'One Of The Best Puzzles I've Ever Solved'

*** TODAY'S PUZZLE ***
No lesser mind than TotallyNormalCat has described today's puzzle from Emre Kolotoğlu as one of the best puzzles ever. It's called German Whisper Cages and it's ridiculous! Give it a try at the link below:

Rules:
Normal sudoku rules apply. In cages, digits cannot repeat and sum to the cage total where the cage totals of two cages that share an edge must differ by at least 5.

▶ NEW PATREON CONTENT ◀
We have a new Competition running involving the world's hardest classic sudoku. It's been discovered by Philip Newman and, if you can solve it, send us your answer AND how you figured it out by 31 March. Philip will pick the best solutions, which will win a prize.

Simon's attempt to solve The Sudokutown Murders is up too!

We have released a new crossword video featuring Mark's attempt at the a Friday New York Times crossword, Matt Gaffney's meta crossword and the Listener crossword (which was a numerical).

We've also just released March's reward, a sudoku hunt called Guess Again. Send in your solution by 20 March for a chance to win a prize.

Also new on Patreon is Simon's solve of Sam Cappleman-Lynes' Tie Fighter Starbattle.

Other Patreon exclusives:
- Simon's solve of Balance = Entropy, a brilliant new sudoku from JeremyDover and Raumplaner.
- Mark's latest fight with The Times Club Monthly Special cryptic crossword.
- The QAS ("Quite Approachable Sudoku") Hunt (solutions due tomorrow please!)

You can join us on Patreon for as little as $2/month here:

▶ Contant 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'.)

▶ SUDOKU PAD - Our New App ◀

It's OUT on Windows (released yesterday!) via Steam here:

You can now input your own classic sudoku puzzles into our software using our new App! The app also comes with 12 handmade puzzles from us and we're also releasing occasional bonus puzzles too. Already available on IOS and Android.

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

▶ OUR ARROW SUDOKU APP IS OUT ON ALL PLATFORMS!
Here are the links:
Steam:
App Store:
Google Play:

▶ OUR KILLER SUDOKU APP IS OUT ON ALL PLATFORMS◀

▶ SIMON REACTION BOARD (!) ◀
With thanks to Andrea for creating this :)

▶ CTC FAN DISCORD SERVER◀

NEW: Guide To Our Discord Server:

▶ OUR BACK CATALOGUE – ALL CATEGORISED WITH LINKS!◀

▶ *NEW* CRACKING THE CRYPTIC MERCHANDISE◀

▶ OUR CHESS SUDOKU APP IS NOW OUT!◀

▶TRY OUR CLASSIC SUDOKU APP◀

▶TRY OUR SANDWICH SUDOKU APP◀

▶SEND US PUZZLES TO SOLVE/CONTACT US◀

▶FOLLOW US◀
Twitter: #crypticcracking
@crypticcracking

▶Logo Design◀
Melvyn Mainini

[emrekolotoglu]

Thank you so much Simon for featuring my puzzle again! I am very happy to see that you followed the intended solution path. I hope everyone enjoyed the puzzle.

[seiinity]

You call your community kind and clever. I can say with certainty that it's because YOU, yourself, are one of the kindest and most clever people I know. YOU guys created this community. It's a big comfort zone in the internet, this nice little corner. Thank you for everything you do, and stay strong!

[MeriaDuck]

Commenting just on the rules, I'm amazed this short set of rules, and the cages, with no digits had a unique solution. Setters never cease to amaze me.

[sirmrmcjack]

The internet is an awful place but the Cracking The Cryptic community is a place of peace. Peaceful creators attract a peaceful audience. I often even just listen to you two solve puzzles while I do some paperwork or when I cook, it's calming :)

[longwaytotipperary]

This is an amazing, smart, thoughtful, caring, witty community! I am so grateful to have found you all!!! Simon with his kindness, graciousness, wittiness, and joyfullness sets the tone. We are all grateful that Simon and Mark gave us this corner of the internet to join everyday and share with you and each other. 💕💕to all of you! You're all my favorite people also! 🤗

[PhaythGaming]

Hey. Recently downloaded ur classic sudoku app in hopes of improving at the puzzle game. I was doing puzzle #76 in and this was my first time feeling I just needed a hint. And the hint was "there's a naked single in r6c3 and I was like "huh? 6 can go in two places in that square". Then I counted 1-9 (exclude 6) and realize, sure, 6 could go in both places, but nothing else could go where the six could. This was an eye opening strategy and helped significantly improve my sodoku game. Your app is the best one and your channel rocks too.

