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Genres

PuzzlePicnic provides different kinds of puzzles. A genre is such a puzzle type, like Sudoku, Battleships or Archipelago. This page gives an overview of the available genres, and a short description of the puzzles you can expect in each genre.

Battleships

Battleships
In the diagram a number of battleships are hidden, the complete fleet is shown next to the puzzle. Parts of boats never touch one another, not even diagonally and the numbers next to and below the diagram tell how many parts of boats there are in that particular row or column. Puzzles in this genre.
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Archipelago

Archipelago
In the diagram a number of islands are situated that can be connected to eachother with straight bridges. In exactly one way all islands can be connected such that every piece of bridge drawn is functional. Bridges do not cross and are only horizontal or vertical. Puzzles in this genre.
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Tents and Trees

Tents and Trees
Place a tent next to every tree, either horizontally or vertically. Tents do not touch each other, not even diagonally and the numbers next to and below the diagram indicate how many tents there are in that particular row or column. Puzzles in this genre.
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Sudoku

Sudoku
Fill in n different digits on every row, in every column, and in every area of n cells that is bordered by a thicker line. Next to the puzzle the value of n is given. Puzzles with highlighted diagonals also need all values from 1 through n on each (highlighted) diagonal. Puzzles in this genre.
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Master Mind

Master Mind
Find the secret combination. A black dot corresponds to a digit in the right position. A white dot corresponds to a digit that does belong in the secret code, but is not in the right position. Next to the puzzle is stated which digits are valid. Puzzles in this genre.
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Kakuro

Kakuro
Write a digit from 1 through 9 in every box. A number above a diagonal line indicates the sum of the digits in the white boxes immediately to its right. A number below a diagonal line indicates the sum of the digits in the white boxes directly below it. Within a consecutive horizontal or vertical sequence of white boxes, no digit occurs more than once. Puzzles in this genre.
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Cogwheels

Cogwheels
In this diagram a number of cogwheels have to be placed, such that they all spin when you spin one of them. Two cogwheels are connected if and only if the middles of their sides touch and they never overlap. The digits to the right and below the grid indicate how many squares are in use in that particular row or column. Furthermore it's given how many cogwheels of each size are in this puzzle. Puzzles in this genre.
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Easy as ABC

Easy as ABC
Fill in the first letters of the alphabet on every row and every column exactly once. Some squares remain empty. To the right of the puzzle it is stated which letters it is about (A~D for example, means that we need to use A, B, C and D). Along the boundaries of the diagram clues are given about which letter you come across first from that side.

In some puzzles, the clues consist of a letter and a digit, rather than just a letter, for example "B2". This means that the B is the second letter encountered from that direction. Puzzles in this genre.
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Catwalk

Catwalk
Draw a path from every cat to his very own milk bowl. The numbers next to and below the diagram indicate how many cells are used in those particular rows and columns. Cats walk only horizontally and vertically and no cell is visited more than once. Puzzles in this genre.
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Spokes

Spokes
A digit on a hub denotes the number of spokes that meet there. Spokes never cross and in the end everything will be connected. Puzzles in this genre.
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Fences

Fences
Draw a closed loop through the diagram by connecting some of the dots horizontally or vertically. The loop is not allowed to touch or cross itself. The digits give the number of loop segments directly above, under, or next to the digit. Some puzzles contain wolves and sheep. In these puzzles all sheep are supposed to be contained within the loop (the fence), while all the wolves should be kept outside. Puzzles in this genre.
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Pathfinder

Pathfinder
A robot is situated in an environment with heaps of stones. Everytime he gets somewhere he picks up one stone from that heap. To decide where he will go next, he looks around and determines the sizes of the heaps in the squares neighbouring directly horizontally or vertically. His programming tells him which heapsizes he prefers. He will never move to an empty square. In case multiple neighbouring squares have the highest priority, he can not choose and gets stuck. Program the robot such that he will at some point arrive at the grey endstation. Give the priorities of the heaps of different sizes from left to right from highest to lowest priority. Puzzles in this genre.
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Panorama

