Would You Wish THIS Man A Happy Birthday?

** TODAY'S PUZZLE **
PjotrV has made Simon a sudoku for his birthday! And it's a really good puzzle! Huge thanks to Peter for such a kind thought. The puzzle is based on a clever physical calendar called A-Puzzle-A-Day so check out the pictures in the video if you want to understand the background.

Thanks also to all those of you who wrote in with birthday wishes and indeed puzzles. It means a lot.

Play the puzzle at the link below:
https://sudokupad.app/czke3g17fr

Here is the original link that Simon opened (which includes useful pictures about A-Puzzle-A-Day!):
https://amgine.nl/puzzles/Happy_Birth...

Rules:
"Place the digits 1-7 exactly once in every row and column. Place 8 polyominoes (an L pentomino, an N pentomino, a P pentomino, a U pentomino, a V pentomino, a Y pentomino, a Z pentomino and a 2x3 rectangle) exactly once in such a way that only the cells with grey text in them are not covered by one of the shapes (ie the "8", the "Jun" and 6 cells with "X" in them), so the grid spells out 8 June (Simon's Birthday). The polyominoes can be reflected and rotated as required. Each cage is part of a polyomino and no polyomino can have more than one cage. This cage can be anywhere in the polyomino. The small number in the top left of the cage gives the sum of the digits of that polyomino and digits can't repeat within a polyomino. The digits along the pointed diagonal sum to 45.
There are some cells with oddballs in the puzzle, which have odd digits in it. These are put in, because Simon is a bit of an oddball, in the most positive way: an eccentric and exceptional character.

Now enjoy your puzzle and your chocolate cake with iced frosting on it and the best to you! Peter"


David Millar's LBGQT+ Puzzle extravaganza here:
https://thegriddle.net/993

** THE LORD OF THE RINGS SUDOKU HUNT RELEASED ON 1 JUNE **
We've just launched the sudoku event of the summer! Blobz' puzzles and Ted Nasmith artistry combined in one of the most beautiful, approachable and fun hunts we've ever published. Get hyped!!! Teaser puzzle here:

https://sudokupad.app/blobz/a-long-ex...

Play the full version here:
  / crackingthecryptic  

Other treats on Patreon include:
- Simon's solve of Sky-Skyscraper by Phistomefel has just been uploaded for our patrons.
- and Mark's latest solve of The Times Club Monthly cryptic crossword

** LAST NIGHT'S BRAID STREAM **
You can watch our stream from last night at this link:

https://youtube.com/live/WcqUhQkwUSY

▶ SUDOKU PAD - Use Our Software For Your Puzzles ◀

You can input classic sudoku puzzles into our software and help support Sven, the programmer responsible for the wonderful user interface we all use to play these puzzles everyday. The app also comes with 12 handmade puzzles from us:

iOS:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/svens-s...

Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/17...
Android:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...

ALSO on Amazon: Search for “SudokuPad”

▶ Contents Of This Video ◀

0:00 Theme music & puzzle reveal
3:30 Simon's birthday list
4:14 Happy Birthdays etc
9:13 The Lord Of The Rings Sudoku Hunt
9:43 Rules
14:43 Start of Solve: Let's Get Cracking

▶ Contact Us ◀

Twitter: @Cracking The Cryptic
email: [email protected]

Our PO Box address:

Simon Anthony & Mark Goodliffe
Box 102
56 Gloucester Road
London
SW7 4UB

(Please note to use our real names rather than 'Cracking The Cryptic'.)

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