Easy Peasy Sudoku Advent (12) - Greater Than X
(Published on 12. December 2025, 06:00 by Richard)
This sudoku advent calendar contains 24 variants that were included in my Sudoku Variants Series (SVS) but turned out to be too hard to be solved by a wide range of puzzlers. I aim for difficulties of 1-2 stars and have written some general and/or specific hints as well. I hope some players will try the original SVS puzzle #225 after solving the advent version.
Greater Than X
General hint for this type:
Once you know the value of X, you also know that the digits on both sides of a greater than sign have the same parity (in case X = even) or a different parity (in case X = odd.)
Box 6 is filled with greater than signs. Together with the given digits in column 7 and row 5, the value of X can be determined fairly easy.
Apply classic sudoku rules.
In all cases where the difference between two neighbouring digits is exactly X, there is a greater or less sign between those digits. Digits must be placed in accordance with the signs. It is part of the puzzle to find the value of X.
Beware of the negative constraint: all GT-signs are given!
Solution code: Column 2
Comments
yesterday, 14:05 by Reina
Vey hard but very rewarding, thank you and merry xmas!
on 23. December 2025, 18:28 by Tws
You are the true master of building fun puzzles!
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Thanks for this nice compliment! :)
on 21. December 2025, 01:45 by SennyK
How can you keep on delivering so fun and approachable puzzles? Thank you!
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Reply: Haha, thank you for this nice comment!
Don't forget I have 20 year experience in writing sudokus and puzzles for various occasions and events. The main thing is: I put a lot of effort in it by taking a long time thinking about an entry. During my rides back and forth to work and the lunch break walk, my mind is buzzing with ideas and I write the best ones down as soon as I am home or in the office.
on 18. December 2025, 06:18 by Phase Queen Rachel
Took a while to find the break-in but once I did it was a super fun puzz!
on 15. December 2025, 21:30 by Dee_Code
Im so glad I remembered the negative constraint, so many dead patterns broken by it XD
on 12. December 2025, 23:03 by cam
Fun puzzle :)
on 12. December 2025, 15:18 by akodi
That was fun. Might have to try out #225 now!
on 12. December 2025, 09:55 by vidarino
Fun puzzle! Thanks! Fairly easy, if you remember the negative constraint, which I didn't, and was utterly stuck and confused for the longest time. But that's entirely on me. :D