Panorama
The numbers in the grid tell how many pieces of the island are visible from that cell in the six main directions. Only cells that are at the same altitude or lower are visible, and a cell at higher altitude blocks the rest of the line. Cells across the water are not counted. Neighbouring cells can have a difference in altitude of at most 1 and the entire island is situated above sea level. The beach (all cells on the border or next to water) is entirely at altitude 1 (which is the lightest shade of colour available). Puzzles in this genre.
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Neighbours

Neighbours
Divide the field into a number of connected regions of an equal number of unit squares, such that every region contains one number (or a question mark) that indicates the number of neighbours of the region. Fields are neighbours when they share a part of their border. Puzzles in this genre.
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Spiral Galaxies

Spiral Galaxies
The universe is partitioned into a number of spiral galaxies that are rotation symmetric over 180 degrees. Fill in the borders between the galaxies. Puzzles in this genre.
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Honey Islands

Honey Islands
Divide the honeycombs into a number of islands of certain size. Next to the puzzle is stated how many islands are required and what their size needs to be. Different islands never touch. Black hexagons are obstacles and are not part of any island. Bees are always part of some island, but no two bees are in the same island. Puzzles in this genre.
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Platform

Platform
This bookcase needs to be put together in a stable fashion using shelves, posts and chains. Posts support what is on top of them, chains can carry things. Shelves need to be supported on both ends by being attached at their endpoints to other shelves that are already stable or to the ceiling or the floor. The numbers next to the diagram indicate how many shelf sections are in their row and the numbers above and below the diagram indicate how many chain sections and post sections are in their columns, and there will be no posts or chains that are redundant because they are not used to attach a shelf. Puzzles in this genre.
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Crossings

Crossings
Draw a single loop through all squares in the diagram. The loop can cross itself: the numbers below and next to the puzzle indicate how many crossings there are in every row and column. Puzzles in this genre.
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Skyscrapers

Skyscrapers
Every row and column in the diagram contains skyscrapers of all heights indicated at the side of the puzzle exactly once. The numbers around the diagram denote how many skyscrapers are visible from that direction: higher skyscrapers block lower ones. Puzzles in this genre.
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Anglers

Anglers
Some fishermen, indicated by the numbers in the puzzle, each caught a fish. The numbers show how many squares are occupied by their lines. Lines never cross and every square, except there where plants grow, is used. Puzzles in this genre.
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Domino

Domino
The diagram contains a complete set of domino tiles. Draw their borders to indicate where every tile is located. Puzzles in this genre.
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Nonogram

Nonogram
A sequence of numbers correspond with sequences of coloured squares. In some puzzles, two different shades - dark and light - are used for both the sequences of squares and their corresponding numbers. Two sequences of the same shade in the same row or column are always separated by something else. An empty sequence of numbers corresponds with an empty row or column. Puzzles in this genre.
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Enlightenment

Enlightenment
Place lamps of varying strength in the diagram. Depending on the strength, a lamp illuminates a square region of 1, 2, or 3 cells around the lamp. Lamps cannot touch each other (even diagonally), and are never in a square that contains a number. A number indicate how many lamps illuminate that square. Puzzles in this genre.
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Grades

Grades
Enter digits into the grid, such that no two horizontally, vertically or diagonally adjacent cells contain a digit. The numbers above and to the left of the grid give the number of digits in each row and column, while the numbers below and to the right of the grid show the sum of the digits in each row and column. Puzzles in this genre.
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Mintonette

Mintonette
The balls are connected in pairs by lines. Every line makes a fixed number of turns, and all cells are used by the lines. Next to the puzzle a small figure indicates how many turns each line makes. Puzzles in this genre.
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Magnets

Magnets
Place magnets in the diagram. Each magnet has a positive and a negative pole, and adjacent squares cannot contain the same pole. The numbers give the number of plus and minus poles in each row and column. Puzzles in this genre.
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Star Battle

