MAA: Math Horizons --- Solution to Sept. 2006 Pentominoku

PENTOMINOKU SOLUTION
Laura Taalman
James Madison University

Pentominoku brings a unique twist to the popular Sodoku puzzle. Fill in the 10 x10 grid with the integers 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 so that all five of the following conditions are
satisfied:

RULES:
• Each row must contain each of the integers 0, 1,…, 9.
• Each column must contain each of the integers 0, 1,…, 9.
• Each pentomino contains five distinct integers.
• There are exactly two pentominos containing the integers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
• There are exactly two pentominos containing only even numbers.

Initially specified positions are in black. Filled in positions are in white.