[wossaaaat]

I cannot imagine being able to solve this puzzle, let alone set it. I wish I was as smart as you lot, but grateful I get to experience it vicariously through these videos. Thanks Simon. Thanks Emre. Amazing work.

[TheRoblington]

I'm an officer in the ambulance service. While the work is very rewarding, it also can be harrowing, frustrating and exhausting. This little corner of the Internet truly is a refuge of peace, order, gentleness, and kindness. I couldn't hope to solve half the puzzles here but matters not. Like a good bike ride or trip to the cinema, while I am here everything else melts away.

And it's a double bill. First the dizzying thrill of witnessing a great mind crack a ferociously clever conundrum. And then the pure gentle pleasure of reading the comments from the community.

Thank you sincerely Simon and Mark.

Other similar happy places include Agadmator's chess channel and the Wittertainment and Adam Buxton podcasts. I'd love to find out where other people find refuge.

Solving by magic!

[th.nd.r]

You having to take a moment before the puzzle started, don’t get me emotional 😭 I love this community, thank you so much for cultivating it and being as kind and loving as you are, that goes for both Simon and Mark.

Edit: I kept seeing so many people talk about this being a special corner of the Internet. I agree, and as such I think we should mark it with a 3.

[michielgerretzen]

This puzzle is exceeding my Sudoku-capabilities. However, even without having a single clue how to approach this puzzle, it's a enormous pleasure to watch Simon solving the puzzle. I am really happy to came across this CTC community and I am a Patreon member for quite some time with pleasure!
Thank you, Simon and Mark, for keeping up the good spirit and for surprising us every time and again with great puzzles (of which I manage to solve some on my own, some with a little help, and many with a lot of help) :-)

[DHREAVER]

3:03 Oh Simon. I’m so happy that all of us random people on the internet can bring you some joy in return for the joy you bring all of us. I agree, this is a special corner of the internet. Long may it remain so.

[akaEDL]

For sure a community is a reflection of the people that created it and keep it together. And the main reason that there are so many nice and kind people around here is your own kindness. For me personally, since my country started a war against another country where a lot of my very good friends live, in the situation where i start my every single day with checking whether the people i care about are still alive - this channel became one of the several places that still helps me to feel human kindness still exists and retain my faith in the humanity. Thank you so much for that, Simon, it really means a lot. <3

[ronjohnson]

You and Mark deserve most of the credit for growing one of the nicest corners of the internet. Genuine good cheer and enthusiasm go a long way.

[inspiringsand]

Rules: 04:23
Let's Get Cracking: 05:42
Simon's time: 1h14m12s
Puzzle Solved: 1:19:54

What about this video's Top Tier Simarkisms?!
The Secret: 4x (06:14, 06:17, 06:21, 10:48)
Bobbins: 1x (1:00:48)
Knowledge Bomb: 1x (06:59)
Chocolate Teapot: 1x (40:05)
Phistomefel: 1x (1:20:19)

