Shinro (しんろ) is a logic-based puzzle that has similarities to Sudoku and Minesweeper. The objective is to locate 12 hidden 'Holes' on an 8×8 grid. The board contains a variable number of arrows, each of which points to at least one Hole. A count of the number of Holes is given for each Row and Column.

A Shinro puzzle in its initial state...
...and with the hidden Holes displayed.

Originally appearing in Japanese puzzle magazines, Shinro was popularized by its appearance in Southwest Airline's Spirit Magazine.[1] It has since spawned web-based and iPhone versions.

Name

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New York-based puzzle-writing company Puzzability has been credited with coining the name Shinro in 2007.[2] The name Shinro (しんろ) translates to "compass bearing", referring to the arrows that point towards the Holes.[3]

Availability

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Websites:

iPhone:

Android:

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Southwest Airlines Spirit Magazine, Fun and Games section Archived 2008-06-10 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Shinropuzzles website Credit given to Puzzability for coining the name 'Shinro' Archived October 21, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Google Translate translation of Shinro (しんろ)
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