Review of Albcell.d volume 3 (A Wagner Tribute)

[Olivia Bird Whitworth]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Albcell.d volume 3 (A Wagner Tribute)" by Gazmend Ceno.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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A Wagner Tribute (Albcell.d volume 3) by Gazmend Ceno is the third puzzle book in the Albcell.d series. This series differs from the Albcell.1 series by adding artistic elements to enhance each puzzle. In A Wagner Tribute, these artistic elements include symbolic representations of Richard Wagner’s operas, scores, and life. Fans of Wagner will enjoy references to well-known characters from his operas: Siegfried, the Valkyries, Tristan, and more. Those wanting to expand their knowledge will learn about the Bayreuth Festival and Wagner’s last words.

Sudoku lovers will enjoy this new puzzle, which asks puzzlers to fill in the numbers 0 through 9 in each row, column, and group. Odd numbers can only go in the diamond-shaped spaces, and even numbers can only go in the circle-shaped spaces. This creates a checkerboard grid over the whole puzzle and makes it possible to solve either all odd numbers, all even numbers, or both simultaneously.

I thoroughly enjoyed learning to complete these puzzles. One positive aspect of the book was the introduction. In the introduction, readers are not only taught how to complete the puzzle but are also given an example puzzle to walk through together. These detailed instructions gave me many tools to use as I struggled to fill in numbers later. I also think a video link would have been helpful in minimizing the effort of flipping through pages and searching for specific numbers while I followed along.

The other thing I loved was how much I learned about Wagner while completing these puzzles. They prompted me to look up the Bayreuth Festival, listen to new operas, and learn about the Wagner tuba. I truly got to know Wagner while completing these puzzles.

There were also several things that bothered me in this book. First, the instructions for Ceno’s “double puzzles” are unclear. I couldn’t figure out until looking at one solution that several puzzles worked together to create a single answer. Second, some illustrations made it difficult to see which numbers belonged to each group (see puzzles 13, 29, and 63). Finally, my experience with the difficulty of the puzzles didn’t align with the rating system. Some of the 3-star puzzles were more challenging for me than some of the 5-star ones.

Overall, I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. While the instructions and artwork for some puzzles were unclear, the majority of the book’s puzzles provided an enjoyable and educational challenge. This book is perfect for honing spatial skills and logical reasoning. I recommend A Wagner Tribute to sudoku lovers looking for a change and to those who want to keep their minds in good shape. Connoisseurs of classical music will also find this book appealing.

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Albcell.d volume 3 (A Wagner Tribute)
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[Paul Link]

Thank you for your fantastic review, which was informative and helpful. I look forward to checking out your other book reviews!