Flower Sudoku – Medium

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Flower Sudoku, also known as Musketry Sudoku, is a variant of the classic Sudoku puzzle that involves more complexity due to its structure. It consists of five overlapping Sudoku grids, with one central grid being entirely overlapped by the other four, forming a flower-like pattern. Each of the grids must adhere to standard Sudoku rules while also considering the overlapping areas.

Basic Rules

1. Grid Structure: The puzzle consists of five 9x9 grids, arranged in a flower pattern.
2. Number Placement: Each grid must be filled with numbers 1 through 9.
3. No Repetition: Numbers 1-9 must not repeat in any row, column, or 3x3 sub-grid within each individual 9x9 grid.

Additional Rules

1. Overlapping Areas: The numbers in the overlapping areas must obey the Sudoku rules for both grids that they are part of.
2. Grid Interaction: Solving one grid should assist in solving the adjacent overlapping grids due to the shared regions.

Basic Solving Tips

1. Start with the Central Grid: Since the central grid is overlapped by the other four, it often provides more initial clues.
2. Use Standard Sudoku Strategies: Employ regular Sudoku strategies like "single possibility," "single candidate," and "subtraction" in each grid.
3. Focus on Overlapping Areas: Pay attention to the overlapping areas as they provide crucial links between the individual grids.
4. Work Grid by Grid: Solve as much as you can in one grid before moving to the next, using the overlapping areas to help you transition from one to the other.
5. Look for Easy Fills: Identify and fill in the numbers that are easiest to determine first to create more clues.