Special Thanks
Inspiration for this puzzle came from fjam
who used this constraint to set my Secret Santa gift puzzle Scattered Packages. Also a shoutout to Crusader175, who last week released a tricky 'Clock Faces' Flat Mate titled Chronos.
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.
To play the puzzle, please click the image:
Initial Setter Difficulty: 2-2.5 / 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.
Ranked Cages
In cages, digits must not repeat and sum to a total. All totals are ranked in ascending order and these rankings are displayed in the top left corner of each cage.
#1 is the smallest cage total, #14 is the largest cage total, no cages have the same total.
Hint to start
There isn't a lot of freedom in the cage values, especially with #10 being 4 cells, and #1, #2, #3; and #7, #8, #9 sharing a box. Don't forget happy 5s too!
Guests Setters
Over the next 2 weeks, we have returning guest setters!
First up, we have the return of SamuPiano, with a puzzle he initially set to imposter as me in a discord challenge prompt. It is so good, and fit the series ideals so well that I'm delighted we can release it within the main series.
And then we have Dutch Flat Mates co-anchor goodcity with series entry #99! I honestly couldn't have imagined this longevity, and goodcity is integral to that.
Lösungscode: Digits from Row 4 (left to right)
am 21. August 2025, 12:06 Uhr von Exigus
Wonderful puzzle, fairly quick but great fun. Thanks!
am 21. August 2025, 05:40 Uhr von spookyripper
Great solve once you remember the Dutch flatmates rule exists
am 20. August 2025, 21:09 Uhr von Gnubeutel
Easily the best puzzle with "ranked" in the title that i ever solved.
am 20. August 2025, 17:40 Uhr von sujoyku
Thank you for this wonderful puzzle, Flinty!
am 20. August 2025, 16:42 Uhr von Franjo
One of the easiest DFM-puzzles ever. Nice (but somehow obvious) break-in. Near the end of the path there seemed to be a deadly pattern which unfolded in a very nice way. Thank you for sharing.
am 20. August 2025, 14:29 Uhr von GorgeousNicko
I absolutely love this constraint (well, both of them)!
My hunch is that repeating ranked cages would result in (either repetition of the solving essentials or) greater difficulty.
am 20. August 2025, 11:12 Uhr von Chaossudokusplease
A great, perfect 2-star for me! I’d love to try more puzzles with that ranking rule, was a fun one to wrap my mind around at the start!