.357 Magnum
(Published on 1. March 2025, 06:33 by EricRathbun)
- Normal Sudoku Rules apply.
- Normal Killer Cage rules apply.
- Normal Little Killer rules apply.
- Digits separated by a white dot have a difference of one while digits separated by a black dot are in a 1:2 ratio. Not all dots are given.
- Gray lines are palindromes that read the same frontwards and backwards.
- The gray square contains an even digit.
The puzzle can be played here:
Hope you enjoy the puzzle. Comments appreciated.
Solution code: Top row
Comments
on 1. September 2026, 21:16 by cantare
Posting normal comment since others are freely discussing strategy. Great solving experience--I used a mess of colors and letters. I feel silly not to have spotted and used the title clue properly. I used SET on r5/c5 only at first, then expanded to 3 & 7 in a second step, but my subconscious somehow remained stuck on the notion that the title involved the black-dot exclusions, even though 3 is a valid member there and 357 != 579.
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Response from Eric: Glad you found your way through the puzzle.
on 31. August 2026, 13:09 by Snookerfan
Very nice! Your comment on set and how to use it helped me immensely to get started. After that still some great geometry and sudoku required, thanks!
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Response from Eric: Snookerfan, you're welcome. Glad you liked it.
on 29. August 2026, 22:14 by emoney1374
Incredible puzzle!
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Respone from Eric: Thank you. Glad you liked it.
on 28. April 2026, 19:27 by itsid
I've read the comments before and so I was trying to find the 357 break in... I think I didn't *shrugs*
I had a 579 endgame instead... the 3 was actually my first digit of course which let me to believe I was heading in the right direction, but I don't think I was.
Anyways, very nice puzzle and thankfully very approachable.
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Response from Eric: Itsid, here is the break in. Using SET, compare rows 3,5,and 7 to columns 3,5,7. Color the rows one color and the columns another. Remove cells they have in common. If both colors land on a palindrome in corresponding locations they can be removed. Yes, there is a 579 end game in the middle to end which requires further coloring. This is a tough puzzle. You did well to find your way through it.
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itsid again: OHHHH!! never occured to me that it refers to row and column numbers *facepalm* thanks for clearing this up comparing almost everthing including my cats fur to columns 3 and 7 I did of course.. and yeah c/r 5 was certainly involved too... maybe I had the correct path then good to know! Thank you.
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Response from Eric: You are very welcome.
on 12. November 2025, 11:36 by koXx
Superb break-in, clean and beautiful solve path afterwards! Fantastic job Eric! I‘m so glad, I came across your puzzles!
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Response from Eric: Thanks koXx. This was not an easy puzzle. Congratulations in solving it.
on 6. March 2025, 16:36 by dennischen
ngl I don't entirely get the title (probably used a slightly different breakin?) but this was really nice and interesting
Response from Eric: The title refers to the comparison needed for the break-in. Is that what you used or did you find another break-in?
Dennis: Ohhh I just never connected those dots (thought it was the digits), yea that's what I did.
on 1. March 2025, 21:01 by Jenny :3
(OG) "This puzzle is so hard omg."
(New) I'm giving up for now, but I may return one day with more experience
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Response from Eric: Sounds good, Jenny. Hope you are able to crack the puzzle in the future. Thanks for giving it a try.
on 1. March 2025, 20:54 by Myxo
Wonderful!
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Response from Eric: Thanks, Myxo. Congratulations on solving the puzzle.
on 1. March 2025, 18:39 by askaksaksask
Ha! The title! Otherwise, what a fun (and hard...) puzzle. I had to draw on a pretty wide litany of solve techniques to crack this one open, but it was quite fun to solve. Thank you!
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Response from Eric: I'm glad you liked the title. Good job sticking with it until you found the solution. Congratulations!
on 1. March 2025, 08:10 by Jenny :3
This puzzle is so hard omg.
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Response from Eric: Jenny, it is a tough one. There is a clue in the title.
