Krazy Kropki 3: Missing Multipliers
(Published on 19. July 2025, 01:54 by Dave Brenn)
Krazy Kropki 3: Missing Multipliers
This one is tricky. And the rules are admittedly complicated. If you’ve been following along with this series, the first two puzzles were already difficult to explain. This puzzle adds an extra challenge as the location of the multiplier cells must be deduced first, and the cells have greater “vision” such that a given Krazy Kropki dot can potentially have as many as 3 options for its multiplier value.
The rules as they are laid out in this version of the puzzle is the original idea that I had for how this ruleset would work. However, I simplified it a bit for the first two puzzles. I think this extra complication might make this a 4/5 difficulty, but I’ll leave that to you to decide.
Rules
- Standard Sudoku rules apply: Each digit from 1 to 9 appears exactly once in every row, column, and 3×3 box.
- Multipliers: There is exactly one “multiplier cell” in every row, column and 3x3 box, each with a UNIQUE value. A multiplier cell cannot be in a cage or connected to a Krazy Kropki dot.
- Cages:All digits in a cage are summed together and treated as one value for the purpose of Krazy Kropki relationships. Digits MAY repeat in cages if allowed by other rules.
- Krazy Kropki Dots: Digits and/or cage totals separated by a Pink Krazy Kropki dot are in a X:1 relationship (one digit or cage total is equal to X times the other digit or cage total).
- The value of X for any given Krazy Kropki Dot is the value of the multiplier cell that shares a row, column or 3x3 box with that dot. If more than one multiplier cells sees that dot, or if the dot is on a box border, the player must decide which of those multipliers to use for the given dot.
- For clarity: A dot between two horizontally adjacent digits can ONLY see multipliers in its row or box/boxes, and the reverse is true for a dot between two vertically adjacent digits)
(Eg, if there were a multiplier in r1c2, r3c6, r2c7 and r4c4, a Kropki dot between r2c3 and r2c4 would have three potential multiplier values to choose from in rows 1-3, but it does not see the multiplier in row 4).
▶️ Play the puzzle on SudokuPad
Solution code: The negative diagonal, top left to bottom right
Last changed on -
Solved by zeniko, nocturnomath, SKORP17, Golden_Feather, Clara123, saiifh, QuiltyAsCharged
Comments
on 24. July 2025, 16:10 by QuiltyAsCharged
Brilliant puzzle! I enjoyed all three Krazy Kropki puzzles I've solved, but this was definitely my favorite.
For the first third of the puzzle I thought it wouldn't be any more difficult than the previous installment. But then things get a bit trickier. It's a well designed challenge. I'd also call it about 3.5*.
I think the rules are clear and well written. It helps to have recently solved the previous puzzles, both for understanding the rules, and for having ideas about how to get started.
Last changed on 19. July 2025, 17:15on 19. July 2025, 10:00 by zeniko
Beautiful and still not too tricky (around 3.5* for me). Thanks for sharing.
**
I’m glad to hear that! I was worried the rules would be too confusing. Thank you for playing