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1#Simon Tatham's Portable Puzzle Collection
2
3This is a collection of small one-player puzzle games.
4
5This manual is copyright 2004-2014 Simon Tatham. All rights reserved. You
6may distribute this documentation under the MIT licence. See appendix A for
7the licence text in full.
8
9#Chapter 1: Introduction
10
11 I wrote this collection because I thought there should be more small
12 desktop toys available: little games you can pop up in a window and
13 play for two or three minutes while you take a break from whatever
14 else you were doing. And I was also annoyed that every time I found
15 a good game on (say) Unix, it wasn't available the next time I was
16 sitting at a Windows machine, or vice versa; so I arranged that
17 everything in my personal puzzle collection will happily run on
18 both, and have more recently done a port to Mac OS X as well. When I
19 find (or perhaps invent) further puzzle games that I like, they'll
20 be added to this collection and will immediately be available on
21 both platforms. And if anyone feels like writing any other front
22 ends - PocketPC, Mac OS pre-10, or whatever it might be - then all
23 the games in this framework will immediately become available on
24 another platform as well.
25
26 The actual games in this collection were mostly not my invention;
27 they are re-implementations of existing game concepts within my
28 portable puzzle framework. I do not claim credit, in general, for
29 inventing the rules of any of these puzzles. (I don't even claim
30 authorship of all the code; some of the puzzles have been submitted
31 by other authors.)
32
33 This collection is distributed under the MIT licence (see appendix
34 A). This means that you can do pretty much anything you like with
35 the game binaries or the code, except pretending you wrote them
36 yourself, or suing me if anything goes wrong.
37
38 The most recent versions, and source code, can be found at
39 https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/puzzles/.
40
41 Please report bugs to anakin@pobox.com. You might find it helpful to
42 read this article before reporting a bug:
43
44 https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/bugs.html
45
46 Patches are welcome. Especially if they provide a new front end (to
47 make all these games run on another platform), or a new game.
48
49#Chapter 2: Common features
50
51 This chapter describes features that are common to all the games.
52
53#2.1 Common actions
54
55 These actions are all available from the `Game' menu and via
56 keyboard shortcuts, in addition to any game-specific actions.
57
58 (On Mac OS X, to conform with local user interface standards, these
59 actions are situated on the `File' and `Edit' menus instead.)
60
61 _New game_ (`N', Ctrl+`N')
62
63 Starts a new game, with a random initial state.
64
65 _Restart game_
66
67 Resets the current game to its initial state. (This can be
68 undone.)
69
70 _Load_
71
72 Loads a saved game from a file on disk.
73
74 _Save_
75
76 Saves the current state of your game to a file on disk.
77
78 The Load and Save operations preserve your entire game history
79 (so you can save, reload, and still Undo and Redo things you had
80 done before saving).
81
82 _Print_
83
84 Where supported (currently only on Windows), brings up a dialog
85 allowing you to print an arbitrary number of puzzles randomly
86 generated from the current parameters, optionally including
87 the current puzzle. (Only for puzzles which make sense to
88 print, of course - it's hard to think of a sensible printable
89 representation of Fifteen!)
90
91 _Undo_ (`U', Ctrl+`Z', Ctrl+`_')
92
93 Undoes a single move. (You can undo moves back to the start of
94 the session.)
95
96 _Redo_ (`R', Ctrl+`R')
97
98 Redoes a previously undone move.
99
100 _Copy_
101
102 Copies the current state of your game to the clipboard in text
103 format, so that you can paste it into (say) an e-mail client or
104 a web message board if you're discussing the game with someone
105 else. (Not all games support this feature.)
106
107 _Solve_
108
109 Transforms the puzzle instantly into its solved state. For some
110 games (Cube) this feature is not supported at all because it is
111 of no particular use. For other games (such as Pattern), the
112 solved state can be used to give you information, if you can't
113 see how a solution can exist at all or you want to know where
114 you made a mistake. For still other games (such as Sixteen),
115 automatic solution tells you nothing about how to _get_ to
116 the solution, but it does provide a useful way to get there
117 quickly so that you can experiment with set-piece moves and
118 transformations.
119
120 Some games (such as Solo) are capable of solving a game ID you
121 have typed in from elsewhere. Other games (such as Rectangles)
122 cannot solve a game ID they didn't invent themself, but when
123 they did invent the game ID they know what the solution is
124 already. Still other games (Pattern) can solve _some_ external
125 game IDs, but only if they aren't too difficult.
126
127 The `Solve' command adds the solved state to the end of the undo
128 chain for the puzzle. In other words, if you want to go back to
129 solving it yourself after seeing the answer, you can just press
130 Undo.
131
132 _Quit_ (`Q', Ctrl+`Q')
133
134 Closes the application entirely.
135
136#2.2 Specifying games with the game ID
137
138 There are two ways to save a game specification out of a puzzle and
139 recreate it later, or recreate it in somebody else's copy of the
140 same puzzle.
141
142 The `Specific' and `Random Seed' options from the `Game' menu (or
143 the `File' menu, on Mac OS X) each show a piece of text (a `game
144 ID') which is sufficient to reconstruct precisely the same game at a
145 later date.
146
147 You can enter either of these pieces of text back into the program
148 (via the same `Specific' or `Random Seed' menu options) at a later
149 point, and it will recreate the same game. You can also use either
150 one as a command line argument (on Windows or Unix); see section 2.4
151 for more detail.
152
153 The difference between the two forms is that a descriptive game ID
154 is a literal _description_ of the initial state of the game, whereas
155 a random seed is just a piece of arbitrary text which was provided
156 as input to the random number generator used to create the puzzle.
157 This means that:
158
159 - Descriptive game IDs tend to be longer in many puzzles
160 (although some, such as Cube (chapter 4), only need very short
161 descriptions). So a random seed is often a _quicker_ way to
162 note down the puzzle you're currently playing, or to tell it to
163 somebody else so they can play the same one as you.
164
165 - Any text at all is a valid random seed. The automatically
166 generated ones are fifteen-digit numbers, but anything will do;
167 you can type in your full name, or a word you just made up, and
168 a valid puzzle will be generated from it. This provides a way
169 for two or more people to race to complete the same puzzle:
170 you think of a random seed, then everybody types it in at the
171 same time, and nobody has an advantage due to having seen the
172 generated puzzle before anybody else.
173
174 - It is often possible to convert puzzles from other sources (such
175 as `nonograms' or `sudoku' from newspapers) into descriptive
176 game IDs suitable for use with these programs.
177
178 - Random seeds are not guaranteed to produce the same result
179 if you use them with a different _version_ of the puzzle
180 program. This is because the generation algorithm might have
181 been improved or modified in later versions of the code, and
182 will therefore produce a different result when given the same
183 sequence of random numbers. Use a descriptive game ID if you
184 aren't sure that it will be used on the same version of the
185 program as yours.
186
187 (Use the `About' menu option to find out the version number of
188 the program. Programs with the same version number running on
189 different platforms should still be random-seed compatible.)
190
191 A descriptive game ID starts with a piece of text which encodes the
192 _parameters_ of the current game (such as grid size). Then there is
193 a colon, and after that is the description of the game's initial
194 state. A random seed starts with a similar string of parameters, but
195 then it contains a hash sign followed by arbitrary data.
