supposed to be a fortress cell? Not sure if the arrows are aesthetic or not. Will have more feedback once I solve it.
EDIT: Alright, I solved it without assuming r2c8 was larger than it's orthogonal neighbors. It's still possible to solve and somewhat easy, but the cell *IS* larger than its neighbors. Since this puzzle is aimed towards a less experienced audience you might want to add it to the rules.
Other than that I have no complaints. Took me 13 minutes.
-- Thank you @CitrusGremlin, very much appreciated. Yes, the joystick is a 'fortress' cell and the knobs are all odd digits ... but as I went along I realized they weren't needed for solving and I was trying to keep the rules as simple as possible (they are already long with the user filling in all the 'given digits')