Star Battle
Place an equal number of stars (indicated by the number next to the puzzle) on every row, in every column and in all larger areas such that two stars never touch, not even diagonally. Puzzles in this genre.
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Arrows

Arrows
Place an arrow in each empty square. Every arrow can go horizontally, vertically or diagonally and points to at least one square with a number. The numbers indicate the total number of arrows that point to them. Puzzles in this genre.
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Water Fun

Water Fun
Pour water into the diagram, until every row and column contains exactly as much water as is indicated. Of course, connected areas of water must have the same surface height everywhere. Puzzles in this genre.
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Turnstiles

Turnstiles
Put the turnstiles into a configuration such that all hallways (the white parts of the puzzle) are connected. Puzzles in this genre.
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Shadows

Shadows
Place sunshades in the diagram such that all tables get shadow. The numbers indicate how many sunshades must be placed in every row and column. Puzzles in this genre.
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Alphametic

Alphametic
Replace the letters in this equation by digits such that it becomes a sound mathematical expression. The same letters are the same digits and different letters are different digits. No number has leading zeros. Puzzles in this genre.
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Futoshiki

Futoshiki
Fill in different digits on each row and in each column. Next to the puzzle is stated which digits are valid. At some places there are < and > symbols between neighbouring squares. Then the digit to which the arrow is pointing, is the smallest of the two. Puzzles in this genre.
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Hamilton Maze

Hamilton Maze
Draw a single loop that goes through every node exactly once. At bridges, the line is allowed to cross itself. Puzzles in this genre.
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Danger Zone

Danger Zone
Put the elements into the diagram, such that no three different nor three equal elements meet anywhere. Puzzles in this genre.
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Diamonds

Diamonds
This area contains buried diamonds. In some places, a number is given: this indicates how many neighbouring (horizontally, vertically or diagonally) cells contain a diamond. A cell with a number never contains a diamond. The number next to the diagram indicates how many diamonds are in the field in total. Puzzles in this genre.
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Penta

Penta
Put the given pieces in the diagram. The pieces can be rotated and/or reflected, but never touch, not even diagonally. The numbers next to and below the puzzle indicate how many squares in those rows and columns are occupied. Some puzzles have completely black squares in them, those are not part of any of the pieces, but they are allowed to touch them. Puzzles in this genre.
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Seethrough

Seethrough
On this blueprint every square denotes a room. Some doors between rooms have to be closed. Open doors allow to look into other rooms. If a square contains a number, this number indicates how many rooms can be seen from that position, the room itself excluded. Puzzles in this genre.
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Snakes

Snakes
In the diagram a number of snakes of equal length is positioned. Next to the diagram is stated how many snakes there are and what their length is. The numbers below and next to the puzzle indicate how many squares in those columns and on those rows are occupied. Snakes never touch each other and themselves, not even diagonally. They avoid large leaves, but irresistable clovers will always end up in the body of a snake. Puzzles in this genre.
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Hitori

Hitori
Black out some cells until each row and each column contains each symbol at most once. Cells that are horizontally or vertically adjacent are not allowed to both be blacked out and all remaining white cells have to be connected. Puzzles in this genre.
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Fission

Fission
Cut the shape into a given number of smaller regions of the same shape and size. Cuts have to be horizontal, vertical or diagonal between adjacent dots. The shapes may be rotated, but not reflected. Puzzles in this genre.
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Stream Islands

Stream Islands
Each given number is part of an island of that size. The remaining water must be connected, and may not contain any lakes (2x2 regions of only water squares). Puzzles in this genre.
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Gravity

Gravity
Each ball rolls in a given direction. If it hits a wall, it rolls along the wall and shifts one row or column. Place the walls in such a way that every ball rolls into a different hole. Puzzles in this genre.
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Plane Division

Plane Division
Divide the diagram into a number of connected regions by connecting dots. Each regions must contain every letter exactly once. Some puzzles contain question marks. A question mark can represent any letter. Puzzles in this genre.
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Line Game

