5 JANUARY 2008

Puzzles by
PUZZLECRAFT ANURAG SAHAY
ONLINE CONTEST
Midtown madness
Draw a single closed loop that visits every cell exactly once and does not cross
itself.Loop can not turn at the grey cells.

Answer key: write the number of horizontal segments in the path and the total number of turns
made by the path.for the example,the answer would be 4,9.

EXAMPLE:

Crossroads
Draw a path from start to finish (marked by dots) along the grid lines.The path must visit
all the grid nodes exactly once.Some nodes contain hints.At nodes with the same digits,
the path must make the same maneouver: make one of four possible turns or go
straight.Nodes with different hints correspond to different maneouvers.

Answer key: write the number of nodes at which the path goes straight.
Retro fence
Draw a single closed loop along the gridlines horizontally or vertically.When finished,write
in each cell a number which indicates how many of its four edges are used by the loop.All
numbers in each row/column must add up to the hint given outside the grid.
Answer key: Write the numbers sitting along the TL-BR main diagonal.
Chess couple
Locate all the given chess pieces into the grid(pieces are given in the test file),leaving
empty,the cells with grey circle.No piece can take or touch(not even diagonally) another
piece of the same type.Every piece must touch exactly one piece by the edge.Pieces do
not attack through another piece.Some pieces are already located to get you started.
Answer key: Write the location of all those queens(queens only),such that there is a piece in the
cell which is immediately on top of the cell they occupy.Use the row and column labels given
outside the grid to describe the locations.Answer may look like: A1,B2,C3.
Viewer battleships
Locate the given 10-ship fleet into the grid,without touching,not even diagonally.Numbers
inside the grid indicate how many ships are visible(at most, one ship can be visible in
each of the four directions)from the ship segment occupying that cell.The ship to which
this segment belongs,is not counted,even if there are other segments of the same ship in
the direction of view.All cells with number are occupied by ship(this rule obviously
follows).Cells with a “wave” symbol must remain empty.
Answer key:Write the coordinates of the cells occupied by the four one-tube ships,in order from top
to bottom,left to right.For the example,answer would be A2,C5,E5.
2 11
1
EXAMPLE: 1
1
3 2
 5 JANUARY 2008
Puzzles by
PUZZLECRAFT ANURAG SAHAY
ONLINE CONTEST
Pentajoins
Locate all the 12 pentaminos into the grid without reflecting them.You can rotate the
figures.Figures must form six pairs.A pair is made by joining a free square of one
figure with a free square from the second figure.A free square has only one of its four
edges connected to the rest of the figure.Figures forming a pair cannot touch,except at
the joint.Pairs cannot touch each other,not even diagonally.All the six joints are
represented by grey cells.Cell with thick border must be occupied.Black cell must
remain empty.

Answer key: Describe all the six pairs separated by commma.For the example,answer would be
IY,UL.

I Y U
Y L

U I
L
DNA
DNA is a cyclic structure of alternating molecules called exons and introns.In the
puzzle,exons are represented by three symbols A,T and U which form the cyclic
pattern “C-O-A-C-O-A-C-…..”.Intron is the shortest line that connects two exons.All
introns between C and A must be atleast 2 units long(i.e, it must traverse atleast one
empty cell).There is no restriction on introns that connect A and T or A and U.Every
exon must be connected to exactly 2 exons.Every row and column must have exactly
three exons,one of each kind.Exon or intron cannot occupy grey cells.Locate all the
exons and the introns that link them.
Answer key: Describe the contents of two main diagonals,using A,O, or C for exons,E for
empty cell and I for intron.For the example,answer would be IIIIII;COCCCA.

O C O A
O A O A C
A C O A C O
O A C O
O C O A C
C O C O A