| A | A | B | B | C | D | E | E | E |
| A | F | F | B | C | D | D | E | |
| A | F | G | h | h | h | I | J | J |
| K | G | G | L | L | M | I | J | N |
| K | O | O | L | M | M | I | P | N |
| K | Q | R | R | R | M | S | P | N |
| T | Q | Q | U | V | W | S | S | X |
| T | U | U | V | W | Z | Z | X | |
| T | Y | Y | Y | V | W | Z | X | X |
A nicer grid is here:
https://stevelord.net/new_sud/grid.pdf
Normal sudoku rules apply:
The 9×9 square must is to be filled with numbers from 1-9 with no repeated numbers in any line, horizontally or vertically. Likewise, the 3x3 squares can have no repeated digits.
Here, each "cage" region, indicated by the same letter, must have a unique sum. There are two blank squares not in any cage. There is a constraint on the "L" digits. The top left L (shown slanted) is greater than the top right L. The sum in the lowercase h's in cage "hhh" is also the number "x". The diagonal values in bold (Y,U,V,M,I,J,J) add to 2x. There may be repeated digits on this and any other diagonal.
Few people have attempted a puzzle like this, so here is a way to get started: count the number of 3-cell cages. Remember that the digits in any cage are different and the sums are unique. Then, consider the contents of the 2-cell cages and the inequality of the top two L's. These considerations should put numbers on the board and allow you to solve the blank squares, and so on.
(A non-brute force computer solution is satisfying)
(From "Mesmer" and Cracking the Cryptic)
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