Albcell.1 Guide
See below for instructions on how to play Albcell.1.
Albcell in a nutshell: Fill the odd numbers (1,3,5,7,9) in diamond squares and even numbers (0,2,4,6,8) in circles, once for each horizontal and vertical row.
Let’s illustrate this simple rule with a few examples. In the first picture below, the vertical line is missing two odd numbers, 7 and 9. However, if we look sideways, a 9 is placed further right. Keeping in mind that a number can be used only once in any horizontal or vertical row indicates that the empty diamond square between the circles 0 and 4 can only be 7 by default. Next step: fill the remaining open space with another 9, and the whole column is complete.
Turn the page to have a look at the following sample. If we draw mentally a straight line from numbers 7,9 horizontally and the numbers 1,5 vertically, they will cross paths at point X. What can X be? Remember, a number should be used only once in each row or column. Since X can!t be either 7,9,1, or 5, and a diamond cannot be filled by an even number, the only remaining possibility is 3.
Let!s stress this principle with one more straightforward example by filling in the circles this time. Look at the final example below. The numbers 0,2,4, and 6 cross paths at the empty circle in the middle. Such an arrangement would automatically signal that this particular circle cannot contain any of these numbers, leaving 8 as the only logical conclusion.
So, this is Albcell, in a nutshell, a unique two-dimensional puzzle that inclines the mind to switch back and forth between “separate realities” until the very end. This exceptional quality, which will reward your effort by fighting mental entropy, strengthening concentration, and improving multitasking skills, is what sets Albcell apart by comparison with other logic-based, combinatorial number-placement puzzles previously published.
One last word before the fun begins: All the puzzles in this book are handmade, crafted from imagination, aided only by a pen and many pieces of paper. The reason for this tough choice was simple: people who enjoy mental exercises appreciate quality above all and tend to be very selective by nature. On this note, I have split these 90 puzzles into six equal parts, increasing the difficulty in well-measured steps, thus creating a volume that can be worked through from beginning to end without interruption. Also, although I have to state here for the record, it goes without saying that each and every puzzle has only one unique solution. Hope you!ll enjoy it!