Artisanal Sudoku, Volume 176

1. Respite

• Normal sudoku rules apply (fill each row, column, and 3x3 box with the digits 1-9 once each), and all clues are standard.

• Cages: the sum of the digits inside each cage is equal to the small number in the top left corner, and digits cannot repeat within a cage.

• Very rough difficulty estimate: 3/10

Play online: SudokuPad | unshaded

New to variant sudoku? Check out these beginner-friendly guides to cages and other popular rulesets.

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2. Sharpener

• Normal sudoku rules apply (fill each row, column, and 3x3 box with the digits 1-9 once each), and all clues are standard.

• Thermometers: digits on thermometers increase from the bulb.

• Quadruple circles: a digit inside a white circle must appear in one of the four cells surrounding that circle.

• Very rough difficulty estimate: 5/10

Play online: SudokuPad

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3. Uphill Battle

• Normal sudoku rules apply (fill each row, column, and 3x3 box with the digits 1-9 once each), and all clues are standard.

• Digits cannot repeat on the indicated diagonal.

• Arrows: the sum of the digits along an arrow is equal to the digit in the connected circle, and these digits can repeat if allowed by other rules.

• Quadruple circles: a digit inside a white circle must appear in at least one of the four cells surrounding that circle.

• Very rough difficulty estimates: 8/10, 6/10

Play online: SudokuPad

Extra clues: SudokuPad

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Some other puzzles I enjoyed this week:

• Outbreak!!, by Flinty

• Glumly-Go-Round, by glum_hippo

• Superimposed and Undercover, by Nicolas Duhail

And if you missed it, be sure to check out Birdcage, my puzzle that was featured on Cracking the Cryptic last week!

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This week’s meta-description:
Featuring a bunch of constraints you’ve seen before, but, you know, arranged in ways you haven’t.

For premium subscribers, hints and two more bonus puzzles are below.