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MITMH2022
Public Access

Solution to The Neverending Story

The Investigation

Answer: LONE
by Dave Shukan and Mark Halpin

Each unlabeled yajilin puzzle follows the same rule set as one of the labeled puzzles. Which is which can be determined through logical elimination (for example, the fourth unlabeled grid cannot be the Full Lane Yajilin because the ninth column contains conflicting information about the number of blocks in that column). The matching yajilin types are indicated herein by matching colors.

Per the flavortext, paths from the pairs of puzzles with identical rule sets should be overlaid, and the resulting intersections indicated by the graphic with each puzzle counted. For example, the overlaid paths of the two Full Lane Yajilins form exactly 14 T-shaped intersections.

Alphanumerically these values spell the answer LONE.

1. Yajilin - standard Yajilin rules
Vertical bar with smaller bar extending leftwards from the middle of the vertical bar
First grid
2. One Off Yajilin - standard rules, except that all clue numbers are either one too high or one too low
Vertical bar with smaller bar extending rightwards from the middle of the vertical bar
Second grid
3. Full Lane Yajilin - standard rules, except that horizontal clues refer to blocks anywhere in their row, and vertical clues to blocks anywhere in their column.
Horizontal bar with smaller bar extending down from the middle of the larger bar
Third grid
4. Clued Loop Yajilin - standard rules, except that clues refer to line segments going in that direction, not blocks (i.e., cell walls crossed in that direction).
bar-4
Fourth grid
Fifth grid
Sixth grid
Seventh grid
Eighth grid