196
197 If you enter a descriptive game ID, the program will not be able
198 to show you the random seed which generated it, since it wasn't
199 generated _from_ a random seed. If you _enter_ a random seed,
200 however, the program will be able to show you the descriptive game
201 ID derived from that random seed.
202
203 Note that the game parameter strings are not always identical
204 between the two forms. For some games, there will be parameter
205 data provided with the random seed which is not included in the
206 descriptive game ID. This is because that parameter information is
207 only relevant when _generating_ puzzle grids, and is not important
208 when playing them. Thus, for example, the difficulty level in Solo
209 (chapter 11) is not mentioned in the descriptive game ID.
210
211 These additional parameters are also not set permanently if you type
212 in a game ID. For example, suppose you have Solo set to `Advanced'
213 difficulty level, and then a friend wants your help with a `Trivial'
214 puzzle; so the friend reads out a random seed specifying `Trivial'
215 difficulty, and you type it in. The program will generate you the
216 same `Trivial' grid which your friend was having trouble with, but
217 once you have finished playing it, when you ask for a new game it
218 will automatically go back to the `Advanced' difficulty which it was
219 previously set on.
220
221#2.3 The `Type' menu
222
223 The `Type' menu, if present, may contain a list of preset game
224 settings. Selecting one of these will start a new random game with
225 the parameters specified.
226
227 The `Type' menu may also contain a `Custom' option which allows you
228 to fine-tune game parameters. The parameters available are specific
229 to each game and are described in the following sections.
230
231#2.4 Specifying game parameters on the command line
232
233 (This section does not apply to the Mac OS X version.)
234
235 The games in this collection deliberately do not ever save
236 information on to the computer they run on: they have no high score
237 tables and no saved preferences. (This is because I expect at least
238 some people to play them at work, and those people will probably
239 appreciate leaving as little evidence as possible!)
240
241 However, if you do want to arrange for one of these games to default
242 to a particular set of parameters, you can specify them on the
243 command line.
244
245 The easiest way to do this is to set up the parameters you want
246 using the `Type' menu (see section 2.3), and then to select `Random
247 Seed' from the `Game' or `File' menu (see section 2.2). The text
248 in the `Game ID' box will be composed of two parts, separated by a
249 hash. The first of these parts represents the game parameters (the
250 size of the playing area, for example, and anything else you set
251 using the `Type' menu).
252
253 If you run the game with just that parameter text on the command
254 line, it will start up with the settings you specified.
255
256 For example: if you run Cube (see chapter 4), select `Octahedron'
257 from the `Type' menu, and then go to the game ID selection, you
258 will see a string of the form `o2x2#338686542711620'. Take only the
259 part before the hash (`o2x2'), and start Cube with that text on the
260 command line: `PREFIX-cube o2x2'.
261
262 If you copy the _entire_ game ID on to the command line, the game
263 will start up in the specific game that was described. This is
264 occasionally a more convenient way to start a particular game ID
265 than by pasting it into the game ID selection box.
266
267 (You could also retrieve the encoded game parameters using the
268 `Specific' menu option instead of `Random Seed', but if you do then
269 some options, such as the difficulty level in Solo, will be missing.
270 See section 2.2 for more details on this.)
271
272#2.5 Unix command-line options
273
274 (This section only applies to the Unix port.)
275
276 In addition to being able to specify game parameters on the command
277 line (see section 2.4), there are various other options:
278
279 --game
280
281 --load
282
283 These options respectively determine whether the command-line
284 argument is treated as specifying game parameters or a save
285 file to load. Only one should be specified. If neither of these
286 options is specified, a guess is made based on the format of the
287 argument.
288
289 --generate _n_
290
291 If this option is specified, instead of a puzzle being
292 displayed, a number of descriptive game IDs will be invented and
293 printed on standard output. This is useful for gaining access
294 to the game generation algorithms without necessarily using the
295 frontend.
296
297 If game parameters are specified on the command-line, they will
298 be used to generate the game IDs; otherwise a default set of
299 parameters will be used.
300
301 The most common use of this option is in conjunction with `--
302 print', in which case its behaviour is slightly different; see
303 below.
304
305 --print _w_x_h_
306
307 If this option is specified, instead of a puzzle being
308 displayed, a printed representation of one or more unsolved
309 puzzles is sent to standard output, in PostScript format.
310
311 On each page of puzzles, there will be _w_ across and _h_ down.
312 If there are more puzzles than _w_x_h_, more than one page will
313 be printed.
314
315 If `--generate' has also been specified, the invented game
316 IDs will be used to generate the printed output. Otherwise,
317 a list of game IDs is expected on standard input (which can
318 be descriptive or random seeds; see section 2.2), in the same
319 format produced by `--generate'.
320
321 For example:
322
323 PREFIX-net --generate 12 --print 2x3 7x7w | lpr
324
325 will generate two pages of printed Net puzzles (each of which
326 will have a 7x7 wrapping grid), and pipe the output to the `lpr'
327 command, which on many systems will send them to an actual
328 printer.
329
330 There are various other options which affect printing; see
331 below.
332
333 --save _file-prefix_ [ --save-suffix _file-suffix_ ]
334
335 If this option is specified, instead of a puzzle being
336 displayed, saved-game files for one or more unsolved puzzles are
337 written to files constructed from the supplied prefix and/or
338 suffix.
339
340 If `--generate' has also been specified, the invented game
341 IDs will be used to generate the printed output. Otherwise,
342 a list of game IDs is expected on standard input (which can
343 be descriptive or random seeds; see section 2.2), in the same
344 format produced by `--generate'.
345
346 For example:
347
348 PREFIX-net --generate 12 --save game --save-suffix .sav
349
350 will generate twelve Net saved-game files with the names
351 game0.sav to game11.sav.
352
353 --version
354
355 Prints version information about the game, and then quits.
356
357 The following options are only meaningful if `--print' is also
358 specified:
359
360 --with-solutions
361
362 The set of pages filled with unsolved puzzles will be followed
363 by the solutions to those puzzles.
364
365 --scale _n_
366
367 Adjusts how big each puzzle is when printed. Larger numbers make
368 puzzles bigger; the default is 1.0.
369
370 --colour
371
372 Puzzles will be printed in colour, rather than in black and
373 white (if supported by the puzzle).
374
375#Chapter 3: Net
376
377 (_Note:_ the Windows version of this game is called NETGAME.EXE to
378 avoid clashing with Windows's own NET.EXE.)
379
380 I originally saw this in the form of a Flash game called
381 FreeNet [1], written by Pavils Jurjans; there are several other
382 implementations under the name NetWalk. The computer prepares a
383 network by connecting up the centres of squares in a grid, and then
384 shuffles the network by rotating every tile randomly. Your job is
385 to rotate it all back into place. The successful solution will be
386 an entirely connected network, with no closed loops. As a visual
387 aid, all tiles which are connected to the one in the middle are
388 highlighted.
389
390 [1] http://www.jurjans.lv/stuff/net/FreeNet.htm
391
392#3.1 Net controls
393
394 This game can be played with either the keyboard or the mouse. The
395 controls are:
396
397 _Select tile_: mouse pointer, arrow keys
398
399 _Rotate tile anticlockwise_: left mouse button, `A' key
400
401 _Rotate tile clockwise_: right mouse button, `D' key
402
403 _Rotate tile by 180 degrees_: `F' key
404
405 _Lock (or unlock) tile_: middle mouse button, shift-click, `S' key
406
407 You can lock a tile once you're sure of its orientation. You
408 can also unlock it again, but while it's locked you can't
409 accidentally turn it.
