Daily Training Level 2

Dear Readers,

Today I tried Level 2 of the daily training. Same number of cells and the clues were slightly less straightforward. Still speedy though and I won 5 Picrites this time.

Daily Training Level 1

Dear Readers,

I messed up in a harder puzzle, so I'm going to try Professor Tetra's Daily Training while my Pokémon recover. I'm falling short on Picrites too that I'll need to unlock Area 05.

Level 1 is made up of 3 7x7 puzzles and they're quick and easy to do. They're speed oriented and don't form a picture. On completion, I get 4 Picrites as a reward. I'll need a lot more though!

S 04-08 Celebi

Dear Readers,

I finished S 04-08 in 03:40:56

This took me over three and a half hours to do... It did not let up until the very last cell. I am exhausted! It gives you a full line of X, but after that, you're on your own unless you have some kind of power up. I didn't use any. Every fill was a piece of work but I managed to draw them together to make Celebi.

S 04-06 Munna

Dear Readers,

I finished S 04-06 in 00:05:31

I backtrack a little bit on the map to take this one on. This Pokémon has very bright features and very few fills apart from its eye, nose and floral pattern. It's drawn with a spherical shape and strategic X placement. Fill what needs to be done and you get Munna.

S 04-05 Treecko

Dear Readers,

I completed S 04-05 in 00:07:22

This Pokémon has very light green pale features, so there aren’t many fills. The big fill line of its mouth helps you to solve the rest of the clues bit by bit.  Its long face and eyes make most of the other long clues more vertical. Don’t forget the dot for the nostril. Finish it up and you get Treecko.

S 04-04 Floette (Red Flower)

Dear Readers,

I finished S 04-04 in 00:05:54

On the far right column you can start filling right away, as the clues give away their one possibility. It makes the rest of the picture a breeze too!

This Pokémon comes in different colours and this is the one with the red flower. It makes up very little of the picture though. I wonder if the other colours have different pictures? When you win, you get Floette (Red Flower)

S 04-03 Goomy

Dear Readers,

Happy Christmas!

I finished S 04-03 in 00:09:11

This Pokémon barely has any fill pattern apart from its cheeks. It's a very goopy gooey looking creature with small features. Most of the fill spaces are out at the left side and this'll help with filling in the rest of the picture. All the little bits make up Goomy.

S 04-02 Pikachu

Dear Readers,

I finished S 04-02 in 00:07:23

This iconic Pokémon has bright features and small fill patterns for its eyes, cheeks and smile. There aren't any big fill lines, but there are many combinations of little fill clues that you can figure out quite easily. Solve them all and you get your buddy and mine, Pikachu!

S 04-01 Whimsicott

Dear Readers,

I finished S 04-01 in 00:03:27

I spent some more Picrites to go into the next area. It's nice to do the easier 10x10 grids again! This Pokémon is all white and fluffy, so expect to do a good amount of X for it and its small eyes. The rest of its face is drawn with fills. Finish this and you get a Whimsicott.

S 03-06 Ash-Greninja

Dear Readers,

I finished S 03-06 in 01:36:19

The password for this is 89907383. Very hard 20x15! I had to save and continue later a few times.

Barely any fill pattern, apart from Ash's black hair. It feels like an uphill battle, often whittling a single cell at a time. Don't lose heart though! It all adds up. This is like a fusion dance of Ash and Greninja. Is it from one of the Pokémon movies?

S 03-05 Greninja

Dear Readers,

I beat S 03-05 in 00:25:07

First 15x15 grid and it's a toughie! The big fill lines are in the centre, so focus on those first. Visualise how their neighbouring clues shift them in the other direction and fill accordingly.

This Pokémon doesn't have many fill patterns and its long scarf tongue is all X. Unwrap this puzzle and you get Greninja.

S 03-04 Klefki

Dear Readers,

I finished S 03-04 in 00:02:21

Tepig's Cross Reveal move comes in very handy here. The cross pattern was revealed in the lower left quadrant. This Pokémon doesn't have much of a fill pattern apart from the keyhole on its face. The rest of it is about drawing the shape of its face and its eyes. Draw it all together and you get a Klefki.

S 03-03 Mime Jr.

Dear Readers,

I finished S 03-03 in 00:05:30

The top half of this picture is the easiest to fill with its big fill lines. The lower part with its face is trickier and has more X. There are tiny clues that give away the positions of the eyes, nose, mouth and sides of the face. These all join up to give you a Mime Jr.

S 03-02 Tepig

Dear Readers,

I finished S 03-02 in 00:11:22

I was just told of another rare Pokémon. I'll find it a different time though.

It takes a good bit of time to finish this one. The only major fill is the top of its head. The rest of its facial pattern is mostly X. It takes time and care to fill the rest of its face but when you do, you're rewarded with a Tepig.

S 03-01 Blitzle

Dear Readers,

I completed S 03-01 in 00:03:28

Time to spend some Picrites to go into Area 03.

This Pokémon has a dark face, so it's mostly fill. Lots of big fill lines here to start with. Its nose and back of its head form quickly enough. X in the middle for the eye, ear and white mane. Put it all together and it forms a Blitzle.

