KenKen Strategies, Big E Puzzle

In the standard puzzle KenKen, the numbers in each heavily outlined set of
squares, called cages, must combine (in any order) to produce the target number in
the top corner of the cage using the mathematical operation indicated. A number
can be repeated within a cage as long as it is not in the same row or column. In
this 5 × 5 puzzle, the five numbers are 1 through 5. The operations are usually
given as part of the clues. Here, they are not. Nevertheless, each clue is associated
with one of the four standard arithmetic operations.

23040 12

9 9

1
KenKen Strategies, Big E Puzzle

As usual, the first step is to assign operator symbols to those clues we can be
sure about. The product of each column (and row) is 5! = 120, so the product
of the three left columns is 1203 . Suppose the digit in position b4 is x. Recall
that the notation Π[n∗] refers to the product of the digits of the cage [n∗]. Then
1203 x = 23040 · Π[9] · Π[9], where each of the two [9] cages are part of the product. It
follows that 75x = Π[9] · Π[9]. Since 75x cannot be a multiple of 92 for any allowable
digit x, at least one of the cages is additive, has only summands which are divisors
of 75. This means the other [9] cage satisfies 5x = Π[9], which is true only if x = 3
and [9] = [9+], with {[9]} = {1, 3, 5}.

1 2 3 4 5
12
a
23040×

9+
b
9+ 9
c
d
1−
e

2
KenKen Strategies, Big E Puzzle

So we know that the big E has exactly one 1, three 2’s, two 3’s, three 4’s, and
one 5. Not both cages [12] and [9] can be addition cages because the parity of the
sum of the three cages [12], [9], [1−] must be odd (total is 30 − 3 = 27). On the other
hand the [9] cage must be additive because it cannot be {[9×]} = {1, 3, 3} by the
X-wing strategy (only two 3 in the two columns). So we are left to conclude that
[9] = [9+] and [12] = [12×]. Next a parity check reveals that {[12×]} = {1, 1, 3, 4}
and not {1, 2, 2, 3}. So there must be one 5 in the [9+] cage and one in the [1−]
cage. The matrix below summarizes what we know.

1 2 3 4 5
12×
a
23040×

1 3, 4

9+
b 1, 5 1, 5 3 4

9+ 9+
c 1, 3, 5 1, 3, 4

d 1, 3, 5 1, 3, 5

1−
e

3
KenKen Strategies, Big E Puzzle

Putting all this together,

1 2 3 4 5
12×
a
23040×

1 3
9+
b 1, 5 1, 5 3 4
9+ 9+
c 1, 3, 5 2 1
d 1, 3, 5 1, 3, 5 5 2
1−
e 4 5

4
KenKen Strategies, Big E Puzzle

The complete solution is

1 2 3 4 5
12×
a
23040×

5 2 4 1 3
9+
b 2 5 1 3 4
9+ 9+
c 3 4 5 2 1
d 4 1 3 5 2
1−
e 1 3 2 4 5