ANSWERS: Sudokurossword 3

It's been thirteen days since I've posted "Sudokurossword 3", and six of you since then have successfully solved it, as you can see in the list below:

• Grant Fikes ****
• Eric Maddy ****
• Sam Levitin ****
• Mom ****
• Debbie Benford ****
• Lynn Sweeney ****

Now head below the break for the answers!

PUZZLE #169: Sudokurossword 3

PUZZLE #169

SUDOKUROSSWORD 3

This puzzle comes in two parts. The first part is a sudoku, which you solve normally (the numbers 1-9 appear once in each row, column, and 3x3 box). Each row has a crossword clue next to it; the shaded cell corresponds to the crossword entry in which that answer belongs. (For example, a 5 means that the answer to that clue belongs in 5-Down in the crossword grid.) If you want to really challenge yourself, you can skip the sudoku entirely and try to fit in the crossword answers without knowing where they're supposed to go, but I wouldn't recommend that.

Once you're done, unscramble the shaded squares in the crossword to form the FINAL ANSWER: A nine-letter word

Once you think you know what the FINAL ANSWER is, send it to either redhead64@chartermi.net or itsredhead64@gmail.com (though I'm more likely to check the second one) and I'll put your name on a solvers list once I post the answers in about two weeks. You can also use those email addresses to give me some comments and feedback (or get a hint from me in exchange for a "hint star", more details for that are on the sidebar to the right) or send me the answer to last week's puzzle, if you haven't already figured it out. If you have a printer and want to solve this puzzle on paper, just head below the break for a version you can print out!

ANSWERS: Sudokurossword 2

It's been two weeks since I posted a guest puzzle from Grant Fikes, and as you can see below, there's been a pretty big dip in solvers, at least compared to my usual average number of solvers. Maybe it's because of the holidays and people are too busy to take time off to solve puzzles on this site, maybe this particular puzzle proved too hard for most people, or maybe they just forgot. Whatever the reason, I'd like to remind people that if they so wish, I can send them a weekly email reminder telling them when my latest puzzle has been posted, so email me if you want to take part of this offer. Anyways, here's all four people that have solved this puzzle:

• Sam Levitin ****
• Eric Maddy ****
• YYW ****
• Giovanni Pagano ***

Now head below the break for the answers and some solver comments!

PUZZLE #102: Sudokurossword 2 (Guest Puzzle by Grant Fikes!)

PUZZLE #102

SUDOKUROSSWORD 2

Guest Puzzle by Grant Fikes

You may recall a couple weeks ago that because of depression surrounding this recent election season, I didn't have a puzzle that week. Two of my regular solvers, Grant Fikes and Chris Hendricks, both suggested that I post a Guest Puzzle in case I have another week with no puzzle scheduled. Grant even sent me a Sudokurossword for me to use! I had already made a "4X Game" puzzle when he originally sent me this (and I also have a different one for next week as well), but I didn't want his effort to go to waste, so I accepted his offering, and now I'm posting it here for you guys to solve (though I ultimately changed three of his clues beforehand. I hope he doesn't mind)!

This puzzle comes in two parts. The first part is a sudoku, which you solve normally (the numbers 1-9 appear once in each row, column, and 3x3 box). Each row has a crossword clue next to it; the shaded cell corresponds to the crossword entry in which that answer belongs. (For example, a 5 means that the answer to that clue belongs in 5-Down in the crossword grid.) If you want to really challenge yourself, you can skip the sudoku entirely and try to fit in the crossword answers without knowing where they're supposed to go, but I wouldn't recommend that.

Once you're done, unscramble the shaded squares in the crossword to form the FINAL ANSWER: A nine-letter word

Once you believe you've figured out the FINAL ANSWER, send it to either redhead64@chartermi.net or itsredhead64@gmail.com (though I'm more likely to check the second one) and I'll put your name on a solvers list once I post the answers in about two weeks. You can also use those email addresses to give me some comments and feedback (or get a hint from me in exchange for a "hint star", more details for that are on the sidebar to the right) or send me the answer to last week's puzzle, if you haven't already figured it out. If you have a printer and want to solve this puzzle on paper, just head below the break for a version you can print out!

ANSWERS: Sudokurossword

It's been roughly two weeks since I've posted my sudoku-crossword hybrid, so now it's time for me to reveal the answers! Keep in mind that I originally posted this puzzle before I changed the usage of stars, so until next week's answers are posted, it's still two stars for solving it in the first week, and one star for solving it in the second week. Now with that out of the way, here are the people who have solved this puzzle:

• Adam Weaver **
• Eric Maddy **
• Sam Levitin **
• Grant Fikes **
• Lynn Sweeney **
• Tyler Hinman **
• Christian H. P. **
• Debbie Underwood **
• Paolo Pasco **

Now head below the break for the answers! You'll also see some solver comments and captioned pictures as well!

UPDATE: Sudokurossword (and the End of Easy Versions)

It's been about a week since I posted my sudoku-crossword hybrid, and so far, an impressive 9 people have solved it. Usually, this is where I put an easier version of the puzzle... but starting today, there will be no more easy versions! I came to that decision after asking my solvers whether or not I should continue with them considering that no one has used them in quite a while. Their responses are below the break, in case you're curious as to how they answered; you might get a hint or two as to what I'm replacing the easy versions with. Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention that I've already adopted a new system to replace the easier versions starting with tomorrow's puzzle, where it'll be explained in more detail. Hope to see you then!

PUZZLE #23: Sudokurossword

PUZZLE #23

SUDOKUROSSWORD

This next puzzle is inspired by a dream that one of my occasional solvers, Lynn Sweeney, had back in February; after a while making other puzzles, I've finally gotten around to making it! I meet her in person regularly, and the dream in question involved me creating a sudoku puzzle (I taught her how to solve some sudoku puzzles, you see) and somehow transferring the numbers from there to a crossword puzzle. Read on to se the results of that dream!

This puzzle comes in two parts: The first part is a sudoku, which you solve normally (the numbers 1-9 appear once in each row, column, and 3x3 box). The second part is a crossword, but the numbers in the numbered clues have been replaced with coordinates; each coordinate lines up with a box in the sudoku grid. For example, if the coordinates say E3, you look in row E and in column 3 in the sudoku grid below, and you'll get the number 5. So that means that the coordinates E3 in the sudoku grid translates to 5-Down in the crossword grid. If you want to really challenge yourself, you can skip the sudoku entirely and try to fit in the crossword answers without knowing where they're supposed to go, but I wouldn't recommend that.

Once you're done, unscramble the shaded squares in the crossword to form the FINAL ANSWER: A ten-letter word

CROSSWORD CLUES:

A8) Act as a muse again

B5) Mussolini and others

B7) Director DW and actress Melanie

C9) Avoids, as a question on a touchy subject

D4) Director of the upcoming film The Hateful Eight

E9) Covered with 5-pointed shapes, maybe (Anagram of RED TRAINS)

F6) Pacific, Atlantic, and Mountain

G1) Creators of Ratchet & Clank and Sunset Overdrive

H2) Shone, like sparkly stuff

I3) Whip-wielding prosecutor from the Ace Attorney series

Once you figure out what the FINAL ANSWER is, send it to either redhead64@chartermi.net or itsredhead64@gmail.com and I'll put your name on a solvers list in two weeks or so. You can also use those email addresses to give me comments and feedback on this puzzle, or you could send me the answer to last week's puzzle, if you haven't already. If you want a version of this puzzle you can print out, just click on "Read more" below!