This. Sudoku. Is. Insane.

** TODAY'S PUZZLE **
Kaktuslav is setting some incredible puzzles and this is apparently his favourite! It's called Blue Arrow and, well, there is a very very crazy arrow in the grid! What a sudoku this is - so many moments of "wait... doesn't that mean...." :)

Play the puzzle at the links below:

https://sudokupad.app/qz9m4zn7nf

Rules:
Divide the grid into 9 regions, each consisting of 9 orthogonally connected cells. Place the digits 1-9 exactly once in every row, column, and region. The digits along the arrow sum to the three-digit number displayed in the attached pill. The arrow passes through the centres of all cells that are not part of the pill (note that consecutive arrow cells are not necessarily adjacent; for example, a portion of the arrow follows r7c1 → r7c3 → r8c1). The arrow functions as a ‘region sum line’: along the arrow, every maximal sequence of digits within the same region has the same sum. I.e. when all non-pill cells are arranged in sequence according to the order in which the arrow visits their centres, this sequence will be composed of disjoint contiguous segments with equal sums. Two consecutive cells in this sequence belong to the same segment if and only if they are part of the same region. The inequality sign points to the smaller digit.

Rockratzero's "Elements" Kickstarter can be found here
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...

▶ NEW COMPETITION JUST OUT ON PATREON!!! ◀
We released Blobz new sudoku hunt, Back To The Future, on 1 September!! One of the best films ever now has its sudoku tribute - join us for as little as $2 a month to play. Closing date 20 September 2025.

  / crackingthecryptic  

** WE STREAM THE GAME "RITA" **
Upcoming stream on Monday 15 September at 10pm UK time:
https://youtube.com/live/1IzRWJnhQZc

** LIVE CRACKING THE CRYPTIC SHOW **
On 2nd November Simon & Mark will be doing a live episode at the Stratford-upon-Avon Literary Festival. Please book early to avoid disappointment, this event sold out quickly last year due to the venue size. https://www.stratfordliteraryfestival...

▶SUDOKU WORMS NOW LIVE! ◀
You can try worms (strings of sudoku which feed into each other) by Marty Sears or James Sinclair – (or both – approx. $1 apiece) – with more to come – either on Steam at these addresses or on AppStore:
Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/37...
https://store.steampowered.com/app/37...
AppStore https://apps.apple.com/us/app/crackin...
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...
and our latest full app is Cracking the Cryptic’s Fog-of-War Sudoku!
All our apps can be found at our website with links to all outlets:
https://www.crackingthecryptic.com/apps

▶ SVEN’S SUDOKU PAD ◀
Input classic sudoku puzzles into our software. With 12 free puzzles:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/svens-s...
Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/17...
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...
Amazon: Search for “SudokuPad”

▶ OUR NEW WEBSITE ◀
Our new website, with many thanks to GeorgeTheToad: https://www.crackingthecryptic.com

▶ CTC FAN DISCORD SERVER◀
  / discord  

▶ OUR VIDEO CATALOGUE – CATEGORISED WITH LINKS◀
https://tinyurl.com/CTCCatalogue

▶SEND US PUZZLES TO SOLVE/CONTACT US◀
crackingthecryptic@gmail.com
Snailmail: Mark Goodliffe, Box 102, 56 Gloucester Road, London SW7 4UB

▶FOLLOW US◀
Twitter: #crypticcracking
@crypticcracking
Instagram @crackingthecryptic

▶Credits◀
Music: Lucy Audrin (Piano): Mozart's Sonata no 16; and Mark’s outro music by Riffclown.
SOFTWARE: Thanks to Sam Cappleman-Lynes and Sven Neumann
Logo: Melvyn Mainini
Opening Credits: Burak Mescioğlu

▶ABOUT US◀
Hi! We're Simon Anthony and Mark Goodliffe, two of the UK's most enthusiastic puzzle solvers. We have both represented the UK at the World Sudoku Championships and the World Puzzle Championships. We're also "cryptic crossword" aficionados. Mark is the 13-time winner of The Times crossword championship and twice Senior World Champion in Sudoku, and Simon is the former record holder for most consecutive correct solutions to The Listener crossword. We hope we can help your puzzle solving while also introducing you to some of the world's best puzzles.

▶ Contents Of This Video ◀

0:00 Intro music and puzzle discussion
1:53 New Stream On Monday
3:14 Rockratzero's Kickstarter
4:44 New Worm Apps OUT
5:22 Patreon Bonus Content
6:36 Happy Birthdays
7:38 Rules
13:07 Start of Solve: Let's Get Cracking

#sudoku #puzzle #maths