Originally published as part of Sudokuvania: Digits of Despair.
Rules:
Deconstruction Sudoku - Locate nine 3x3 non-overlapping boxes inside the 11x11 grid and place the digits from 1-9 into each one; digits may not repeat in a row or column.
Cells not in any region must remain empty and have no value for the purpose of other clues.
Arrows - Digits on an arrow sum to the digit in the attached circle.
Thermometer - Digits on the thick gray line increase in cells further from the rounded bulb end (any empty cells are ignored).
German Whisper - A digit on a thin green line must differ from adjacent digits along the line by five or more, skipping empty cells.
Ratio Kropki - A black dot separates cells with two digits, one of which is double the other.
Zipper Lines - Cells an equal distance from the [marked] center of a pink Zipper line sum to the digit in the center.
Pairs of cells must sum to the center digit even if one is empty.
Skyscraper - Clues outside the grid are skyscraper clues, and count the number of digits seen by the clue in the adjacent row or column as though the digits were skyscrapers with height equal to the digit; that is, digits block sight of subsequent smaller digits. [Empty cells are never seen.]
Column indexing - A digit in a red cell indexes its column N, and indicates the column X in its row containing the digit N. For example, a red cell in r6c3 containing a 7 indicates that r6c7 contains a 3.
Row and column numbers are absolute; there are eleven columns, and the third is column 3 even if column 1 [in that row] is empty.
Play the puzzle on Sudokupad
I hope you enjoy the puzzle! :-)
Solution code: Column 4 and then column 8, with dashes for empty cells
on 26. June 2025, 18:52 by henrypijames
I must have missed something - or, many things. Could only solve it with repeated heavy bifurcation, and still took more than 5 hours.
on 22. June 2025, 21:12 by henrypijames
Both in math and computing, addition is undefined for NaN (not a number), so if a cell is empty and has "no value", it cannot sum to any number with anything. ;D
on 21. June 2025, 17:40 by SkepticalMario
Added rule for the thermometer *facepalm*
on 21. June 2025, 12:24 by peacherwu2
Saw a thermo but not mentioned?
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Mario: Oops! Will fix asap
on 20. June 2025, 21:24 by nonagon
this is such a gorgeous puzzle and a perfect capper to sudokuvania.
why are the codex cells red instead of the book in this?
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Mario: thank you! For independent publishing, I used standard constraint styles instead of the distinctive ones from the full puzzle. I didn't want anyone who hasn't played Sudokuvania to be confused by them.
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