Whole-board rules

This page covers rules over neighbouring pairs (6.10), explicit pairs (6.11) and negative constraints (6.14).

6.10 neighbours

A rule over neighbouring pairs of the whole board.

{"type": "neighbours", "kind": "antiknight"}
{"type": "neighbours", "kind": "antiknight", "within": "box"}
{"type": "neighbours", "kind": "antiknight", "area": "r1c1"}
{"type": "neighbours", "op": "not_sum", "sum": 10, "where": "orthogonal", "except": [["r1c1", "r1c2"]]}

Field	Meaning
kind	A named shortcut for one exact op + where: antiknight = different on knight pairs, antiking = different on diagonal pairs (orthogonal neighbours already share a row or column), nonconsecutive = not_consecutive on orthogonal pairs. Writers SHOULD use the kind when one matches. Or omit kind and give op (+ parameters) and where.
op (+ its parameter)	A symmetric pair operator (5.1).
where	orthogonal | diagonal | king | knight.
within	Optional scope: "box" (only pairs inside one box) or "region" (only pairs inside one region rule).
area	Optional scope (5): only pairs with both cells in the area, such as one grid of a samurai.
except	Optional list of exempt pairs.

Pairs are formed among existing cells of the board, unless a scope narrows them.

6.11 relation

Explicit pairs under one pair operator (5.1), for clues that are not edge clues (cells not adjacent, an operator no edge kind has, or a pair rule a site defines):

{"type": "relation", "op": "different", "pairs": [["r1c1", "r3c3"], ["r1c1", "r4c4"]]}

6.14 negative

States exactly which clues are "all shown".

{"type": "negative", "of": "kropki"}
{"type": "negative", "of": "kropki", "color": "white"}
{"type": "negative", "of": "xv", "letter": "X"}
{"type": "negative", "of": "difference", "value": 5}
{"type": "negative", "of": "rossini"}
{"type": "negative", "of": "battenburg"}
{"type": "negative", "of": "cell", "kind": "high", "split": 5}

of	Selector	Positions	An uncovered position …
kropki	color (omitted = both)	orthogonal pairs	is not consecutive (white covered) and not in a 1:2 ratio (black covered)
xv	letter (omitted = both)	orthogonal pairs	does not sum to 10 (X covered) / 5 (V covered)
difference / ratio / product	value (REQUIRED)	orthogonal pairs	does not satisfy that clue
sum	sum (REQUIRED)	orthogonal pairs	does not sum to sum
rossini	–	the first 3 cells inwards from each end of every full row and column house	is not monotone
battenburg	–	every 2×2 block whose cells share a grid / box_grid area (or of the whole board without one)	is not a parity checkerboard
cell	kind odd / even / low / high (+ split for low / high)	every cell	does not satisfy that clue (so it is even / odd / high / low)

• A negative covers exactly what its selector names. With a selector it covers a single value: {"of": "xv", "letter": "X"} says only "pairs without a clue do not sum to 10"; V clues may be partial.
• Exemption: a position carrying any rule of the same family (any kropki dot of either colour; any X or V; any edge clue of that kind, whatever its value (a difference 3 edge exempts its pair from a difference 5 negative); any rossini arrow; any battenburg mark; any cell rule of that kind) is exempt.
• Adjacency is only within one grid: two cells form a pair only if some grid / box_grid area contains both (on a board without one, all orthogonally adjacent existing cells).
• Optional area (5): only positions whose cells are all in the area are covered.
• With no clue of the family in the file at all, the negative still applies ("no two adjacent digits sum to 10 or 5").