Wolves and Sheep in Fences (Mini Puzzles Series #16)

Wolves and Sheep in Fences is a fun variation on the classic Fences puzzle. This puzzle type has several names, including Slitherlinks and Loop a Loop. The basic idea is to draw a single loop by connecting dots. What makes this puzzle special is the story element—you need to keep sheep inside the loop and wolves outside. The numbered squares guide you by showing how many edges around that square are part of the loop.

This puzzle appeared in the US Puzzle Championship 2009 and has become a favorite among puzzle fans. The author created this puzzle to learn the rules better, and it became one of their favorite puzzle types. This version is easy compared to championship versions, making it perfect for people learning to solve Fences puzzles. The combination of drawing loops and protecting animals creates an engaging puzzle experience. If you like logic puzzles that involve drawing paths, you'll enjoy this one.

Rules of the Wolves and Sheep in Fences

Draw a single closed loop by connecting neighboring dots horizontally or vertically (but not diagonally). A numbered square indicates exactly how many of its edge segments are used by the path.

A square containing a sheep must end up inside the loop; a square containing a wolf must end up outside the loop.