410
411 The following controls are not necessary to complete the game, but
412 may be useful:
413
414 _Shift grid_: Shift + arrow keys
415
416 On grids that wrap, you can move the origin of the grid, so
417 that tiles that were on opposite sides of the grid can be seen
418 together.
419
420 _Move centre_: Ctrl + arrow keys
421
422 You can change which tile is used as the source of highlighting.
423 (It doesn't ultimately matter which tile this is, as every tile
424 will be connected to every other tile in a correct solution,
425 but it may be helpful in the intermediate stages of solving the
426 puzzle.)
427
428 _Jumble tiles_: `J' key
429
430 This key turns all tiles that are not locked to random
431 orientations.
432
433 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
434
435#3.2 Net parameters
436
437 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
438 `Type' menu.
439
440 _Width_, _Height_
441
442 Size of grid in tiles.
443
444 _Walls wrap around_
445
446 If checked, flow can pass from the left edge to the right edge,
447 and from top to bottom, and vice versa.
448
449 _Barrier probability_
450
451 A number between 0.0 and 1.0 controlling whether an immovable
452 barrier is placed between two tiles to prevent flow between
453 them (a higher number gives more barriers). Since barriers
454 are immovable, they act as constraints on the solution (i.e.,
455 hints).
456
457 The grid generation in Net has been carefully arranged so that
458 the barriers are independent of the rest of the grid. This
459 means that if you note down the random seed used to generate
460 the current puzzle (see section 2.2), change the _Barrier
461 probability_ parameter, and then re-enter the same random seed,
462 you should see exactly the same starting grid, with the only
463 change being the number of barriers. So if you're stuck on a
464 particular grid and need a hint, you could start up another
465 instance of Net, set up the same parameters but a higher barrier
466 probability, and enter the game seed from the original Net
467 window.
468
469 _Ensure unique solution_
470
471 Normally, Net will make sure that the puzzles it presents have
472 only one solution. Puzzles with ambiguous sections can be more
473 difficult and more subtle, so if you like you can turn off this
474 feature and risk having ambiguous puzzles. (Also, finding _all_
475 the possible solutions can be an additional challenge for an
476 advanced player.)
477
478#Chapter 4: Cube
479
480 This is another one I originally saw as a web game. This one was a
481 Java game [2], by Paul Scott. You have a grid of 16 squares, six of
482 which are blue; on one square rests a cube. Your move is to use the
483 arrow keys to roll the cube through 90 degrees so that it moves to
484 an adjacent square. If you roll the cube on to a blue square, the
485 blue square is picked up on one face of the cube; if you roll a blue
486 face of the cube on to a non-blue square, the blueness is put down
487 again. (In general, whenever you roll the cube, the two faces that
488 come into contact swap colours.) Your job is to get all six blue
489 squares on to the six faces of the cube at the same time. Count your
490 moves and try to do it in as few as possible.
491
492 Unlike the original Java game, my version has an additional feature:
493 once you've mastered the game with a cube rolling on a square grid,
494 you can change to a triangular grid and roll any of a tetrahedron,
495 an octahedron or an icosahedron.
496
497 [2] http://www3.sympatico.ca/paulscott/cube/cube.htm
498
499#4.1 Cube controls
500
501 This game can be played with either the keyboard or the mouse.
502
503 Left-clicking anywhere on the window will move the cube (or other
504 solid) towards the mouse pointer.
505
506 The arrow keys can also used to roll the cube on its square grid in
507 the four cardinal directions. On the triangular grids, the mapping
508 of arrow keys to directions is more approximate. Vertical movement
509 is disallowed where it doesn't make sense. The four keys surrounding
510 the arrow keys on the numeric keypad (`7', `9', `1', `3') can be
511 used for diagonal movement.
512
513 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
514
515#4.2 Cube parameters
516
517 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
518 `Type' menu.
519
520 _Type of solid_
521
522 Selects the solid to roll (and hence the shape of the grid):
523 tetrahedron, cube, octahedron, or icosahedron.
524
525 _Width / top_, _Height / bottom_
526
527 On a square grid, horizontal and vertical dimensions. On a
528 triangular grid, the number of triangles on the top and bottom
529 rows respectively.
530
531#Chapter 5: Fifteen
532
533 The old ones are the best: this is the good old `15-puzzle' with
534 sliding tiles. You have a 4x4 square grid; 15 squares contain
535 numbered tiles, and the sixteenth is empty. Your move is to choose a
536 tile next to the empty space, and slide it into the space. The aim
537 is to end up with the tiles in numerical order, with the space in
538 the bottom right (so that the top row reads 1,2,3,4 and the bottom
539 row reads 13,14,15,_space_).
540
541#5.1 Fifteen controls
542
543 This game can be controlled with the mouse or the keyboard.
544
545 A left-click with the mouse in the row or column containing the
546 empty space will move as many tiles as necessary to move the space
547 to the mouse pointer.
548
549 The arrow keys will move a tile adjacent to the space in the
550 direction indicated (moving the space in the _opposite_ direction).
551
552 Pressing `h' will make a suggested move. Pressing `h' enough times
553 will solve the game, but it may scramble your progress while doing
554 so.
555
556 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
557
558#5.2 Fifteen parameters
559
560 The only options available from the `Custom...' option on the `Type'
561 menu are _Width_ and _Height_, which are self-explanatory. (Once
562 you've changed these, it's not a `15-puzzle' any more, of course!)
563
564#Chapter 6: Sixteen
565
566 Another sliding tile puzzle, visually similar to Fifteen (see
567 chapter 5) but with a different type of move. This time, there is no
568 hole: all 16 squares on the grid contain numbered squares. Your move
569 is to shift an entire row left or right, or shift an entire column
570 up or down; every time you do that, the tile you shift off the grid
571 re-appears at the other end of the same row, in the space you just
572 vacated. To win, arrange the tiles into numerical order (1,2,3,4 on
573 the top row, 13,14,15,16 on the bottom). When you've done that, try
574 playing on different sizes of grid.
575
576 I _might_ have invented this game myself, though only by accident
577 if so (and I'm sure other people have independently invented it). I
578 thought I was imitating a screensaver I'd seen, but I have a feeling
579 that the screensaver might actually have been a Fifteen-type puzzle
580 rather than this slightly different kind. So this might be the one
581 thing in my puzzle collection which represents creativity on my part
582 rather than just engineering.
583
584#6.1 Sixteen controls
585
586 Left-clicking on an arrow will move the appropriate row or column in
587 the direction indicated. Right-clicking will move it in the opposite
588 direction.
589
590 Alternatively, use the cursor keys to move the position indicator
591 around the edge of the grid, and use the return key to move the
592 row/column in the direction indicated.
593
594 You can also move the tiles directly. Move the cursor onto a tile,
595 hold Control and press an arrow key to move the tile under the
596 cursor and move the cursor along with the tile. Or, hold Shift to
597 move only the tile. Pressing Enter simulates holding down Control
598 (press Enter again to release), while pressing Space simulates
599 holding down shift.
