crackingthecryptic

Fillomenon by Darth Paradox

Added 2023-11-17 20:01:00 +0000 UTC

As a follow up to Crux by Jay Dyer a couple of weeks ago, Simon attempts another beastly sudoku that we've had recommended/requested. Darth Paradox has come up with a variation that seems absolutely mad at first glance (and twentieth glance) but the logic herein is consistently interesting AND fair. It's another Lord Of The Rings' length edition (even longer than Crux!) and we'll monitor the comments to see whether it's worth putting this on the main channel.

Play Fillomenon here:

https://sudokupad.app/tnjygqxq3k

Rules:

Draw nine 3x3 boxes within the grid and place the digits 1-9 once into each box. Digits within boxes (the Sudoku digits) must not repeat in any row or column of the grid.

Divide the remaining cells (outside of the nine boxes) into orthogonally contiguous regions and fill them according to Fillomino rules: every cell contains the size of its region, and no two orthogonally adjacent regions may have the same size. No Fillomino region may be larger than nine cells. The clues outside the grid give the sum of the Fillomino digits in the indicated row or column. (Sudoku digits are not included in the sums.) Additionally, a Fillomino digit must not be orthogonally adjacent to an identical Sudoku digit.

Clues inside the grid begin hidden by fog; the fog clears when correct digits are entered. Digits along an arrow must sum to the digit in the attached circle; all arrows have single-digit sums and do not branch or overlap. Digits separated by a white dot must be consecutive, and digits separated by a black dot must be in a 1:2 ratio; not all dots are given. The purple lines contain a set of consecutive, non-repeating digits in any order.

Simon's solve:

https://youtu.be/SBK2grkjTzU