Extra Word Sudoku (Qudoku!) Puzzle for Friday, 5/24/2013

NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day, 4/19/1999
Credit: Lick Observatory

Flowers spring forth in abundance this month…”

The moon is full tonight. In fact, it’s full in the minute this blog entry posts: 9:25 p.m. PDT. And a penumbral lunar eclipse began 14 minutes ago. (See the wonderful explanation of a penumbral lunar eclipse by Fred “Mr. Eclipse” Espenak at http://www.mreclipse.com/Special/LEprimer.html.)

What is name of this month’s full moon? Who named it? And do full moons really cause odd behaviors?

Second question first: www.space.com’s “Two-minute Universe” with Dave Brody (@DavidSkyBrody) provides a video answer full of fun facts at http://www.space.com/16841-full-moon-why-does-it-happen-how-does-it-affect-us-video.html.

First question: Work out the name of the full moon for each month of the year in the following three sets of Word Sudoku puzzles. Fair warning: in the puzzles below the months are not in their usual order…

BECALM
6x6 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x3 rectangle and set of circled cells contains the letters in the word exactly once

KNIVES
6x6 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x3 rectangle and set of circled cells contains the letters in the word exactly once

FRUMPY
6x6 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x3 rectangle and set of circled cells contains the letters in the word exactly once

GROWTH
6x6 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x3 rectangle and set of circled cells contains the letters in the word exactly once
Copy circled letters to the corresponding numbered cells in the quote grid to spell out the names of full moons

 

WOMBAT
6x6 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x3 rectangle and set of circled cells contains the letters in the word exactly once

WRENCH
6x6 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x3 rectangle and set of circled cells contains the letters in the word exactly once

PLUCKY
6x6 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x3 rectangle and set of circled cells contains the letters in the word exactly once

FJORDS
6x6 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x3 rectangle and set of circled cells contains the letters in the word exactly once
Copy circled letters to the corresponding numbered cells in the quote grid to spell out the names of full moons

 

CYMBAL
6x6 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x3 rectangle and set of circled cells contains the letters in the word exactly once

GRIPED
6x6 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x3 rectangle and set of circled cells contains the letters in the word exactly once

FLUNKS
6x6 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x3 rectangle and set of circled cells contains the letters in the word exactly once

GROWTH
6x6 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x3 rectangle and set of circled cells contains the letters in the word exactly once
Copy circled letters to the corresponding numbered cells in the quote grid to spell out the names of full moons

Joe Rao, a meteorologist who writes for space.com, published a great article in January explaining full moon names in detail. Read it at www.space.com/19464-full-moon-names-2013.html, but not until after you’ve solved these puzzles!

Solutions tomorrow morning.

Thanks,
--Dave