600
601 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
602
603#6.2 Sixteen parameters
604
605 The parameters available from the `Custom...' option on the `Type'
606 menu are:
607
608 - _Width_ and _Height_, which are self-explanatory.
609
610 - You can ask for a limited shuffling operation to be performed on
611 the grid. By default, Sixteen will shuffle the grid in such a
612 way that any arrangement is about as probable as any other. You
613 can override this by requesting a precise number of shuffling
614 moves to be performed. Typically your aim is then to determine
615 the precise set of shuffling moves and invert them exactly,
616 so that you answer (say) a four-move shuffle with a four-move
617 solution. Note that the more moves you ask for, the more likely
618 it is that solutions shorter than the target length will turn
619 out to be possible.
620
621#Chapter 7: Twiddle
622
623 Twiddle is a tile-rearrangement puzzle, visually similar to Sixteen
624 (see chapter 6): you are given a grid of square tiles, each
625 containing a number, and your aim is to arrange the numbers into
626 ascending order.
627
628 In basic Twiddle, your move is to rotate a square group of four
629 tiles about their common centre. (Orientation is not significant
630 in the basic puzzle, although you can select it.) On more advanced
631 settings, you can rotate a larger square group of tiles.
632
633 I first saw this type of puzzle in the GameCube game `Metroid
634 Prime 2'. In the Main Gyro Chamber in that game, there is a puzzle
635 you solve to unlock a door, which is a special case of Twiddle. I
636 developed this game as a generalisation of that puzzle.
637
638#7.1 Twiddle controls
639
640 To play Twiddle, click the mouse in the centre of the square group
641 you wish to rotate. In the basic mode, you rotate a 2x2 square,
642 which means you have to click at a corner point where four tiles
643 meet.
644
645 In more advanced modes you might be rotating 3x3 or even more at a
646 time; if the size of the square is odd then you simply click in the
647 centre tile of the square you want to rotate.
648
649 Clicking with the left mouse button rotates the group anticlockwise.
650 Clicking with the right button rotates it clockwise.
651
652 You can also move an outline square around the grid with the cursor
653 keys; the square is the size above (2x2 by default, or larger).
654 Pressing the return key or space bar will rotate the current square
655 anticlockwise or clockwise respectively.
656
657 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
658
659#7.2 Twiddle parameters
660
661 Twiddle provides several configuration options via the `Custom'
662 option on the `Type' menu:
663
664 - You can configure the width and height of the puzzle grid.
665
666 - You can configure the size of square block that rotates at a
667 time.
668
669 - You can ask for every square in the grid to be distinguishable
670 (the default), or you can ask for a simplified puzzle in which
671 there are groups of identical numbers. In the simplified puzzle
672 your aim is just to arrange all the 1s into the first row, all
673 the 2s into the second row, and so on.
674
675 - You can configure whether the orientation of tiles matters. If
676 you ask for an orientable puzzle, each tile will have a triangle
677 drawn in it. All the triangles must be pointing upwards to
678 complete the puzzle.
679
680 - You can ask for a limited shuffling operation to be performed
681 on the grid. By default, Twiddle will shuffle the grid so much
682 that any arrangement is about as probable as any other. You can
683 override this by requesting a precise number of shuffling moves
684 to be performed. Typically your aim is then to determine the
685 precise set of shuffling moves and invert them exactly, so that
686 you answer (say) a four-move shuffle with a four-move solution.
687 Note that the more moves you ask for, the more likely it is that
688 solutions shorter than the target length will turn out to be
689 possible.
690
691#Chapter 8: Rectangles
692
693 You have a grid of squares, with numbers written in some (but
694 not all) of the squares. Your task is to subdivide the grid into
695 rectangles of various sizes, such that (a) every rectangle contains
696 exactly one numbered square, and (b) the area of each rectangle is
697 equal to the number written in its numbered square.
698
699 Credit for this game goes to the Japanese puzzle magazine Nikoli
700 [3]; I've also seen a Palm implementation at Puzzle Palace [4].
701 Unlike Puzzle Palace's implementation, my version automatically
702 generates random grids of any size you like. The quality of puzzle
703 design is therefore not quite as good as hand-crafted puzzles would
704 be, but on the plus side you get an inexhaustible supply of puzzles
705 tailored to your own specification.
706
707 [3] http://www.nikoli.co.jp/en/puzzles/shikaku.html (beware of
708 Flash)
709
710 [4]
711 https://web.archive.org/web/20041024001459/http://www.puzzle.gr.jp/puzzle/sikaku/palm/index.html.en
712
713#8.1 Rectangles controls
714
715 This game is played with the mouse or cursor keys.
716
717 Left-click any edge to toggle it on or off, or left-click and
718 drag to draw an entire rectangle (or line) on the grid in one go
719 (removing any existing edges within that rectangle). Right-clicking
720 and dragging will allow you to erase the contents of a rectangle
721 without affecting its edges.
722
723 Alternatively, use the cursor keys to move the position indicator
724 around the board. Pressing the return key then allows you to use the
725 cursor keys to drag a rectangle out from that position, and pressing
726 the return key again completes the rectangle. Using the space bar
727 instead of the return key allows you to erase the contents of a
728 rectangle without affecting its edges, as above. Pressing escape
729 cancels a drag.
730
731 When a rectangle of the correct size is completed, it will be
732 shaded.
733
734 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
735
736#8.2 Rectangles parameters
737
738 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
739 `Type' menu.
740
741 _Width_, _Height_
742
743 Size of grid, in squares.
744
745 _Expansion factor_
746
747 This is a mechanism for changing the type of grids generated by
748 the program. Some people prefer a grid containing a few large
749 rectangles to one containing many small ones. So you can ask
750 Rectangles to essentially generate a _smaller_ grid than the
751 size you specified, and then to expand it by adding rows and
752 columns.
753
754 The default expansion factor of zero means that Rectangles will
755 simply generate a grid of the size you ask for, and do nothing
756 further. If you set an expansion factor of (say) 0.5, it means
757 that each dimension of the grid will be expanded to half again
758 as big after generation. In other words, the initial grid will
759 be 2/3 the size in each dimension, and will be expanded to its
760 full size without adding any more rectangles.
761
762 Setting an expansion factor of around 0.5 tends to make the
763 game more difficult, and also (in my experience) rewards a
764 less deductive and more intuitive playing style. If you set it
765 _too_ high, though, the game simply cannot generate more than a
766 few rectangles to cover the entire grid, and the game becomes
767 trivial.
768
769 _Ensure unique solution_
770
771 Normally, Rectangles will make sure that the puzzles it presents
772 have only one solution. Puzzles with ambiguous sections can be
773 more difficult and more subtle, so if you like you can turn off
774 this feature and risk having ambiguous puzzles. Also, finding
775 _all_ the possible solutions can be an additional challenge for
776 an advanced player. Turning off this option can also speed up
777 puzzle generation.
778
779#Chapter 9: Netslide
780
781 This game combines the grid generation of Net (see chapter 3) with
782 the movement of Sixteen (see chapter 6): you have a Net grid, but
783 instead of rotating tiles back into place you have to slide them
784 into place by moving a whole row at a time.
785
786 As in Sixteen, control is with the mouse or cursor keys. See section
787 6.1.
788
789 The available game parameters have similar meanings to those in Net
790 (see section 3.2) and Sixteen (see section 6.2).
