Erica 52 (Full Rank Edition)
(Published on 26. August 2026, 12:30 by SennyK)
Today we have Erica created for Scojo's prompt, as redeemed by aqjhs, to create an Escape The Grid Full Rank puzzle, ideally using one constraint :-)
It is around 3* according to testers (thank you), but since Full Rank is not a standard variant, I am posting it at 4*, and I believe some might find it even harder.
I hope you will enjoy and I would be really grateful for all the comments and ratings.
Normal sudoku rules apply in the main 9x9 grid.
Full Rank: The digits on columns and rows, read in both directions, make a total of 36 numbers of nine digits each. Cells outside the grid have a value equal to the rank for the indicated row/column among those 36 numbers, where the lowest is 1 and the highest is 36.
German whisper: Cells inside the grid have value equal to their digit. Adjacent values along a green line have a difference of at least 5.
If you liked this puzzle, I recommend trying out my other puzzles: The Erica Series:★☆☆☆☆: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 12, 15, 17, 23, 26, 27, 31, 32, 46, 47
★★☆☆☆: 3, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20, 24, 25, 29, 30, 34, 35, 38, 40, 42, 45
★★★☆☆: 9, 19, 21, 22, 28, 33, 37, 38, 41, 44, 45, 48, 51
★★★★☆: 36, 39, 43, 50
★★★★★: 49 German Sums Series:
★★☆☆☆: 1, 3
★★★☆☆: 2, 4, 5, 6 Shading/Yin-Yang:
★★☆☆☆: Pretty Odd Shaded Area
★★★☆☆: (+5)-Yang, Negative 8 YY
★★★★☆: Aim High! (YY)
★★★★★: Why-Why?, Happ(Y) Birthda(Y), ChinStrap!, Growing YY in the Fog Puzzle Pack Chaos Construction:
★★★☆☆: Christmas Chaos, German Sums 6, It's a Six out of Seven
★★★★★: Heyawake Sudoku, Top Right Boi, Erica 49 Modifiers:
★☆☆☆☆: Borrower
★★★☆☆: Modified Flat Mates, Neighbourhood Watch
★★★★★: Mad Delirium Puzzle: Remarkably Beyond Crazy [16x16], Top Right Boi [CC], There's Strength in Numbers Fog of War:
★☆☆☆☆: Erica 12, Erica 17
★★☆☆☆: It's What You Do in the Dark That Puts You in the Light, Find It All, What the Fog?, Erica 20, Erica 29
★★★☆☆: Broken Flashlight in the Dark Pencil Puzzle/Sudoku Hybrid:
★★☆☆☆: Masyu (Short) Sudoku, Heyawake Sudoku (Given Regions), Way Too Hot, Are You? [Hotaru Beam], Hey, What's Up? [Heyawake]
★★★☆☆: Tetromino Sudoku
★★★★☆: Made in the Shade (Heyawake CC)
★★★★★: Heyawake Sudoku Pairometers:
★★☆☆☆: Pairometers (6x6 Pack 1), Pairometers
★★★☆☆: Pairometers (6x6 Pack 2), Pairometers (6x6 Pack 3) Various Puzzles:
★☆☆☆☆: Blown Fuses in Electrical Installation, Let Me Introduce Myself, French Wrench, GAS Regional Constraints, Quadsumes, Snack Latin Arrows, Sarah
★★☆☆☆: Symmetrical Fan, Night Club, Important Hour on the Clock, What Was the Sum Again?, Disgroup Joints, 10-Arrows, Antiking Dutch Skyscrapers, (Not so) Little Killers, Indexing Sword, Larna's HoneyMoon, Ascending Sums
★★★☆☆: Cops & Robbers, Positive Symmetry, Doppelgänger Killer 1-25, Region Whisper Line
★★★★☆: Liars. Liars Everywhere., Sandwiched XV Squishmates, Fireworks 2025, (Yin)German Pairrows, Little Galaxy, 2x Solution, Hit Me Baby One More Time
★★★★★: Any NEWS?, Potentially Pointer, Possibly Parity Party
Solution code: The number in rank 14 (9 digits).
Comments
on 27. August 2026, 22:21 by amirs
Beautiful puzzle! Very nice interactions between the ranks and the German whispers lines. I have solved a few Full Rank puzzles before but this one still felt like 4*.
on 26. August 2026, 23:57 by sanabas
Was a fun solve. Can't trust those testers. ;)
SK: Thank you for testing and a nice comment! I can trust the testers and I really appreciate the tests, but I was not sure between 4* and 5*, and due to testers saying it's 3*, I posted it at 4*. I had people solving my 3* puzzles saying they usually solve only 1* and 2*, but they like the series and wanted to give it a go. This puzzle is way harder than all 3* in this series, so I had to post it at 4*. I hope it checks out :-)
on 26. August 2026, 17:30 by Saltensity
Very hard deductions and especially tough mid/end solve for me, but still a great puzzle :D
