Death Blossom

Level 12 · Black Belt

Strategy:

Almost Locked Sets

Overview

Death Blossom uses a stem cell connected to multiple Almost Locked Sets (petals) through restricted common candidates. Each candidate in the stem links to a different petal ALS, and common candidates across all petals can be eliminated.

How It Works

  1. Find a stem cell with N candidates.
  2. For each candidate in the stem, find an ALS (petal) connected through that candidate as a restricted common.
  3. Each petal must connect through a different stem candidate.
  4. Eliminate any digit that appears in all petals from cells seeing all instances of that digit.

Example

Starting position

Look for Death Blossom.

1

Death Blossom stem at r2c1

Found a Death Blossom. Stem cell at r2c1 has candidates {5, 7}.

2

Petal 1 links via 5

Petal 1 is an ALS connected to the stem by restricted common candidate 5.

3

Petal 2 links via 7

Petal 2 is an ALS connected to the stem by restricted common candidate 7.

4

6 appears in every petal

Candidate 6 appears in every petal, so these cells cannot keep it: r7c2.

5

Remove 6 from r7c2

Candidate 6 appears in every petal, so remove it from r7c2.

6

Result

Result after applying the technique.

Tips & Patterns

  • Death Blossom requires understanding of Almost Locked Sets.
  • The stem 'blooms' into petals, each connected by one restricted common.
  • The technique is powerful but rare and complex.