Abstract: An improved puzzle of the type that requires an examinee to fill a geometric grid with indicia using a set of clues and guided by placement rules, comprising a plurality of geometric shapes arranged contiguously to form rows, columns, diagonals, and spaces where the geometric shapes intersect. The placement rules of an embodiment are to fill the geometric shapes with non-repeating indicia such that indicia are also not repeated in any row, column, diagonal, or geometric shape. Clues are provided by the examiner in the form of a predetermined subset of the solution indicia, aggregation information about the indicia in each diagonal, and aggregation information about the indicia bordering areas where the geometric shapes intersect. This construct provides a superior challenge for the examinee by increasing the number and types of techniques required to solve a puzzle instance.

Abstract: An improved puzzle of the type that requires an examinee to fill a geometric grid with indicia using a set of clues and guided by placement rules, comprising a plurality of geometric shapes arranged contiguously to form rows, columns, diagonals, and spaces where the geometric shapes intersect. The placement rules of an embodiment are to fill the geometric shapes with non-repeating indicia such that indicia are also not repeated in any row, column, diagonal, or geometric shape. Clues are provided by the examiner in the form of a predetermined subset of the solution indicia, aggregation information about the indicia in each diagonal, and aggregation information about the indicia bordering areas where the geometric shapes intersect. This construct provides a superior challenge for the examinee by increasing the number and types of techniques required to solve a puzzle instance.

Abstract: An improved puzzle of the type that requires an examinee to fill a geometric grid with indicia using a set of clues and guided by placement rules, comprising a plurality of geometric shapes arranged contiguously to form rows, columns, diagonals, and spaces where the geometric shapes intersect. The placement rules of an embodiment are to fill the geometric shapes with non-repeating indicia such that indicia are also not repeated in any row, column, diagonal, or geometric shape. Clues are provided by the examiner in the form of a predetermined subset of the solution indicia, aggregation information about the indicia in each diagonal, and aggregation information about the indicia bordering areas where the geometric shapes intersect. This construct provides a superior challenge for the examinee by increasing the number and types of techniques required to solve a puzzle instance.