791
792 Netslide was contributed to this collection by Richard Boulton.
793
794#Chapter 10: Pattern
795
796 You have a grid of squares, which must all be filled in either black
797 or white. Beside each row of the grid are listed the lengths of the
798 runs of black squares on that row; above each column are listed the
799 lengths of the runs of black squares in that column. Your aim is to
800 fill in the entire grid black or white.
801
802 I first saw this puzzle form around 1995, under the name
803 `nonograms'. I've seen it in various places since then, under
804 different names.
805
806 Normally, puzzles of this type turn out to be a meaningful picture
807 of something once you've solved them. However, since this version
808 generates the puzzles automatically, they will just look like random
809 groupings of squares. (One user has suggested that this is actually
810 a _good_ thing, since it prevents you from guessing the colour of
811 squares based on the picture, and forces you to use logic instead.)
812 The advantage, though, is that you never run out of them.
813
814#10.1 Pattern controls
815
816 This game is played with the mouse.
817
818 Left-click in a square to colour it black. Right-click to colour it
819 white. If you make a mistake, you can middle-click, or hold down
820 Shift while clicking with any button, to colour the square in the
821 default grey (meaning `undecided') again.
822
823 You can click and drag with the left or right mouse button to colour
824 a vertical or horizontal line of squares black or white at a time
825 (respectively). If you click and drag with the middle button, or
826 with Shift held down, you can colour a whole rectangle of squares
827 grey.
828
829 You can also move around the grid with the cursor keys. Pressing the
830 return key will cycle the current cell through empty, then black,
831 then white, then empty, and the space bar does the same cycle in
832 reverse.
833
834 Moving the cursor while holding Control will colour the moved-over
835 squares black. Holding Shift will colour the moved-over squares
836 white, and holding both will colour them grey.
837
838 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
839
840#10.2 Pattern parameters
841
842 The only options available from the `Custom...' option on the `Type'
843 menu are _Width_ and _Height_, which are self-explanatory.
844
845#Chapter 11: Solo
846
847 You have a square grid, which is divided into as many equally sized
848 sub-blocks as the grid has rows. Each square must be filled in with
849 a digit from 1 to the size of the grid, in such a way that
850
851 - every row contains only one occurrence of each digit
852
853 - every column contains only one occurrence of each digit
854
855 - every block contains only one occurrence of each digit.
856
857 - (optionally, by default off) each of the square's two main
858 diagonals contains only one occurrence of each digit.
859
860 You are given some of the numbers as clues; your aim is to place the
861 rest of the numbers correctly.
862
863 Under the default settings, the sub-blocks are square or
864 rectangular. The default puzzle size is 3x3 (a 9x9 actual grid,
865 divided into nine 3x3 blocks). You can also select sizes with
866 rectangular blocks instead of square ones, such as 2x3 (a 6x6 grid
867 divided into six 3x2 blocks). Alternatively, you can select `jigsaw'
868 mode, in which the sub-blocks are arbitrary shapes which differ
869 between individual puzzles.
870
871 Another available mode is `killer'. In this mode, clues are not
872 given in the form of filled-in squares; instead, the grid is divided
873 into `cages' by coloured lines, and for each cage the game tells
874 you what the sum of all the digits in that cage should be. Also,
875 no digit may appear more than once within a cage, even if the cage
876 crosses the boundaries of existing regions.
877
878 If you select a puzzle size which requires more than 9 digits, the
879 additional digits will be letters of the alphabet. For example, if
880 you select 3x4 then the digits which go in your grid will be 1 to 9,
881 plus `a', `b' and `c'. This cannot be selected for killer puzzles.
882
883 I first saw this puzzle in Nikoli [5], although it's also been
884 popularised by various newspapers under the name `Sudoku' or `Su
885 Doku'. Howard Garns is considered the inventor of the modern form of
886 the puzzle, and it was first published in _Dell Pencil Puzzles and
887 Word Games_. A more elaborate treatment of the history of the puzzle
888 can be found on Wikipedia [6].
889
890 [5] http://www.nikoli.co.jp/en/puzzles/sudoku.html (beware of Flash)
891
892 [6] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudoku
893
894#11.1 Solo controls
895
896 To play Solo, simply click the mouse in any empty square and then
897 type a digit or letter on the keyboard to fill that square. If you
898 make a mistake, click the mouse in the incorrect square and press
899 Space to clear it again (or use the Undo feature).
900
901 If you _right_-click in a square and then type a number, that
902 number will be entered in the square as a `pencil mark'. You can
903 have pencil marks for multiple numbers in the same square. Squares
904 containing filled-in numbers cannot also contain pencil marks.
905
906 The game pays no attention to pencil marks, so exactly what you
907 use them for is up to you: you can use them as reminders that a
908 particular square needs to be re-examined once you know more about
909 a particular number, or you can use them as lists of the possible
910 numbers in a given square, or anything else you feel like.
911
912 To erase a single pencil mark, right-click in the square and type
913 the same number again.
914
915 All pencil marks in a square are erased when you left-click and type
916 a number, or when you left-click and press space. Right-clicking and
917 pressing space will also erase pencil marks.
918
919 Alternatively, use the cursor keys to move the mark around the grid.
920 Pressing the return key toggles the mark (from a normal mark to a
921 pencil mark), and typing a number in is entered in the square in the
922 appropriate way; typing in a 0 or using the space bar will clear a
923 filled square.
924
925 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
926
927#11.2 Solo parameters
928
929 Solo allows you to configure two separate dimensions of the puzzle
930 grid on the `Type' menu: the number of columns, and the number of
931 rows, into which the main grid is divided. (The size of a block is
932 the inverse of this: for example, if you select 2 columns and 3
933 rows, each actual block will have 3 columns and 2 rows.)
934
935 If you tick the `X' checkbox, Solo will apply the optional extra
936 constraint that the two main diagonals of the grid also contain
937 one of every digit. (This is sometimes known as `Sudoku-X' in
938 newspapers.) In this mode, the squares on the two main diagonals
939 will be shaded slightly so that you know it's enabled.
940
941 If you tick the `Jigsaw' checkbox, Solo will generate randomly
942 shaped sub-blocks. In this mode, the actual grid size will be taken
943 to be the product of the numbers entered in the `Columns' and `Rows'
944 boxes. There is no reason why you have to enter a number greater
945 than 1 in both boxes; Jigsaw mode has no constraint on the grid
946 size, and it can even be a prime number if you feel like it.
947
948 If you tick the `Killer' checkbox, Solo will generate a set of
949 of cages, which are randomly shaped and drawn in an outline of a
950 different colour. Each of these regions contains a smaller clue
951 which shows the digit sum of all the squares in this region.
952
953 You can also configure the type of symmetry shown in the generated
954 puzzles. More symmetry makes the puzzles look prettier but may also
955 make them easier, since the symmetry constraints can force more
956 clues than necessary to be present. Completely asymmetric puzzles
957 have the freedom to contain as few clues as possible.
958
959 Finally, you can configure the difficulty of the generated puzzles.
960 Difficulty levels are judged by the complexity of the techniques
961 of deduction required to solve the puzzle: each level requires a
962 mode of reasoning which was not necessary in the previous one. In
963 particular, on difficulty levels `Trivial' and `Basic' there will be
964 a square you can fill in with a single number at all times, whereas
965 at `Intermediate' level and beyond you will have to make partial
966 deductions about the _set_ of squares a number could be in (or the
967 set of numbers that could be in a square). At `Unreasonable' level,
968 even this is not enough, and you will eventually have to make a
969 guess, and then backtrack if it turns out to be wrong.
