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Compact Sudoku

Compact Sudoku

A while back, I created a Cartoon called Double Sudoku. In that variant, there were 2 totally separate Sudoku Puzzles embedded in a single Sudoku Grid with all split cells.

The current cartoon is reminiscent of that one, but has N-1 starting numbers that are the same for both puzzles. (Double Sudoku had all different starting numbers for each puzzle.)

In researching where this variant may exist on the internet, I came across a site called SuBundle.com, by Dr. Chen, which has generalized this concept even further. Provided are puzzles with as many as 256 possible puzzles generated from multiple “Key Cells” in a single grid.

Normally, a “Key Cell” either contains a single digit M, which signifies that there are that (M) many puzzles bundled together (and you must figure out which digits lead to a solution) or the “Key Cell” contains multiple digits, which means that each of those digits leads to a different Sudoku puzzle.

Truly, this is a “Green” website for Sudoku Puzzles, where the number of Sudoku Grids is severely conserved. His site even offers multiple blank Sudoku grids that may be printed from a pdf or png formatted file.

I’ve provided tips for solving the above puzzle in the single grid by splitting blank cells in two parts. Of course, you can write each puzzle out on paper or duplicate electronically and solve each normally (and one after another).

I hope you enjoy solving this example of Sudoku puzzle cousins twice removed!