Logic Masters Deutschland e.V.

Dutch Flat Mates: Friendly Count

(Published on 4. February 2026, 07:00 by Flinty)

Previous Dutch Flat Mate Puzzles
This has been a weekly series since '18 Oct 23'. Here is a spreadsheet link for all the previous puzzles in the series, which also has a few teasers for upcoming constraints/guest setters in the series (subject to change).

This alternative link offers a limited LMD search for Dutch Flat Mates.

Special Thanks
Big love to palpot, who helped after I hit the wall whilst setting this puzzle.
Also love to the Twitch streamer Malakree who arguably came up with this constraint, by accidently misreading the rules of another puzzle: Dutch Flat Mates: Friendly Sums (originally inspired by mathpesto).

To play the puzzle, please click the image:


Puzzle Link: Click Here

Initial Setter Difficulty: 2 / 5

Normal Sudoku rules apply
Place the digits 1-9 so that they do not repeat in any row, column, or 3x3 box.

Dutch Flats
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.

Friendly Count
A digit in a cell with an arrow equals the count (not sum!) of all digits in "friendly cells" in that direction (not including itself).
A cell is "friendly" if its digit is equal to the cell's Row, Column, and/or Box number.

Hint to start

The clues in C9 must be different values, how is this possible? What digit can R4C9 be?

Visual Rules Example: All Friendly cells highlighted in green.


Solution code: Row 3 Digits

Last changed on -

Solved by tuturitu, OJPS, damo_89, Postnormal, farodin64, marcmees, palpot, Gribba Bibba, aqjhs, sujoyku, Dendr, olliwright, cornish-john, MalkoMann2, asynchronous, gdc, Franjo, SennyK, Exigus, Saltman, ... Titan29, Crusader175, SweJo, Elliott810, Jesper, kehan628, Snaques, luoji, kostia321, goodcity, Rockon101000, KirkFox, Tompzini, maniacaljackal, kangaroo, DetroitPiston, teuthida, nyxie, EFlatMinor
Full list

Comments

on 5. February 2026, 03:37 by thoughtbyte
Impressive minimalism indeed. Thanks!

on 4. February 2026, 21:13 by mathpesto
Wonderful setting and a fun solve!

on 4. February 2026, 17:18 by SennyK
Incredibly clever puzzle, I am very impressed. Thank you! :-)

on 4. February 2026, 16:56 by Franjo
Thank you very much for creating and sharing another brilliant DFM-puzzle.

on 4. February 2026, 14:41 by aqjhs
It looked eerily underclued but friendly goes a long way

Last changed on 4. February 2026, 10:22

on 4. February 2026, 10:22 by marcmees
Impressively minimalistic. Thanks

Difficulty:2
Rating:97 %
Solved:60 times
Observed:0 times
ID:000R82

Puzzle variant

Enter solution

Solution code:

Login