970
971 Generating difficult puzzles is itself difficult: if you select one
972 of the higher difficulty levels, Solo may have to make many attempts
973 at generating a puzzle before it finds one hard enough for you. Be
974 prepared to wait, especially if you have also configured a large
975 puzzle size.
976
977#Chapter 12: Mines
978
979 You have a grid of covered squares, some of which contain mines, but
980 you don't know which. Your job is to uncover every square which does
981 _not_ contain a mine. If you uncover a square containing a mine, you
982 lose. If you uncover a square which does not contain a mine, you
983 are told how many mines are contained within the eight surrounding
984 squares.
985
986 This game needs no introduction; popularised by Windows, it is
987 perhaps the single best known desktop puzzle game in existence.
988
989 This version of it has an unusual property. By default, it will
990 generate its mine positions in such a way as to ensure that you
991 never need to _guess_ where a mine is: you will always be able
992 to deduce it somehow. So you will never, as can happen in other
993 versions, get to the last four squares and discover that there are
994 two mines left but you have no way of knowing for sure where they
995 are.
996
997#12.1 Mines controls
998
999 This game is played with the mouse.
1000
1001 If you left-click in a covered square, it will be uncovered.
1002
1003 If you right-click in a covered square, it will place a flag which
1004 indicates that the square is believed to be a mine. Left-clicking in
1005 a marked square will not uncover it, for safety. You can right-click
1006 again to remove a mark placed in error.
1007
1008 If you left-click in an _uncovered_ square, it will `clear around'
1009 the square. This means: if the square has exactly as many flags
1010 surrounding it as it should have mines, then all the covered squares
1011 next to it which are _not_ flagged will be uncovered. So once you
1012 think you know the location of all the mines around a square, you
1013 can use this function as a shortcut to avoid having to click on each
1014 of the remaining squares one by one.
1015
1016 If you uncover a square which has _no_ mines in the surrounding
1017 eight squares, then it is obviously safe to uncover those squares in
1018 turn, and so on if any of them also has no surrounding mines. This
1019 will be done for you automatically; so sometimes when you uncover a
1020 square, a whole new area will open up to be explored.
1021
1022 You can also use the cursor keys to move around the minefield.
1023 Pressing the return key in a covered square uncovers it, and in
1024 an uncovered square will clear around it (so it acts as the left
1025 button), pressing the space bar in a covered square will place a
1026 flag (similarly, it acts as the right button).
1027
1028 All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.
1029
1030 Even Undo is available, although you might consider it cheating to
1031 use it. If you step on a mine, the program will only reveal the mine
1032 in question (unlike most other implementations, which reveal all of
1033 them). You can then Undo your fatal move and continue playing if you
1034 like. The program will track the number of times you died (and Undo
1035 will not reduce that counter), so when you get to the end of the
1036 game you know whether or not you did it without making any errors.
1037
1038 (If you really want to know the full layout of the grid, which other
1039 implementations will show you after you die, you can always use the
1040 Solve menu option.)
1041
1042#12.2 Mines parameters
1043
1044 The options available from the `Custom...' option on the `Type' menu
1045 are:
1046
1047 _Width_, _Height_
1048
1049 Size of grid in squares.
1050
1051 _Mines_
1052
1053 Number of mines in the grid. You can enter this as an absolute
1054 mine count, or alternatively you can put a % sign on the end
1055 in which case the game will arrange for that proportion of the
1056 squares in the grid to be mines.
1057
1058 Beware of setting the mine count too high. At very high
1059 densities, the program may spend forever searching for a
1060 solvable grid.
1061
1062 _Ensure solubility_
1063
1064 When this option is enabled (as it is by default), Mines will
1065 ensure that the entire grid can be fully deduced starting
1066 from the initial open space. If you prefer the riskier grids
1067 generated by other implementations, you can switch off this
1068 option.
1069
1070#Chapter 13: Same Game
1071
1072 You have a grid of coloured squares, which you have to clear by
1073 highlighting contiguous regions of more than one coloured square;
1074 the larger the region you highlight, the more points you get (and
1075 the faster you clear the arena).
1076
1077 If you clear the grid you win. If you end up with nothing but single
1078 squares (i.e., there are no more clickable regions left) you lose.
1079
1080 Removing a region causes the rest of the grid to shuffle up: blocks
1081 that are suspended will fall down (first), and then empty columns
1082 are filled from the right.
1083
1084 Same Game was contributed to this collection by James Harvey.
1085
1086#13.1 Same Game controls
1087
1088 This game can be played with either the keyboard or the mouse.
1089
1090 If you left-click an unselected region, it becomes selected
1091 (possibly clearing the current selection).
1092
1093 If you left-click the selected region, it will be removed (and the
1094 rest of the grid shuffled immediately).
1095
1096 If you right-click the selected region, it will be unselected.
1097
1098 The cursor keys move a cursor around the grid. Pressing the Space or
1099 Enter keys while the cursor is in an unselected region selects it;
1100 pressing Space or Enter again removes it as above.
1101
1102 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
1103
1104#13.2 Same Game parameters
1105
1106 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
1107 `Type' menu.
1108
1109 _Width_, _Height_
1110
1111 Size of grid in squares.
1112
1113 _No. of colours_
1114
1115 Number of different colours used to fill the grid; the more
1116 colours, the fewer large regions of colour and thus the more
1117 difficult it is to successfully clear the grid.
1118
1119 _Scoring system_
1120
1121 Controls the precise mechanism used for scoring. With the
1122 default system, `(n-2)^2', only regions of three squares or more
1123 will score any points at all. With the alternative `(n-1)^2'
1124 system, regions of two squares score a point each, and larger
1125 regions score relatively more points.
1126
1127 _Ensure solubility_
1128
1129 If this option is ticked (the default state), generated grids
1130 will be guaranteed to have at least one solution.
1131
1132 If you turn it off, the game generator will not try to guarantee
1133 soluble grids; it will, however, still ensure that there are at
1134 least 2 squares of each colour on the grid at the start (since a
1135 grid with exactly one square of a given colour is _definitely_
1136 insoluble). Grids generated with this option disabled may
1137 contain more large areas of contiguous colour, leading to
1138 opportunities for higher scores; they can also take less time to
1139 generate.
1140
1141#Chapter 14: Flip
1142
1143 You have a grid of squares, some light and some dark. Your aim is to
1144 light all the squares up at the same time. You can choose any square
1145 and flip its state from light to dark or dark to light, but when you
1146 do so, other squares around it change state as well.
1147
1148 Each square contains a small diagram showing which other squares
1149 change when you flip it.
1150
1151#14.1 Flip controls
1152
1153 This game can be played with either the keyboard or the mouse.
1154
1155 Left-click in a square to flip it and its associated squares, or use
1156 the cursor keys to choose a square and the space bar or Enter key to
1157 flip.
1158
1159 If you use the `Solve' function on this game, it will mark some of
1160 the squares in red. If you click once in every square with a red
1161 mark, the game should be solved. (If you click in a square _without_
1162 a red mark, a red mark will appear in it to indicate that you will
1163 need to reverse that operation to reach the solution.)
