This is a Hashiwokakero puzzle.
Difficulty: medium
Theme: Clue overload and logic.
Theme: Clue overload and logic.
This puzzle is dedicated to my friend Akira, who hates Hashiwokakero puzzles after he was forced to speedsolve them in a ridiculously short amount of time.
How ridiculous? 100 puzzles in 20 minutes.
That equates to 12 seconds per puzzle. Maybe Ulrich Voigt might be able to do that on one puzzle or two. But I doubt even he could keep up that pace for a full 20 minutes.
Anyway, the 3-2-3-2 pattern in the centre is surprisingly common in Japanese-made Hashiwokakero puzzles. In any case, enjoy.