Puzzle Description:

Beru, formerly the Ant King, as portrayed in season 2 of the anime "Solo Leveling: Arise From the Shadow". This puzzle has the same image as puzzle #40036, but 40036 has fewer blots for a more relaxed experience.

#1: Joanne Firla (JoFirla) on Nov 21, 2025

Thanks for the slightly easier version. It was still a tough solve. Well done.

I can't logically solve the challenge version yet, despite the advantage of knowing what the puzzle is supposed to look like. I'm stuck at 16%. The system claims it is line and color logic only, so I'll keep at it.

Good luck

Definitely a challenging solve!

I definitely needed to solve the easier puzzle first!

Great puzzle. Thanks

I'm stuck at 18% using only line & color logic. Phew, this is tough!

Solved using logic only, no guessing required.

I'm still stuck at 16%, at least for line and color logic. With some moderate lookahead I can get to around 18%.

It took me four months, but I finally conquered this puzzle. Here is how I managed to solve it using line and color logic only:
1) Initial line logic brings the puzzle to 6%
2) Around the edge of the puzzle color logic can completely place:
a. the two blue 1 clues in the row 1.
b. the blue blot clue in row 40.
c. the black 5, blue 6, and blue 2 clues in column 1.
d. the black 6 and blue 5 clues in column 30.
3) Line logic adds a bunch of white squares in row 1, and 2 black squares in row 36.
4) Color logic in row 10 proves R10C1-3 and R10C28-30 are white.
5) Color logic in row 17 proves R17C1-2 and R17C29-30 are white.
6) Line logic brings the puzzle to 15%.
7) Color logic proves R17C28 is white.
8) Note that R26C28 cannot be black, although we don’t know whether that square is white or blue. In either case, column 28 rows 20-25 are all black, placing the black 6 clue in column 28. A small amount of line logic follows.
9) Note that R24C2 cannot be blue, although we don’t know whether that square is white or black. In either case, R24C7 and R24C23 are both blue.
10) Note that R23C2 cannot be blue, although we don’t know whether that square is white or black. In either case, R23C6 is blue and R23C16 is black.
11) Line logic fills in the square R22C16 and then the square R22C15.
12) If R26C16 is blue, it causes a contradiction in R30C16. Therefore R26C16 must either be white or black. In either case, R26C23 is blue.
13) If R24C16 is blue, it causes a contradiction in R30C16. Therefore R24C16 must either be white or black. In either case, R24C6 is blue.
14) The squares R23-24C6 are now both blue, which means they must be part of the blue blot clue in column 6. Careful checking in column 6 from the top down can nearly place the black 6 and the black 4 clues, with R12-16C6 and R19-21C6 all being black.
15) Line logic brings the puzzle to 19% complete.
16) Note that the squares R28-29C2 and R36C2 cannot be black. This means the 3 black squares in R25-27C2 must be part of the black 7 clue in column 2. Further, because R28C2 cannot be black, the black 7 clue in column 2 can be completely placed, proving R21-24C2 must be black. Some line logic follows.
17) R18C6 cannot be blue, although we don’t know whether that square is white or black. In either case, R17C6 must be blue, and R11C6 must be black. Line logic fills in three more squares.
18) Careful testing for the topmost blue 1 clue in column 6 proves it to be in R10C6, which must be blue. Line logic fills in two squares.
19) Color logic proves R18C3 must be white.
20) Line logic proves R22C3 must be black (the hint button misses this one).
21) R23C3 cannot be blue, although we don’t know whether that square is white or black. In either case, R23C7 must be blue. A bit of line logic follows.
22) R24C3 cannot be blue, although we don’t know whether that square is white or black. In either case, R24C8 and R24C24 must be blue.
23) R26C3 cannot be black, although we don’t know whether that square is white or blue. In either case, R20C3 and R23-24C3 must all be black.
24) A small bit of line logic brings the puzlle to 23% complete.
25) Cafeful testing starting at the top of column 7 proves that the three black squares R14-16C7 are part of the black 7 clue, and that R17-18C7 must be black due to where the topmost blue 1 clue can go. A small bit of line logic follows.
26) If R24C16 is blue, it causes a contradiction in R30C16. Therefore R24C16 must either be white or black. In either case, R24C11 and R24C20-21 are black, and R24C18 and R24C25-26 are blue. Two squares of line logic follow.
27) If R28C16 is blue, it causes a contradiction in R30C16. Therefore R28C16 must either be white or black. In either case, R28C8-9 are blue.
28) Hidden line logic proves R27C9 is blue.
29) Careful color logic testing in column 25 completely places the black 6 clue and the two blue 1 clues on either side of the black 6 clue.
30) Line logic brings the puzzle to 27% complete.
31) R22C5 cannot be blue, although we don’t know whether that square is white or black. In either case, R22C7 and R22C12 are blue, and R22C9-10 are black.
32) Line logic brings the puzzle to 31% complete.
33) R23C9 cannot be blue, although we don’t know whether that square is white or black. In either case, R23C5 is blue. A tiny bit of line logic follows.
34) Color logic proves R19C8 is black. Line logic proves R19C9 is also black.
35) Line logic proves R23C21 is black.
36) Line logic brings the puzzle all the way to 71%!
37) R13C4 cannot be blue. If R13C4 is black, it causes a contradiction in R13C5. Therefore, R13C4 is white.
38) Some line logic follows. The hint button misses that R11C4-5 must be white. 75% complete.
39) Color logic proves R18C9 must be black. Three squares of line logic follow.
40) Testing where the right-most blue 1 clue in row 11 can go proves R11C26-30 are white.
41) Testing where the right-most blue 1 clue in row 12 can go proves R12C26-30 are white.
42) Line logic brings the puzzle to 96%. Just a little more color and line logic and the puzzle is complete!

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