1164
1165 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
1166
1167#14.2 Flip parameters
1168
1169 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
1170 `Type' menu.
1171
1172 _Width_, _Height_
1173
1174 Size of grid in squares.
1175
1176 _Shape type_
1177
1178 This control determines the shape of the region which is flipped
1179 by clicking in any given square. The default setting, `Crosses',
1180 causes every square to flip itself and its four immediate
1181 neighbours (or three or two if it's at an edge or corner). The
1182 other setting, `Random', causes a random shape to be chosen for
1183 every square, so the game is different every time.
1184
1185#Chapter 15: Guess
1186
1187 You have a set of coloured pegs, and have to reproduce a
1188 predetermined sequence of them (chosen by the computer) within a
1189 certain number of guesses.
1190
1191 Each guess gets marked with the number of correctly-coloured pegs
1192 in the correct places (in black), and also the number of correctly-
1193 coloured pegs in the wrong places (in white).
1194
1195 This game is also known (and marketed, by Hasbro, mainly) as a board
1196 game `Mastermind', with 6 colours, 4 pegs per row, and 10 guesses.
1197 However, this version allows custom settings of number of colours
1198 (up to 10), number of pegs per row, and number of guesses.
1199
1200 Guess was contributed to this collection by James Harvey.
1201
1202#15.1 Guess controls
1203
1204 This game can be played with either the keyboard or the mouse.
1205
1206 With the mouse, drag a coloured peg from the tray on the left-hand
1207 side to its required position in the current guess; pegs may also
1208 be dragged from current and past guesses to copy them elsewhere. To
1209 remove a peg, drag it off its current position to somewhere invalid.
1210
1211 Right-clicking in the current guess adds a `hold' marker; pegs that
1212 have hold markers will be automatically added to the next guess
1213 after marking.
1214
1215 Alternatively, with the keyboard, the up and down cursor keys can
1216 be used to select a peg colour, the left and right keys to select a
1217 peg position, and the space bar or Enter key to place a peg of the
1218 selected colour in the chosen position. `D' or Backspace removes a
1219 peg, and Space adds a hold marker.
1220
1221 Pressing `h' or `?' will fill the current guess with a suggested
1222 guess. Using this is not recommended for 10 or more pegs as it is
1223 slow.
1224
1225 When the guess is complete, the smaller feedback pegs will be
1226 highlighted; clicking on these (or moving the peg cursor to them
1227 with the arrow keys and pressing the space bar or Enter key) will
1228 mark the current guess, copy any held pegs to the next guess, and
1229 move the `current guess' marker.
1230
1231 If you correctly position all the pegs the solution will be
1232 displayed below; if you run out of guesses (or select `Solve...')
1233 the solution will also be revealed.
1234
1235 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
1236
1237#15.2 Guess parameters
1238
1239 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
1240 `Type' menu. The default game matches the parameters for the board
1241 game `Mastermind'.
1242
1243 _Colours_
1244
1245 Number of colours the solution is chosen from; from 2 to 10
1246 (more is harder).
1247
1248 _Pegs per guess_
1249
1250 Number of pegs per guess (more is harder).
1251
1252 _Guesses_
1253
1254 Number of guesses you have to find the solution in (fewer is
1255 harder).
1256
1257 _Allow blanks_
1258
1259 Allows blank pegs to be given as part of a guess (makes it
1260 easier, because you know that those will never be counted as
1261 part of the solution). This is turned off by default.
1262
1263 Note that this doesn't allow blank pegs in the solution; if you
1264 really wanted that, use one extra colour.
1265
1266 _Allow duplicates_
1267
1268 Allows the solution (and the guesses) to contain colours more
1269 than once; this increases the search space (making things
1270 harder), and is turned on by default.
1271
1272#Chapter 16: Pegs
1273
1274 A number of pegs are placed in holes on a board. You can remove a
1275 peg by jumping an adjacent peg over it (horizontally or vertically)
1276 to a vacant hole on the other side. Your aim is to remove all but
1277 one of the pegs initially present.
1278
1279 This game, best known as `Peg Solitaire', is possibly one of the
1280 oldest puzzle games still commonly known.
1281
1282#16.1 Pegs controls
1283
1284 To move a peg, drag it with the mouse from its current position to
1285 its final position. If the final position is exactly two holes away
1286 from the initial position, is currently unoccupied by a peg, and
1287 there is a peg in the intervening square, the move will be permitted
1288 and the intervening peg will be removed.
1289
1290 Vacant spaces which you can move a peg into are marked with holes. A
1291 space with no peg and no hole is not available for moving at all: it
1292 is an obstacle which you must work around.
1293
1294 You can also use the cursor keys to move a position indicator around
1295 the board. Pressing the return key while over a peg, followed by a
1296 cursor key, will jump the peg in that direction (if that is a legal
1297 move).
1298
1299 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
1300
1301#16.2 Pegs parameters
1302
1303 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
1304 `Type' menu.
1305
1306 _Width_, _Height_
1307
1308 Size of grid in holes.
1309
1310 _Board type_
1311
1312 Controls whether you are given a board of a standard shape or
1313 a randomly generated shape. The two standard shapes currently
1314 supported are `Cross' and `Octagon' (also commonly known as the
1315 English and European traditional board layouts respectively).
1316 Selecting `Random' will give you a different board shape every
1317 time (but always one that is known to have a solution).
1318
1319#Chapter 17: Dominosa
1320
1321 A normal set of dominoes - that is, one instance of every
1322 (unordered) pair of numbers from 0 to 6 - has been arranged
1323 irregularly into a rectangle; then the number in each square has
1324 been written down and the dominoes themselves removed. Your task is
1325 to reconstruct the pattern by arranging the set of dominoes to match
1326 the provided array of numbers.
1327
1328 This puzzle is widely credited to O. S. Adler, and takes part of its
1329 name from those initials.
1330
1331#17.1 Dominosa controls
1332
1333 Left-clicking between any two adjacent numbers places a domino
1334 covering them, or removes one if it is already present. Trying to
1335 place a domino which overlaps existing dominoes will remove the ones
1336 it overlaps.
1337
1338 Right-clicking between two adjacent numbers draws a line between
1339 them, which you can use to remind yourself that you know those two
1340 numbers are _not_ covered by a single domino. Right-clicking again
1341 removes the line.
1342
1343 You can also use the cursor keys to move a cursor around the grid.
1344 When the cursor is half way between two adjacent numbers, pressing
1345 the return key will place a domino covering those numbers, or
1346 pressing the space bar will lay a line between the two squares.
1347 Repeating either action removes the domino or line.
1348
1349 Pressing a number key will highlight all occurrences of that number.
1350 Pressing that number again will clear the highlighting. Up to two
1351 different numbers can be highlighted at any given time.
1352
1353 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
1354
1355#17.2 Dominosa parameters
1356
1357 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
1358 `Type' menu.
1359
1360 _Maximum number on dominoes_
1361
1362 Controls the size of the puzzle, by controlling the size of the
1363 set of dominoes used to make it. Dominoes with numbers going
1364 up to N will give rise to an (N+2) x (N+1) rectangle; so, in
1365 particular, the default value of 6 gives an 8x7 grid.
