Philosopher’s Path
(Published on 26. November 2025, 02:31 by pagedo)
The puzzle was inspired by my walk on the Philosopher’s Path in Kyoto recently. On our walk, my wife suggested I should design a sudoku puzzle with all my new found wisdom.
Examples of walking the path:
Left example - walking anti-clockwise 11 to 15
Right example - walking clockwise 15 to 19
Normal Sudoku rules apply.
Parts of the grid are covered in fog. Placing correct digits may clear fog somewhere in the grid.
The Philosopher's Path, as indicated by the gold outline, starts at 1 and is strictly consecutive for each stone (shaded mossy grey area) along the path.
Each stone on the path may consist of 1, 2 or 3 cells. Each cell on a stone is added to each other cell, unless there is a multiplier (diamond) on the stone. The multiplier is multiplied with it's orthogonally connected stone cell and the multiplied value is added to any other remaining cells on the stone.
The platforms with 3 non-rectangular stones, where the path turns 90 degrees, are calculated as follows. The anchor cell is where the lines meet. The 3 individual stone values are calculated by adding or multiplying the anchor cell to one of its neighbouring cells and adding that value to any remaining stone cells.
The 3 values are calculated in a clockwise or anti-clockwise order, depending on the direction of the path. The lines cutting through cells are purely cosmetic and do not define cells to consider.
Examples:
If 6 is the anchor cell and we are travelling clockwise on this 4 cell corner layout
7 8
6 9
The 3 path stone calculations are 6+7, 6+8 and 6+9.
6 8
2 7 is also a valid corner if 6 is the anchor cell, 2 is a multiplier and we are travelling anti-clockwise. The 3 path stone calculations are 6x2, 6+7 and 6+8.
The path ends at the Answer to "the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything". The value of the last stone is half the Answer's value.
Solve with SudokuPad
Kyoto - Philosopher’s Path - 8th November 2025
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Hope you enjoy it. Feel free to give feedback.
Thanks
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Solution code: Column 5 digits
Comments
yesterday, 05:04 by pagedo
Updated SudokuPad with link info for example images
yesterday, 04:36 by pagedo
Added example images of walking the path - as per @dzamie suggestion
yesterday, 04:24 by abihummel
Agree that visual examples for the rules would be extremely helpful. Lovely solve!
yesterday, 00:14 by dzamie
The 3-stone platform rule was very confusing to read, but makes a lot more sense when you actually get to one: it's 3 stones that all "share" the corner number.
If you can, it might be helpful to provide visual examples, like, a [5] stone followed by a trio with 2x3, 2+5, 2+6, followed by a [1x9] stone. That way we know what following the path looks like, what the diamond looks like, and what the 3-stone platforms look like, since most of these concepts start hidden in fog.
pagedo: @dzamie - Thanks for your suggestion. I have implemented a couple of image examples.
on 26. November 2025, 10:32 by zeniko
Nice thematic setting. Understanding the rules was the hardest part of this puzzle. Once that clicked, the solve path was quite meditative. Thanks for sharing.
on 26. November 2025, 07:38 by illegel
Didn't understand the rules of multipliers, but after understanding them, it became a very relaxing journey! Take your towel :D!
