Plankway #9 · Saturday, 3 October 2026

Plankway #9 was the puzzle for Saturday, 3 October 2026. Its difficulty is expert: a 9 × 9 grid with 20 islands and 3 reefs. The solver needs 38 logical steps; the hardest technique it needs is Try and see.

Saturday puzzles are 9 × 9 and usually need the only way out, sometimes try and see. A reef played a part in 10 steps, hiding a neighbour that would otherwise be in line.

Techniques used

• Bridge limits: 11 steps
• Every bridge counts: 12 steps
• Full island: 7 steps
• Crossing bridges: 1 step
• At least one: 5 steps
• Avoid isolation: 1 step
• Try and see: 1 step

The key step

The hardest step in this puzzle is step 28. This is the board just before it; in blue what the step adds, in red what it rules out.

Step by step

Every step follows from what is already certain. Columns are lettered, rows numbered. Read along to where you got stuck, then try to continue on your own.

1. Bridge limits: The 1 in E8 does not have the room for more: at most one bridge between the 4 in E5 and the 1 in E8.
2. Every bridge counts: The 1 in E8 needs every bridge it can still get: one bridge between the 4 in E5 and the 1 in E8.
3. Bridge limits: The 1 in D3 does not have the room for more: at most one bridge between the 1 in D3 and the 5 in G3 and at most one bridge between the 2 in D1 and the 1 in D3. A reef plays a part here.
4. Bridge limits: The 1 in I3 does not have the room for more: at most one bridge between the 5 in G3 and the 1 in I3, at most one bridge between the 1 in I3 and the 2 in I5 and at most one bridge between the 1 in I1 and the 1 in I3.
5. Bridge limits: The 1 in C7 does not have the room for more: at most one bridge between the 4 in C5 and the 1 in C7.
6. Every bridge counts: The 1 in C7 needs every bridge it can still get: one bridge between the 4 in C5 and the 1 in C7.
7. Bridge limits: The 1 in A1 does not have the room for more: at most one bridge between the 1 in A1 and the 2 in D1 and at most one bridge between the 1 in A1 and the 3 in A5.
8. Bridge limits: The 1 in D9 does not have the room for more: at most one bridge between the 1 in D9 and the 3 in G9. A reef plays a part here.
9. Every bridge counts: The 1 in D9 needs every bridge it can still get: one bridge between the 1 in D9 and the 3 in G9. A reef plays a part here.
10. Bridge limits: The 1 in A9 does not have the room for more: at most one bridge between the 3 in A5 and the 1 in A9. A reef plays a part here.
11. Every bridge counts: The 1 in A9 needs every bridge it can still get: one bridge between the 3 in A5 and the 1 in A9. A reef plays a part here.
12. Bridge limits: The 1 in E2 does not have the room for more: at most one bridge between the 2 in C2 and the 1 in E2 and at most one bridge between the 1 in E2 and the 4 in E5.
13. Bridge limits: The 1 in I1 does not have the room for more: at most one bridge between the 4 in G1 and the 1 in I1.
14. At least one: The 5 in G5 cannot get enough from its other neighbours: at least one bridge between the 5 in G5 and the 3 in G9, at least one bridge between the 4 in E5 and the 5 in G5 and at least one bridge between the 5 in G3 and the 5 in G5. A reef plays a part here.
15. Bridge limits: The 3 in G9 does not have the room for more: at most one bridge between the 3 in G9 and the 3 in I9.
16. Every bridge counts: The 3 in I9 needs every bridge it can still get: one bridge between the 3 in G9 and the 3 in I9 and a double bridge between the 2 in I5 and the 3 in I9.
17. Full island: The 3 in G9 already has all its bridges: one bridge between the 5 in G5 and the 3 in G9.
18. Full island: The 2 in I5 already has all its bridges: no bridge between the 1 in I3 and the 2 in I5. A reef plays a part here.
19. Every bridge counts: The 5 in G5 needs every bridge it can still get: a double bridge between the 4 in E5 and the 5 in G5 and a double bridge between the 5 in G3 and the 5 in G5. A reef plays a part here.
20. Bridge limits: The 4 in E5 does not have the room for more: at most one bridge between the 4 in C5 and the 4 in E5.
21. At least one: The 5 in G3 cannot get enough from its other neighbours: at least one bridge between the 4 in G1 and the 5 in G3.
22. At least one: The 4 in G1 cannot get enough from its other neighbours: at least one bridge between the 2 in D1 and the 4 in G1.
23. At least one: The 3 in A5 cannot get enough from its other neighbours: at least one bridge between the 3 in A5 and the 4 in C5.
24. At least one: The 2 in C2 cannot get enough from its other neighbours: at least one bridge between the 2 in C2 and the 4 in C5.
25. Avoid isolation: Otherwise a finished group would be cut off from the rest, so: no bridge between the 1 in I1 and the 1 in I3.
26. Every bridge counts: The 1 in I3 needs every bridge it can still get: one bridge between the 5 in G3 and the 1 in I3.
27. Every bridge counts: The 1 in I1 needs every bridge it can still get: one bridge between the 4 in G1 and the 1 in I1.
28. Try and see: Assuming the opposite leads to a contradiction a few steps later, so: one bridge between the 1 in D3 and the 5 in G3. A reef plays a part here.
29. Full island: The 5 in G3 already has all its bridges: one bridge between the 4 in G1 and the 5 in G3.
30. Full island: The 1 in D3 already has all its bridges: no bridge between the 2 in D1 and the 1 in D3. A reef plays a part here.
31. Every bridge counts: The 4 in G1 needs every bridge it can still get: a double bridge between the 2 in D1 and the 4 in G1.
32. Full island: The 2 in D1 already has all its bridges: no bridge between the 1 in A1 and the 2 in D1.
33. Every bridge counts: The 1 in A1 needs every bridge it can still get: one bridge between the 1 in A1 and the 3 in A5.
34. Full island: The 3 in A5 already has all its bridges: one bridge between the 3 in A5 and the 4 in C5.
35. Crossing bridges: A certain bridge blocks the connections that would cross it: no bridge between the 1 in E2 and the 4 in E5.
36. Every bridge counts: The 4 in E5 needs every bridge it can still get: one bridge between the 4 in C5 and the 4 in E5.
37. Full island: The 4 in C5 already has all its bridges: one bridge between the 2 in C2 and the 4 in C5.
38. Every bridge counts: The 2 in C2 needs every bridge it can still get: one bridge between the 2 in C2 and the 1 in E2.

The solution

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