Now Try This...

Originally posted by thaughbaer
Unsolved in this thread. Do the second hardest.

PG in 18.0
(reach position after black's 18th move)

Very tricky to work out kings route to f8. I guess that is the point of this puzzle.

White's c-pawn clearly captured by dxc6 and White's queen by Rxg8#

Last few moves were 17. ... Nh6+ 18. Qg8 Rxg8#

Before then... perhaps 16. ... Be8+ 17. Kf8

Minimum number of white moves needed seems to be exactly 18:
c2-c4-c5-c6 (three moves)
Na6
Bb2-c3-b4 (three moves)
Rc1
Qb3-g8 (two moves)
Kings trip to f8 (eight moves)

So Blacks e and f pawns must have been captured by the white king.

Problem - if White's last move was Qb3-g8 - how did his pawn end up on b3? I must be wrong - Qg8 was played earlier and the only move we know for certain is 18. ... Rxg8#