Trying to give starting clues

Wanted to experiment with what the maximum possible number was in any given grid this time. Obviosuly in a 5x5 grid you could have a 25 island clue but then that defeats the purpose. Below I looked at what that minimum would look like.

It’s interesting but only for that point of exploring what’s possible within the format. It obviosuly doesn’t make a good puzzle though. So I worked it down to seeing how a 10 island clue would work and how you would begin to constrain that. I believe I landed on a good solution to that with two 4 island clues.

So this one is interesting in that I’m pretty sure that this is the unique solution. The 4s constrain each other and the 10 clue in a really interesting way. The problem with this puzzle is that it jumps straight into imagining the path. it’s difficult to imagine the possible paths of 2 or 3 clues at the same time with nothing to start the player off.

For the puzzle at the top I initially wanted to experiment with if moving the clues would change the answer but they’re so constrained that it doesn’t change the solution. What changing the clues allowed for though, as we can see below, is that there could be a start made through introductory solving logic that allows players to make a start. The cell between the two 4 clues must be filled lest they become a shared island. Though it’s a paltry start, it is a start nonetheless to one of the more interesting puzzles I’ve managed to make.

I’m getting more familiar with the format and able to see more quickly when something may or may not be unique which is great. Building experience across different types of puzzles is great and the toolsets you teach yourself are invaluable!