And how about this video's Simarkisms?!
Beautiful: 17x (03:59, 26:41, 45:34, 49:25, 49:27, 54:15, 55:05, 1:01:44, 1:03:37, 1:14:21, 1:16:14, 1:16:35, 1:18:55, 1:19:39, 1:20:33, 1:20:44, 1:21:13)
Ah: 15x (05:30, 07:30, 25:24, 25:24, 34:27, 34:50, 39:11, 39:15, 44:51, 49:04, 50:16, 51:13, 54:15, 1:04:59, 1:14:20, 1:19:20)
Sorry: 14x (02:58, 03:32, 17:12, 17:18, 26:13, 27:15, 52:34, 57:06, 1:00:27, 1:02:33, 1:04:19, 1:07:17, 1:07:17, 1:14:56)
Hang On: 10x (07:30, 20:16, 23:34, 25:22, 34:32, 45:51, 45:51, 45:51, 56:02, 1:07:38)
Bother: 6x (38:55, 1:08:03, 1:08:05, 1:08:05, 1:08:05, 1:08:05)
Good Grief: 5x (1:03:37, 1:09:09, 1:14:31, 1:18:55, 1:19:39)
Ridiculous: 5x (34:53, 42:34, 50:38, 1:04:11, 1:06:08)
Magnificent: 5x (00:32, 00:59, 01:02, 02:06, 02:10)
Goodness: 4x (03:11, 34:50, 42:29, 1:00:27)
Clever: 4x (02:42, 50:38, 1:20:01, 1:20:05)
Wow: 4x (18:40, 18:40, 1:19:57, 1:19:58)
The Answer is: 3x (54:35, 56:27, 59:44)
Extraordinary: 3x (00:21, 03:50, 03:53)
In Fact: 3x (20:33, 32:32, 45:45)
Obviously: 3x (06:56, 36:20, 43:22)
By Sudoku: 2x (36:12, 1:16:47)
What Does This Mean?: 2x (56:23, 1:03:56)
Nonsense: 1x (36:49)
Stuck: 1x (42:15)
Lovely: 1x (43:04)
Shouting: 1x (1:07:17)
Of All Things: 1x (1:16:47)
Surely: 1x (19:59)
Whoopsie: 1x (1:16:58)
Progress: 1x (1:15:29)
Chromatic: 1x (40:42)
Fabulous: 1x (31:53)

Most popular number(>9), digit and colour this video:
Twelve (56 mentions)
Nine (130 mentions)
Blue (11 mentions)

Antithesis Battles:
High (25) - Low (19)
Even (9) - Odd (0)
Lower (17) - Higher (16)
Highest (2) - Lowest (1)

FAQ:
Q1: You missed something!
A1: That could very well be the case! Human speech can be hard to understand for computers like me! Point out the ones that I missed and maybe I'll learn!
Q2: Can you do this for another channel?
A2: I've been thinking about that and wrote some code to make that possible. Let me know which channel you think would be a good fit!

[majedal-baghl]

Loved the intuitive shoutout to dolmens and Stonehenge. To be precise, the dolmen is the whole structure; the horizontal piece is the capstone. Nonetheless, you made your point beautifully: I admire so much the clarity with which you explain the logic.

[stevendavid]

You are welcome for comments about your friend. You deserve so much more for the joy your (Simon and Mark) channel brings to us. Many of us get a chance to escape from all the B.S. that is going on around us. We get to be a part of watching brilliance in solving ridiculously hard puzzles daily. Every day after watching your channel I get two "Whow" moments of bewilderment and joy. Thank you so much!!

[Keyboardje]

I'm doing these older video's first, trying to get up to date with the newer ones, so I just got to this one now (16-11-2022), and... you made me cry!
I'm so sorry for your loss. And I feel so very priveledged to be part of this wonderful community you two beautiful people have created. Thank YOU! <3 < 3

[RichSmith]

I managed to solve it, but I needed a gentle nudge in the right direction from Simon.

Like Simon, I'd done the logic on the four larger cages in the top left first. Unlike Simon, I didn't know where to look next. I needed to watch Simon start talking about the pair of henges in box 5 and 6 to realise that's where I needed to look next. Pleased that I worked out the logical deductions from there for myself though. (Time taken doesn't need to be discussed 😂).

I had a slight departure from Simon's path by working out both the orange and blue (28/33) cages needed a 2, and the 123 triple at the bottom of c6 forced them both into r2 and r3, forming a virtual x-wing.

Both our paths reached exactly the same point by 1:16:00 in the video though.

Incredible puzzle.

[k.c.]

I keep hoping to have a puzzle where he ends up swearing at it, extending his middle finger, and rage-quitting. This is because that is how I typically solve these puzzles

[Coyotek]

Took me almost 90 minutes (1:26:53), but I'm proud to say I solved this one. A definite 'keeper' for me.

Astounding puzzle!