Line Game
Draw straight lines from each cell with a number, such that every cell in the grid contains exactly one line. The number in a cell indicates how many other cells are covered from it. Puzzles in this genre.
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Pointers

Pointers
Place numbers inside every cell, so that each cell indicates how many different numbers its arrow(s) points to. Puzzles in this genre.
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Staircases

Staircases
Fill in different numbers in each row and column. Cells that are connected contain the same number. Puzzles in this genre.
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Mine Shaft

Mine Shaft
Dig a mine system connecting all diamonds. The shaft cannot touch itself, not even diagonally. The system ends at each diamond, but otherwise has no dead ends or loops. The numbers indicate the number of shaft pieces in every row and column. Puzzles in this genre.
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Masyu

Masyu
Draw a single loop through the diagram, visiting every ball without intersecting itself. The loop makes a 90 degree turn in every black ball, but it goes straight in the cell where it enters and the cell where it leaves the cell with the black ball. It does not make turns in any of the white balls, but it does turn directly before and/or directly after visiting a white ball. Puzzles in this genre.
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Morphism

Morphism
These graphs have an identical structure, but their nodes have been reordered. Fill in the corresponding letters in the corresponding nodes. Note that it only matters which nodes are connected with straight lines. The lengths of the lines, and which lines cross, are irrelevant. Puzzles in this genre.
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Thermometers

Thermometers
Fill the thermometers with mercury, such that the numbers outside the grid indicate how many cells in each row and column are filled. Mercury always starts filling from the base (circular part) of a thermometer, towards the top. Puzzles in this genre.
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Fillomino

Fillomino
Write a number in every cell. Equal numbers that are neighbours either horizontally or vertically automatically belong to the same group. Every group needs to consist of exactly as many cells as this number indicates. This means you can not have two groups with the same number sharing a border. Puzzles in this genre.
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Disconnect Four

Disconnect Four
Fill the diagram with crosses and circles, such that no four equal symbols appear in a row. Rows can be horizontal, vertical, and diagonal. Puzzles in this genre.
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LITS

LITS
Colour a subregion of four connected cells in every bounded region. These subregions are not allowed to touch other identically shaped subregions with a side. Rotations and reflections count as the same shape. All coloured cells have to be connected. No four coloured cells are allowed to form a 2x2 square. Puzzles in this genre.
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Light Up

Light Up
Place light bulbs in the grid so that every white square is illuminated. Light bulbs illuminate all squares they can see horizontally and vertically. They are blocked by black squares. Light bulbs are not allowed to see each other. Number clues in black squares tell you how many light bulbs there are in the 4 squares touching it. Puzzles in this genre.
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Country Road

Country Road
Build a looping road through all countries on the map. The road is not allowed to pass through the same country twice. Two squares with a piece of border between them cannot both stay empty. In case there is a number written in a country, this indicates through how many squares in this country the road goes. Puzzles in this genre.
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Sum Thing

Sum Thing
Write a distinct number in every circle, such that the numbers in circles bordering an area with a number, sum up to that number. Next to the puzzle the range of allowed numbers is given. Puzzles in this genre.
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Heterocut

Heterocut
Subdivide the plane into a number of regions. All regions have a different shape, that is, no two pieces can be the same after rotation and/or mirroring. All region sizes are in the range given next to the puzzle. Arrows always point from a smaller to a larger region. Puzzles in this genre.
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Cargoships

Cargoships
Enter the fleet into the diagram, making sure that the given numbers outside the diagram equal the sum of the covered numbers in the corresponding row or column. Different ships cannot touch each other, not even diagonally. Puzzles in this genre.
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Numberlink

Numberlink
Connect all equal numbers. Connections between distinct numbers are not allowed to cross each other, except at bridges. Puzzles in this genre.
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Tapa

Tapa
Colour some cells to create a continuous shape that contains no 2x2 square. Numbers in a cell denote the lengths of the sequences of connected neighbouring coloured cells when looking at its (at most 8) direct neighbours only. If there is more than one number in a square, there must be at least one white cell between the coloured cell sequences. Cells containing a number cannot be coloured. Question marks that occur in some puzzles can mean any digit other than 0. Puzzles in this genre.
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Arroway

