Dutch Flat Mates: Pick-up Sticks
(Published on 4. June 2025, 11:00 by marty_sears)
- A yellow ENTROPIC stick must contain one low digit (1, 2 or 3), one medium digit (4, 5 or 6), and one high digit (7, 8 or 9.)
- A teal MODULAR stick must contain one digit from each of the sets (1,4,7), (2,5,8), and (3,6,9).
- A pink RENBAN stick must contain a set of consecutive digits, arranged in some order.
- Along an orange DUTCH WHISPER stick, adjacent digits must have a difference of at least 4.
- Along a red PARITY stick, digits must alternate between odd and even.
Rules:
Normal sudoku rules apply.
DUTCH FLAT MATES: Every 5 in the grid must have a 1 directly above it or a 9 directly below it. It may have both, but it doesn't need both.
DYNAMIC FOG: The grid is covered in fog. Entering correct digits might clear fog somewhere in the grid.
PICK-UP STICKS: A stick always has a lower total (the sum of its digits) than any stick which lies on top of it. Sticks that aren't grey have an additional rule:
Solution code: Row 9 from left to right
Comments
on 27. August 2025, 02:04 by NorthCoastAsher
Beautiful puzzle with expert construction!
on 14. August 2025, 19:26 by Vaaletee
Good puzzle, excellent logic, Marty I love you
on 16. July 2025, 03:22 by NotSoMagnifique
Definitely one where the Dutch Flat Mates are not trivial!
on 17. June 2025, 18:26 by ch3ka
Lovely Ruleset
on 15. June 2025, 12:27 by LNOMISL
Amazing puzzle, such a fun rule. Solved it in 47min
on 13. June 2025, 21:56 by Klausku
This one is exceptionally well constructed. I got stuck a couple of times because I forgot about either the stick rule or the flat mates rule. Thanks Marty!
on 6. June 2025, 15:01 by xardass
I love fog puzzles! Always happy to see it incorporated. And like most of your puzzles, this one was extremely enjoyable. Thank you!
on 5. June 2025, 11:55 by mscha
This one took me way longer than it should. Somehow, my brain can only handle one of the constraints at the time: when looking at the Mikado rules, I completely forget about Dutch Flat Mates and vice versa.
I got there eventually, though. Nice puzzle!
on 5. June 2025, 03:30 by npinguy
One of the best of the series!
on 4. June 2025, 22:16 by Exigus
Very nice construction. Thanks!
on 4. June 2025, 17:42 by wuc
Two great concepts combined. Great fun thx.
on 4. June 2025, 16:40 by ViKingPrime
The best of the series I've tried and a fitting present.
on 4. June 2025, 14:27 by sujoyku
Wonderful puzzle! Thank you, Marty!
Happy Birtday, Flinty!
on 4. June 2025, 12:45 by Flinty
Thank you so much for this Marty, an excellent puzzle and present. :)
on 4. June 2025, 12:21 by richcard
Wonderful high point (though hopefully not a curtain call!) of the pick up sticks set.
on 4. June 2025, 12:17 by Franjo
Such a pretty Dutch - Flat Mates present! Thank you very much for creating and sharing this puzzle and: Happy birthday, Flinty!
