LinkedIn Patches #118 Answer & Analysis

The top-left 4 must occupy the upper-left corner as a compact block. The nearby 2s and 3 in the top row are also forced into narrow vertical shapes, and the top-right 4 fills the far-right corner cleanly. This creates a stable frame for the rest of the puzzle.

With the top band fixed, the middle row becomes much easier. The left-side 2 sits under the upper-left block, the central 3 extends downward as a vertical strip, and the 5-cell patch in the center-right becomes the main divider. The red 2 on the right edge is also forced into the remaining upper-right slot.

The lower-left side is tightly controlled by the pink 2 and the large 8-cell region. Once the upper-left and center pieces are fixed, the remaining lower-left space naturally becomes a wide rectangle that satisfies the 8 without leaving any stranded cells.

The far-right green region is the last major shape to settle. It uses the open lower-right space beneath the top-right patches, while the center 5 prevents it from leaking into the middle. This gives the right side a tall, clean rectangle that finishes the board.

The final solution works because every numbered patch has the correct size, each region stays connected, no two patches overlap, and the entire 7-by-7 board is filled. The top band sets the structure, the middle patches divide the board, and the two 8-cell regions absorb the leftover space without breaking any rules.