Both of the cages you mentioned could go 2 ways, so I am not sure that is a good place to start. The 5+ could be 1,2,2 or 1,1,3. The 18x cage has more than 1 possible combination, I will give a small hint and say that if you consider the possible combinations for 18x it would be a good start to solving the puzzle.



Thank you bram, that is an excellent compliment for a puzzle.

Hello Michaele,
You have created a good puzzle with a block sum greater than the sum of my puzzle 113 given to Patrick 03-29.
But 177 is not yet the limit. Today I created a puzzle with a higher amount. As an initiator, I want to keep the intrigue and not publish its size, and I sent the puzzle to Patrick.
I want to encourage you to create puzzles that aim for records in other categories I have suggested.
For example, I sent Patrick a puzzle with all the blocks in just 2 shapes.

I like your challenge, I will attempt to create a puzzle with the minimum number of cages next.

(New spoiler warning : Here's a more specific hint for starting the second version of the puzzle.)

[1,2,2] in the 5+ cage would leave no combination with a sum of less than 3 + 4 + 5 = 12 for the 11+ cage in the third row from top. And the correct [1,1,3] combination in the 5+ cage limits the number of 1s that can be contained in the 18x cage to two – which exludes one of the two possible combinations of numbers in that cage

Here is my 8x8 puzzle with only 6 cages.

michaele, that's another great puzzle It has a perfect elation-to-frustration ratio

I didn't need to know the sum requirement of the 97+ cage to solve it, so (to quote from jaek's comment about another puzzle),

But then I'm the one whe doesn't see that as a problem at all

Thank you bram, nice feedback.

It is a puzzle that is only intended to meet the challenge set by mikas, other than having very few cages it is a puzzle with some problems.



This might be my next puzzle, I will keep in mind your 'elation-to-frustration ratio'

Congratulations to Michaele for creating an interesting puzzle.

Commendably, all 6 blocks have different configurations.
From the inserts of this puzzle, it would be possible to create a puzzle with 10+ cages of different shapes.

The remarks about not using the biggest cage sum are, in my opinion, unfounded when puzzle only have plus operations.
The sum of the largest cage is equal to the 288 minus sum of remaining cells. It will never need to be used if the sums of all other cages are known (210x=5x7x6 ---> Sum=18).

I agree, I intentionally made the large cage an important part of the puzzle, it is very useful. It looks too big to be worth considering, but if you ignore it you are missing the fastest and easiest method to solve the puzzle. I think the only problem with the large cage is that it makes the puzzle too easy, don't ignore the 97+, it will help a lot.

Now that's really funny because I didn't see that at all until now
With the benefit of hindsight, having the fully solved puzzle and your latest post in front of me, I suddenly realise what a gigantic clue the 97+ cage is (or becomes right after you've solved the trivially easy 10+ cage).
But I solved the puzzle by working my way through the other cages , starting with the 10+ and (equally trivially easy) 44+ ones. Then, by considering "boundaries" of numbers that could possibly go into (and outside) the 82+ cage and then the 37+ cage in certain rows, I was able to place all the 8s and 7s in the puzzle. Then I placed the 6s and 5s in the 37+ and 210x cages along with 4 and 3 in the third column, after which the rest was pure "sudoku", with no need to consider the sum of the 97+ cage.
In defense of that (probably much too cumbersome ) method I'll say that it worked well with my usual procedure, which is to avoid using "pencil" numbers as far as possible and (preferably) only put down numbers when I know exactly where they go. The 97+ clue certainly yields an awesome definite set of "pencil" numbers, but I don't know how big an advantage it would've given me under that bizarre, self-imposed constraint of mine
Okay, I'll stop chattering for now To anyone new to this thread: Do get started with those puzzles It's well worth your while