The Puzzle They Said We Should Never Do...

*** TODAY'S SUDOKU ***
Today we feature a puzzle that our testers were a bit worried about. It has quite a complicated ruleset and this leads to much head-scratching but it's worth it!! It's called Bicycles and it's by SirSchmoopy making his debut on the channel! Do give the puzzle a try at the link below:

https://app.crackingthecryptic.com/sudoku/rRJ2Tq4b6f

Rules:
Normal sudoku rules apply. Digits in a cage sum to the small clue in the top left corner of the cage. Along a thermometer digits increase from the bulb end. The clue outside the grid gives the sum of the digits along the indicated diagonal. Within a row, let a "cycle" be the path taken starting from digit A in column X and then looking at digit B in Column A, then digit C in Column B etc until the cycle returns to digit A again. The "order" of a cycle is the number of unique digits contained in the cycle. eg A 5 in r9c1, a 9 in r9c5 and a 1 in r9c9 would force a cycle of order 3. In this puzzle the ORDER of the CYCLES also increases along thermometers starting from the bulb end.

Apparently this puzzle uses a mathematical concept, which is explained further here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclic_group

▶ NEW PATREON CONTENT ◀

NEW SUDOKU HUNT JUST RELEASED. It's called Guess Again and it's available now. Send in your solution by 20 March for a chance to win a prize.

Also new on Patreon is Simon's solve of Sam Cappleman-Lynes' Tie Fighter Starbattle.

Other Patreon exclusives:
- Simon's solve of Balance = Entropy, a brilliant new sudoku from JeremyDover and Raumplaner.
- Mark's latest fight with The Times Club Monthly Special cryptic crossword.
- The QAS ("Quite Approachable Sudoku") Hunt (solutions due tomorrow please!)

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https://www.patreon.com/crackingthecryptic

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

▶ SUDOKU PAD - Our New App ◀

It's OUT on Windows (released yesterday!) via Steam here:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1706870/Svens_SudokuPad/

You can now input your own classic sudoku puzzles into our software using our new App! The app also comes with 12 handmade puzzles from us and we're also releasing occasional bonus puzzles too. Already available on IOS and Android.

*** Our Book ***
The PDF is available as of today and the physical copy shouldn't be far behind. If you don't own the book then it can still be ordered here:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/peterchayward/cracking-the-cryptics-greatest-hits/

You can get the German language edition of the book here:
https://www.jmb-verlag.de/produkt-kategorie/sudoku/

**************************************************************

▶ OUR ARROW SUDOKU APP IS OUT ON ALL PLATFORMS!
Here are the links:
Steam:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1613680/Arrow_Sudoku/
App Store:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/arrow-sudoku/id1568407537
Google Play:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.StudioGoya.ArrowSudoku

▶ OUR KILLER SUDOKU APP IS OUT ON ALL PLATFORMS◀
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/killer-sudoku-ctc/id1544165118

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1471910/Killer_Sudoku/
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.StudioGoya.KillerSudoku&hl=en_US&gl=US

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With thanks to Andrea for creating this :)
https://simonreacts.avris.it/

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▶ OUR CHESS SUDOKU APP IS NOW OUT!◀
AppStore: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chess-sudoku/id1500654482?ls=1
Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1250560/Chess_Sudoku/
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.StudioGoya.ChessSudoku&hl=en_US

▶TRY OUR CLASSIC SUDOKU APP◀
AppStore: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/classic-sudoku/id1488838275?ls=1
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▶TRY OUR SANDWICH SUDOKU APP◀
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Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.StudioGoya.SandwichSudoku

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Видео The Puzzle They Said We Should Never Do... канала Cracking The Cryptic