Nice puzzle! Very challenging, I found it the hardest Weekly Assassin so far.
Here is my first ever attempt at a posted walkthrough.
1. R78C4 = {79}; R78C9 = {13}; 45 rule on C1234 -> R5C4 = 4; 45 rule on C6789 -> R5C6 = 7; 45 rule on N8 -> R9C46 = {13}; R78C6 = {45}; R789C5 = {268}
2. R1C34 = {59/68}; 45 rule on N2 -> R1C46 = 11; 45 rule on N1 -> R1C3 + R3C2 = 12; 45 rule on N3 -> R1C7 + R3C8 = 10; applying these four results together and eliminating identical digits in N1 and in N3 -> R1C46 = [56]; R1C3 = 9; R3C2 = 3; R1C7 = 1; R3C8 = 9; R23C4 = {18}; R23C6 = [92]; R123C5 = {347}; R456C5 = {159} with the 1 in R56C5 from 45 rule on R1234; R9C46 = [31]; R46C4 = {26}; R46C6 = [38] (cannot have both 8 and 9 in 19(4) cage); R9C3 = 6; 45 rule on N7 -> R7C2 = 4; R78C6 = [54]; R9C7 = 9; 45 rule on N9 -> R7C8 = 6; R6C78 = {57}; R4C78 = [61]; R8C5 = 6; R46C4 = [26]; R6C23 = [23]; R2C2 = 6; R5C1 = 6
3. In N3 6 must be in C9 and is blocked from R1C9 so R23C9 = [76]; 22(5) cage in N3 = {23458}; 26(5) cage in N9 = {24578}
4. In N7 3 must be in C1 and is blocked from R9C1 so R78C1 = {38}; 24(5) cage = {12579}
5. In N6 {49} must be in C9; R5C789 = {23} and either 8 or 9
In C1 9 must be in N4; R8C2 = 9; R78C4 = [97]; R9C8 = 4; R7C7 = 7; R6C78 = [57]; R2C8 = 5; R9C9 = 5; R8C78 = {28}; R78C1 = [83]; R78C9 = [31]; R9C12 = [27]; R78C3 = [15]; R79C5 = [28]; R23C1 = [15]; R23C4 = [81]; R2C3 = 2; R5C2 =1; R1C2 = 8; R3C7 = 8; R8C78 = [28]; R5C78 = [32]; R1C9 = 2; R1C8 = 3; R2C57 = [34]; R45C5 = {59}; R6C5 = 1; R5C359 = [859] ; R6C19 = [94]; R4C23 = [57] and so on
I expect that the more expert solvers will have found more concise approaches but hopefully this is worth posting.
Weekly Assassin 13 25th August
Clearly as time passes by "changes, everything changes" since I found this the most easy Assassin that I have solved! 18 months after the initial post of A13 the level of difficulty of the Assassins has definetly increased a lot.
Solving time was slightly more than one hour.
I think this very good puzzle at a starting level.
The innies in most nonets did simplified the start, The barrier that I encountered was mainly in locating the forced singles, which accounted for a slow progress until the end. The snake shaped cages did fight until the end!Ruud wrote:After an easy start, prepare yourself to take two heavy barriers
Solving time was slightly more than one hour.
I think this very good puzzle at a starting level.
Nothing can both be and not be