The Legend Of Sudoku Hollow: First Encounters
(Published on 31. October 2025, 03:01 by MathGuy_12)
This was set for Scojo's Setting Saturday prompts. The prompt was to create a puzzle using Monstrifier cells, a monster based modifier!
I chose to create two puzzles based on a ruleset around the Headless Horseman from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow! You can find the more difficult sequel to this puzzle here.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is an American folk story written in 1820 that was excellently animated by Disney in 1949. It is worth checking out if you have never seen it!
Thanks to MattYDdraig, Nebuzaradan, and aqjhs for testing!
Rules:
- Normal sudoku rules apply.
- Values along purple renban lines are consecutive.
- Clues outside the grid give the sum of values along the indicated diagonal.
- Headless Horseman Cells
- Place nine Horseman cells so there's exactly one in each row, column and box.
- Digits within Horseman cells may not repeat.
- Cells containing a 🎃 (pumpkin) are given Horseman cells.
- Two Horseman cells may not be a chess knight's move apart.
- Horseman cells have a value of 0.
- The values of all cells a chess knight's move away from a Horseman cell are increased by the digit in that Horseman cell.
Solution code: The values of row 4 left to right (9-17 digits)
Comments
on 7. November 2025, 08:25 by grrz
It took a while to apply pressure to all the diagonals. Otherwise, it was quite simple.
on 2. November 2025, 21:23 by nassausolver
I found this really fun. Perfect amount of difficulty. Took me ages but I got it in the end, bit by bit. The constraints got tighter and tighter beautifully.
on 2. November 2025, 04:14 by RedBarchetta
Just shy of 3 hours - and then forgetting the rules...another 5 minutes to figure out the solution code! Well played - thanks!
on 31. October 2025, 21:33 by ViKingPrime
What a breezy 3-star puzzle! so long as you have absolutely no follow-up questions...
on 31. October 2025, 18:12 by Franjo
Wow! This was hard - for me, at least. (I gave 4*.) And it was a great pleasure to solve. In the beginning I was quite afraid of the 152, but then… Thank you very much for creating and sharing this monstrous gem.
on 31. October 2025, 13:36 by MathGuy_12
Reworded rules.
on 31. October 2025, 12:04 by Titus Adduxas
Can you confirm than values in cells a knights move away from a horseman are increased by ALL the horseman cells a knights move away from that cell? The rules state that they’re increased by the digit in A horseman cell. I am presuming of course that it is the horseman cell a knights move away from the cell in question.
MG: That is correct, I will update the rules to be more clear. Thanks!
on 31. October 2025, 08:45 by VitP
needs a LOT of pumpkins to reach 152.
also, 42 = 39 PLUS 3.
be prepared to do some (high school) algebra. scratch pad recommended.
AND this needs wider distribution --> --> --> ctc
