An Extraordinary New Sudoku Rule

*** TODAY'S PUZZLE ***
We've had lots of recommendations to try this sudoku from CaptZebraCakes - it's called Mislabeled Killers and we just want to say that this is a BEAUTIFUL puzzle. The logic is fresh and fascinating and, although it has a 4* rating for difficulty, it's incredibly fun to solve once you cotton on to some of the key ideas.

Play the puzzle at the link below:

Rules:
Normal sudoku rules apply. Every cage is a “killer cage” where digits cannot repeat. The two-digit pill in each cage forms a two-digit number when read from left to right, and this two-digit number represents the sum of a different killer cage (i.e. a two-digit pill value cannot be the sum of the cage that contains that pill). No two killer cages have the same sum.

(The musical intro today was inspired by watching Coldplay at Glastonbury with Michael J Fox last night.)

Thanks to all of you who have helped us achieve the milestone of 600,000 subscribers on YouTube. Below you can find a link to a free puzzle pack we have curated to celebrate :)

*** THE LORD OF THE RINGS SUDOKU HUNT RELEASED ON 1 JUNE ***
We've just launched the sudoku event of the summer! Blobz' puzzles and Ted Nasmith artistry combined in one of the most beautiful, approachable and fun hunts we've ever published. Get hyped!!! Teaser puzzle here:

Play the full version here:

Other treats on Patreon include:
- Simon's solve of Sky-Skyscraper by Phistomefel has just been uploaded for our patrons.
- and Mark's latest solve of The Times Club Monthly cryptic crossword

*** LAST NIGHT'S BRAID STREAM ***
You can watch our stream from last night at this link:

▶ SUDOKU PAD - Use Our Software For Your Puzzles ◀

You can input classic sudoku puzzles into our software and help support Sven, the programmer responsible for the wonderful user interface we all use to play these puzzles everyday. The app also comes with 12 handmade puzzles from us:

iOS:

Android:

ALSO on Amazon: Search for “SudokuPad”

▶ Contents Of This Video ◀

0:00 Theme music & puzzle intro
1:51 Paws' Sudoku Hunt Incoming
3:12 Free 600k subscriber puzzle pack
3:49 Happy Birthdays & other messages
6:29 Rules
8:26 Start of Solve: Let's Get Cracking

▶ Contact Us ◀

Twitter: @Cracking The Cryptic

Our PO Box address:

Simon Anthony & Mark Goodliffe
Box 102
56 Gloucester Road
London
SW7 4UB

(Please note to use our real names rather than 'Cracking The Cryptic'.)

**************************************************************

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Twitter: @crypticcracking
We also post the Wordle In A Minute videos on TikTok.

[CaptZebraCakes]

Thank you Simon for featuring this puzzle! It was a lot of fun to construct, and I am so glad you and others have enjoyed it. Wishing you and the CTC team all the best!

[Raye]

Simon "Ah.. Oh yes, ah.. um.. ah! That means...! Ah!" me: "whaaaat!?" also me: "Let him cook"

[michaelmatter]

Indexing idea: Use the pen tool to draw a line between the two pilled digits, and then use that same color to highlight the indexed cage.

[doujutsugg]

I found the 45 and 39 cage in 3 minutes and then couldnt solve the puzzle at all. stuck for 15 minutes and decided to watch simon.

[nilsleder]

This is such a fantastic puzzle. Already after testing it, I was sure it had to go here. I think you have done a great job of adapting to the new ruleset and explaining the logic that comes from it, Simon. In particular, I liked your tricks with the 12 candidates. There were some logical steps I had missed in my own solve. Thanks for this great video solve! And, of course, big thanks to CaptZebraCakes for setting this gem!

[studgerbil]

"Alexa, I seem to be stuck"
"It's sudoku, Simon."

[MattYDdraig]

19:00
An absolute masterpiece. I am in awe of the construction skills of CaptZebraCakes. 👏

[MartinaNegro]

I didn't know how much I needed Simon to play Fix you but that alone made my whole week, thank you <3

[RianneOK]

I was very proud of myself that I worked out the 45 cage and the pill that had to say 45 because of the 2-cell cage that had to be 39 and so on. And I did the mapping of the digits in the 45 cage that were missing in its box as well. But all this took me already nearly 50 min (that I started last night before bed and continued this evening for a bit) and then I didn't know how to deal with all the 5-cell cages... still I had a great time with this. I am always happy when I can do a little of it without Simon's help but I still get to watch Simon solve it. When I solve it myself completely I don't usually have the patience anymore to watch Simon solve the same puzzle.

[chelseac]

What an amazing puzzle! I was intimidated at first, thinking I could not possibly break into the logic. But after pulling out a note pad and going through ranges of sum options, the path forward came so naturally! BRAVO!

[erickaguirre]

I have absolutely no idea how to even begin with this puzzle lol

[pzaan]

This puzzle was a fun exercise in notation. I tried a few options and settled on drawing a colored line through each pill corresponding to a colored fill of each cage.

[adammandell]

I keep coming for the sudoku but staying because yall seem like genuinely kind people who not only have a passion for the game but also love interacting with the audience. I dont know why but it does so much, and is so heartwarming. I dont even know much about sudoku but i want to learn because of yall

[MaryVidal-ptbx]

A Simon guitar intro had me hit “like” before even watching the video.

[corin]

I am always amazed at watching these videos. You look like you have so much fun with these puzzles. I hope that one day, my logic and puzzle skills allow me to enjoy puzzles of this difficulty.

[CapKhoury]

Wow. Wow wow wow. I'm so glad that I tried this one before I watched Simon's solve. What a spectacular puzzle, and what a beautiful solve path when you go about it the right way.

[JohnGottschalk]

With the amount of unlabeled killer cage puzzles you do, it would be really nice to have a way to mark killer cages where the markings:
1. Sit nice and small in the corner
2. Don't disappear when you enter a digit
3. Order based on input (eg. so you can type 21).

[jackmalcolm]

I really like how this puzzle starts. The 2 cell killer cage and its minimum sum ruling out 1, 2 and 4 in the tens place giving you both digits.

[ericpraline]

That was really neat, thanks. At first look a bit of a headscratcher, but once I got my eye in my biggest challenge was understanding my own notation for which sum related to which cage.

[Norkas_]

I loved this puzzle. Can't wait for Simon to love it too.