The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[petef]

The Times has switched to sudokusolver.com to set its puzzles. Does anyone know why this happened?

The first four champagne puzzles have been rather easier than Pappocom's. However the super fiendish today (1051) was extremely difficult. I found that I'd to do a bit of trial and error rather than use logic alone.

The puzzles are at The Times (with one day's delay).

[Heuresement]

I noticed that Pappocom (Wayne) had made an announcement a while back http://forum.enjoysudoku.com/viewtopic.php?t=4966 but that doesn't tell us the exact reason. I must presume that there must be commerical reasons for both parties. Perhaps Wayne could enlighten us further?

I too have found this week's champagne puzzles much easier that the usual Pappocom ones, although I have not yet seen today's puzzle. Actually one of the more interesting things about Sudoku puzzles in general is that difficulty levels are always somewhat subjective.

I have always found the Pappocom puzzles most interesting, and I am a little disappointed that The Times are no longer doing Pappocom. I am hoping that the new ones will prove to be as exciting.

[tarek]

I just saw the puzzle......it needs an x-wing only to solve..... (actually it needs just one of the available 2 x-wings to solve)...... equivalent to the older SUPERIOR puzzles......

tarek

[Heuresement]

I found yesterday's super-fiendish quite enjoyable to solve. Without pencilmarks, I used two x-wings, but also used uniqueness as a shortcut to get to the end quickly. I hope that these super-fiendish puzzles will be as good as the old superior ones and possess all the variations in the style of solving. I suppose that it is early days yet.

[Pat]

I hope that these super-fiendish puzzles will be as good as the old superior ones and possess all the variations in the style of solving.

Super Fiendish will be either equal to or harder than the very hard in the Sunday Times.

[Pappocom]

I noticed that Pappocom (Wayne) had made an announcement a while back http://forum.enjoysudoku.com/viewtopic.php?t=4966 but that doesn't tell us the exact reason. I must presume that there must be commerical reasons for both parties. Perhaps Wayne could enlighten us further?

Sorry for the slow response. I don't know why The Times passed up Pappocom puzzles and went elsewhere. I don't imagine anyone else is willing to offer reliable puzzles for free, so it's a bit of a mystery.

- Wayne

[udosuk]

We can only speculate... But a possible scenario is the puzzle providers are paying the Times to publish their puzzles... It could help promote their website/products... I don't suppose Wayne would go as far as that...

[lunababy_moonchild]

I certainly wouldn't!

Luna

[Pi]

I very rarely buy The Times and so i mainly get puzzles from "The Independent". I was very suprised the other day when i saw that the puzzles were no longer from pappocom.

I remember a time last autumn when "The Times" went sort of crazy and began publishing several massive pullout with pages and pages of puzzles, these weren't from pappocom either.

Also i believe that the board game that they brought out last christmas didn't use pappocom puzzles.

Also the tournament in cheltenham that the times organised last month used Puzzler puzzles

My point (if i have one) is that The Times have previously hinted change although like many of you i was suprised to hear of a permanent switch

[Pat]

I don't know why The Times passed up Pappocom puzzles and went elsewhere.

well, here's a possible reason --

A number of papers have requested Very Hard ("Superior") puzzles,
but I supply only the Sunday Times, by design.

-- when The Times (non-Sunday) wished Very Hard puzzles,
they had to find another source.

and now -- several months later -- they've exceeded the level of Very Hard, allowing Swordfish too.

[richardm]

But, as I commented in another thread I have yet to see one of the non-pappocom puzzles as hard as the old Superiors. Every single one to date has been solvable without PM in around an hour. The superiors, which I am still working through sometimes take me a day or two or longer as I insist on no PM. So I no evidence that these new strain of puzzles are even equivalent.

Someone commented on last Friday's which needed x-wing and sordfish - well it might have been what the compiler used, but you ceretinaly don't need anyting so obscure to solve the puzzle. See http://forum.enjoysudoku.com/viewtopic.php?t=5181
towards then end of the 1st page.

Richard

[Veronascutt]

I cant find the Monster puzzles for April 2017 -- please dont tell me theyve been discontinued.
Also, Ive noticed a reduction in the 16x16 puzzles, especially in the Hard & Very Hard categories -- this also gives me the blues.