Arroway
Draw a loop in the grid that goes through every cell. If the path makes a turn inside a cell it has to turn in the direction of the arrow. If a cell is empty, the path must not turn in that cell; if a cell contains a diamond, then the path may turn into any direction in that cell. Puzzles in this genre.
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Second Turn

Second Turn
Draw a single closed loop through all cells of the grid. The loop turns at every disk, and exactly once between every pair of disks. Puzzles in this genre.
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Winding

Winding
Draw one large closed curve through all the given pieces. The numbers indicate how often the curve winds around that point. Puzzles in this genre.
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Rectangles

Rectangles
Place fences to divide the land into rectangles. Every rectangle should contain exactly one number, which should equal the number of land (not water) cells in the rectangle. Fences cannot be placed on water. Puzzles in this genre.
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Kropki

Kropki
Enter digits from 1 through n in every row and in every column, such that no row or column contains any digit more than once. Anywhere there are two horizontal or vertical neighbors, one of which is double the other, there is a black dot between them. Anywhere there are two horizontal or vertical neighbors that differ by one, there is a white dot between them. Between 1 and 2 there can be either a black or a white dot. Next to the puzzle the value of n is given. Puzzles in this genre.
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Walls

Walls
Place a horizontal or a vertical line in every blank cell. A number indicates the total length of the segments connected to that square. Puzzles in this genre.
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Naoki's Island

Naoki's Island
Shade some cells so that all shaded cells and islands are orthogonally connected. Numbers on islands give the number of shaded cells that can be reached from each island without running into another island cell. Puzzles in this genre.
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Calcudoku

Calcudoku
Fill in the numbers 1 through n in every row and in every column. Next to the puzzle the value of n is given. Numbers indicate the sum, the product, the difference or the result of the division of all the numbers in that region. Often the operator used is given. Subtraction and division can only apply to regions with two numbers. It is possible for numbers to occur more than once within a region as long as this does not violate any of the rules. Puzzles in this genre.
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Myopia

Myopia
Draw a loop over the grid lines. A black arrow from an eye indicates that looking in that direction, the loop is closest to the eye. A white arrow means that in that direction, the loop could also be closest, but not necessarily (the line might not even go there at all). A direction with no arrow is certainly not the closest. Puzzles in this genre.
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Mosaic

Mosaic
Draw a mosaic consisting of half-coloured cells and empty cells. Each cell must be either empty, or half-filled by a triangle, in such a way that the empty regions form only rectangles. Cells with numbers indicate how many rectangles are adjacent to that cell. Puzzles in this genre.
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Straightforward

Straightforward
Place a letter in each empty circle, such that each of the given pieces can be found in the grid, without rotation or reflection. Puzzles in this genre.
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Yajilin

Yajilin
Draw a single closed loop in the grid which doesn't cross (or overlap) itself or thick lines. Every cell (unless entirely surrounded with thick borders) will either be part of the loop or shaded. Arrows indicate how many shaded cells are in that direction, and shaded cells may not be orthogonally adjacent. Puzzles in this genre.
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Heyawake

Heyawake
Shade some cells so that unshaded cells form an orthogonally connected region. Shaded cells may not be orthogonally adjacent and any orthogonal line of unshaded cells may straddle at most one thick line. A number indicates the precise number of shaded cells found in that region. Puzzles in this genre.
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Slant

Slant
Place a diagonal into each cell, such that there are no closed loops formed by the diagonals. Numbers represent the number of diagonals pointing into a vertex. Puzzles in this genre.
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Ripple

Ripple
Place the numbers 1 to n exactly once in each region of n cells. Between two instances of the same number in a row or column there must be at least that many cells (or a completely black cell). Puzzles in this genre.
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Slalom

Slalom
Draw a single, closed, non-intersecting loop through all of the gates once. Numbered gates must be passed through in order, starting from the circled number. Puzzles in this genre.
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