S 02-04 Froakie

Dear Readers,

I finished S 02-04 in 00:06:21

The big fill line near the bottom helps in filling the lower part first. When it reaches to the upper part there are two rows with lots of small fill spaces for the big eyes. These can then be solved easily. After this, everything becomes a lot more manageable. The two big eyes take shape, the oval face too and the bubbly collar. Froakie is caught!

S 02-03 Chatot

Dear Readers,

I completed S 02-03 in 00:04:07

This Pokémon has three main circles. The first is the face, which is mostly drawn with big fill lines. The second is the eye, which is drawn with X and has fills for the pupil inside. The third is the beak on the left, which is drawn with fills and has mostly X inside. The white, feathery collar has little fills on the bottom. Complete this and you get a Chatot.

S 02-05 Manaphy

Dear Readers,

I completed S 02-05 in 02:01:39

Big jump in difficulty! This one's on a 20x15 grid. Had to upgrade energy for this too. You won't be able to use 10x10 abilities here.

Start on the far right with the antennae. This leads to filling the bottom and the face from right to left gradually. The face has lots of little fills which makes it pretty complicated. If you can manage all this, you catch a Manaphy.

S 02-02 Pancham

Dear Readers,

I completed S 02-02 in 00:06:22

The rare creature is just beyond this one on the map. Must hurry!

This picture is zoomed in on this one's face. It doesn't have many features so it's mostly X, which makes it somewhat difficult. The fill parts are its neck, ears, eyes and nose. It'll take some time but you'll finish up with a Pancham. Got the first mural after finishing this.

S 02-01 Pumpkaboo

Dear Readers,

I completed S 02-01 in 00:02:35

Made it to the second area!

Lots of big fill lines in this picture as well as two complete fills. X is for its beady eyes and fangs. You'll mostly be drawing the top of this one's head. It's revealed to be a Pumpkaboo. It seems to have two pairs of eyes...

S 01-03 Oshawott

Dear Readers,

I completed S 01-03 in 00:04:13

Just heard of a rare Pokémon that'll disappear if I don't get to it in time. Unfortunately, I haven't unlocked the area in which it appears yet. Must hurry!

Big fill lines make up the top and bottom of this Pokémon's head. It has a pale face so it's mostly made up of X. Lots of little fills make up the face and collar. Complete this and you get an Oshawott.

S 01-02 Oddish

Dear Readers,

I finished S 01-02 in 00:04:20

I used a Pokémon move for the first time; Poochyena's Scatter Reveal, which solves some random squares in the picture. Then there’s the energy meter, which depletes as you make moves.

The face of this Pokémon is dark and is mostly made up of fills. X makes up the beady eyes and mouth and scattered fills make up the leafy hair. Put them all together and you get an Oddish!

S 01-01 Poochyena

Dear Readers,

I finished S 01-01 in 00:04:25.

We can use Pokémon powers in this! I was given a Squirtle and an Eevee but haven't used their powers yet, just went straight into the next puzzle.

The top and bottom parts of the muzzle provide nice fill lines. From here you can determine the fills that make the eye and ears take shape and eventually the rest of the face. This is the first Pokémon catch, a Poochyena!

S 00-05 Poké Doll

Dear Readers,

I finished S 00-05 in 00:05:38

This is the last puzzle in Professor Tetra's lab. She wishes us luck from here on out.

Much of this picture starts at the bottom fill line and sides. Then it slowly builds upwards, forming small limbs and large filled ears. Use the clues to fill the face and the little curl in front. You end up with a Poké Doll, which bears a likeness to Clefairy.

S 00-04 Repel

Dear Readers,

I finished S00-04 in 00:04:19

Professor Tetra talks about numbers more than half the length of the line, that will always have filled squares somewhere in the middle.

The cylindrical shape of this picture allows for more complex concepts, but at the same time the parallel lines allow for plenty of practice. In the end, you get a Repel. Hopefully, you haven't been repelled at this point!

S 00-03 Egg

Dear Readers,

I finished S 00-03 in 00:04:02

Holding the Circle Pad up or down while using the stylus alternates between fill and X. It's very handy!

First 10x10 puzzle! There are lines with many little clues that reveal their positions immediately and three full lines, two fill and one empty. After this, the rest of the clues form the oval shape and the little speckled pattern, revealing an Egg.

S 00-02 Potion

Dear Readers,

I finished S00-02 in 00:01:14.

Professor Tetra tells us about "Edge Power". It uses solved clues to solve other clues perpendicular to them, using the fill line on the bottom of the picture.

It helps us to draw the picture from the ground up. It takes the shape of a spray bottle, some smaller numbers making up the spray handle and it becomes a potion.

S 00-01 Poké Ball

Dear Readers,

I finished S 00-01 in 00:00:38.

Thanks to Professor Tetra, you'll be able to make the first picture with no trouble.

The basic lines and round curve make up this first picture, a Poké Ball. This is how our Picross journey begins, which is fitting as it's how every Pokémon journey begins too!

First Pokémon Picross post!

Dear Readers,

The game loads extremely quickly and Professor Tetra gives skippable tutorials, which are always pluses in my book! She's not to be confused with the pirate girl from Wind Waker.

I'm looking forward to doing the puzzles and sussing out the free-to-start aspect!