The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[Camchase]

First, I'd like to thank you for being here. I just discovered your forum. I am fairly new to Sudoku, only solving them for a couple months, but already addicted.

I purchased a Will Shortz book entitled "The Giant Book of Sudoku" and in it he has several variants. One of them is called Up and Down and is similar to geometry sudoku except the numbers must run in order either up or down (hence the name I'm assuming). He only supplied 10 of them in the book and wouldn't you know I became addicted immediately. Does anyone know where I can find a book or more of them.

Thanks in advance for any help you can supply.

Camchase

[Lindy]

I haven't seen this book by Will Shortz, but I am aware of a couple of variants that follow the up and down method (either 1 up or 1 down). They're loosely known as Consecutive Sudoku or 1-Away. However, neither of them resemble geometry sudoku so might not actually be what you are looking for. I can give you a better description, if you like.

You might be interested to know that there will be a new book out by Will Shortz in February, I believe. It's called "Will Shortz Favourite Sudoku Variations".

Lindy

[Camchase]

Thanks Lindy. I'll watch for it.

[Lindy]

I spotted this book today, and had a look at the up down variation. I do know a puzzle that is very similar, called "Ripple Effect", by Nikoli. Here are the rules:

The grid is divided into areas. Each area contain consecutive numbers from 1 to the quantity of cells in that area, inclusive. If two identical numbers appear in the same row or column, at least that many cells with other numbers must separate them. For example, two cells marked '3' in the same row or column must have at least three cells with other numbers between them in that row or column, and so on.

If this sounds like it might interest you, check out Nikoli.co.jp. There's a dedicated Ripple Effect book you can buy, plus this puzzle also appears in a couple of Nikoli's books of mixed puzzles.