Logic Masters Deutschland e.V.

Special Thanks
Thank you to palpot for setting this puzzle with me. We both really hope you enjoy it.

I appreciate this is probably an old constraint, as it has a tag on LMD, but it was new to me and the inspiration came from the Genuinely Approachable Sudoku (GAS) series.

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: 2.5 / 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.

Median
Clues outside of the grid indicate the median (middle valued) digit, out of the three digits in that row or column nearest to the clue. For instance, out of R3C123, one of the three digits is lower than 6, one is exactly 6, and one is higher than 6, in some order.

Hint to start

2 and 8 clues are very forcing, and it soon pinches the other available digits.

Guest Setters
It's Christmas, and Santa's little helpers have been busy! Firstly, series co-anchor GoodCity with an X-Sum variant, with a puzzle that has a very festively appropriate name!

Secondly, the Flat Mate year began on January 1st with a wonderful puzzle by ViKingPrime, and to bookend the year beautifully he has returned after an extensive hibernation to deliver a wonderful puzzle pack that is a tribute to his series and mine. Although you might need to stand on your head to make the Flat Mates work!