1366
1367 _Ensure unique solution_
1368
1369 Normally, Dominosa will make sure that the puzzles it presents
1370 have only one solution. Puzzles with ambiguous sections can be
1371 more difficult and sometimes more subtle, so if you like you
1372 can turn off this feature. Also, finding _all_ the possible
1373 solutions can be an additional challenge for an advanced player.
1374 Turning off this option can also speed up puzzle generation.
1375
1376#Chapter 18: Untangle
1377
1378 You are given a number of points, some of which have lines drawn
1379 between them. You can move the points about arbitrarily; your aim is
1380 to position the points so that no line crosses another.
1381
1382 I originally saw this in the form of a Flash game called Planarity
1383 [7], written by John Tantalo.
1384
1385 [7] http://planarity.net
1386
1387#18.1 Untangle controls
1388
1389 To move a point, click on it with the left mouse button and drag it
1390 into a new position.
1391
1392 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
1393
1394#18.2 Untangle parameters
1395
1396 There is only one parameter available from the `Custom...' option on
1397 the `Type' menu:
1398
1399 _Number of points_
1400
1401 Controls the size of the puzzle, by specifying the number of
1402 points in the generated graph.
1403
1404#Chapter 19: Black Box
1405
1406 A number of balls are hidden in a rectangular arena. You have to
1407 deduce the positions of the balls by firing lasers positioned at the
1408 edges of the arena and observing how their beams are deflected.
1409
1410 Beams will travel straight from their origin until they hit the
1411 opposite side of the arena (at which point they emerge), unless
1412 affected by balls in one of the following ways:
1413
1414 - A beam that hits a ball head-on is absorbed and will never re-
1415 emerge. This includes beams that meet a ball on the first rank
1416 of the arena.
1417
1418 - A beam with a ball in its front-left square and no ball ahead of
1419 it gets deflected 90 degrees to the right.
1420
1421 - A beam with a ball in its front-right square and no ball ahead
1422 of it gets similarly deflected to the left.
1423
1424 - A beam that would re-emerge from its entry location is
1425 considered to be `reflected'.
1426
1427 - A beam which would get deflected before entering the arena by a
1428 ball to the front-left or front-right of its entry point is also
1429 considered to be `reflected'.
1430
1431 Beams that are reflected appear as a `R'; beams that hit balls head-
1432 on appear as `H'. Otherwise, a number appears at the firing point
1433 and the location where the beam emerges (this number is unique to
1434 that shot).
1435
1436 You can place guesses as to the location of the balls, based on the
1437 entry and exit patterns of the beams; once you have placed enough
1438 balls a button appears enabling you to have your guesses checked.
1439
1440 Here is a diagram showing how the positions of balls can create each
1441 of the beam behaviours shown above:
1442
1443 1RHR----
1444 |..O.O...|
1445 2........3
1446 |........|
1447 |........|
1448 3........|
1449 |......O.|
1450 H........|
1451 |.....O..|
1452 12-RR---
1453
1454 As shown, it is possible for a beam to receive multiple reflections
1455 before re-emerging (see turn 3). Similarly, a beam may be reflected
1456 (possibly more than once) before receiving a hit (the `H' on the
1457 left side of the example).
1458
1459 Note that any layout with more than 4 balls may have a non-unique
1460 solution. The following diagram illustrates this; if you know the
1461 board contains 5 balls, it is impossible to determine where the
1462 fifth ball is (possible positions marked with an x):
1463
1464 --------
1465 |........|
1466 |........|
1467 |..O..O..|
1468 |...xx...|
1469 |...xx...|
1470 |..O..O..|
1471 |........|
1472 |........|
1473 --------
1474
1475 For this reason, when you have your guesses checked, the game
1476 will check that your solution _produces the same results_ as the
1477 computer's, rather than that your solution is identical to the
1478 computer's. So in the above example, you could put the fifth ball at
1479 _any_ of the locations marked with an x, and you would still win.
1480
1481 Black Box was contributed to this collection by James Harvey.
1482
1483#19.1 Black Box controls
1484
1485 To fire a laser beam, left-click in a square around the edge of
1486 the arena. The results will be displayed immediately. Clicking or
1487 holding the left button on one of these squares will highlight the
1488 current go (or a previous go) to confirm the exit point for that
1489 laser, if applicable.
1490
1491 To guess the location of a ball, left-click within the arena and a
1492 black circle will appear marking the guess; click again to remove
1493 the guessed ball.
1494
1495 Locations in the arena may be locked against modification by right-
1496 clicking; whole rows and columns may be similarly locked by right-
1497 clicking in the laser square above/below that column, or to the
1498 left/right of that row.
1499
1500 The cursor keys may also be used to move around the grid. Pressing
1501 the Enter key will fire a laser or add a new ball-location guess,
1502 and pressing Space will lock a cell, row, or column.
1503
1504 When an appropriate number of balls have been guessed, a button will
1505 appear at the top-left corner of the grid; clicking that (with mouse
1506 or cursor) will check your guesses.
1507
1508 If you click the `check' button and your guesses are not correct,
1509 the game will show you the minimum information necessary to
1510 demonstrate this to you, so you can try again. If your ball
1511 positions are not consistent with the beam paths you already know
1512 about, one beam path will be circled to indicate that it proves you
1513 wrong. If your positions match all the existing beam paths but are
1514 still wrong, one new beam path will be revealed (written in red)
1515 which is not consistent with your current guesses.
1516
1517 If you decide to give up completely, you can select Solve to reveal
1518 the actual ball positions. At this point, correctly-placed balls
1519 will be displayed as filled black circles, incorrectly-placed balls
1520 as filled black circles with red crosses, and missing balls as
1521 filled red circles. In addition, a red circle marks any laser you
1522 had already fired which is not consistent with your ball layout
1523 (just as when you press the `check' button), and red text marks
1524 any laser you _could_ have fired in order to distinguish your ball
1525 layout from the correct one.
1526
1527 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
1528
1529#19.2 Black Box parameters
1530
1531 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
1532 `Type' menu.
1533
1534 _Width_, _Height_
1535
1536 Size of grid in squares. There are 2 x _Width_ x _Height_ lasers
1537 per grid, two per row and two per column.
1538
1539 _No. of balls_
1540
1541 Number of balls to place in the grid. This can be a single
1542 number, or a range (separated with a hyphen, like `2-6'),
1543 and determines the number of balls to place on the grid.
1544 The `reveal' button is only enabled if you have guessed an
1545 appropriate number of balls; a guess using a different number
1546 to the original solution is still acceptable, if all the beam
1547 inputs and outputs match.
1548
1549#Chapter 20: Slant
1550
1551 You have a grid of squares. Your aim is to draw a diagonal line
1552 through each square, and choose which way each line slants so that
1553 the following conditions are met:
1554
1555 - The diagonal lines never form a loop.
1556
1557 - Any point with a circled number has precisely that many lines
1558 meeting at it. (Thus, a 4 is the centre of a cross shape,
1559 whereas a zero is the centre of a diamond shape - or rather, a
1560 partial diamond shape, because a zero can never appear in the
1561 middle of the grid because that would immediately cause a loop.)
1562
1563 Credit for this puzzle goes to Nikoli [8].
1564
1565 [8] http://www.nikoli.co.jp/ja/puzzles/gokigen_naname (in Japanese)
1566
1567#20.1 Slant controls
1568
1569 Left-clicking in a blank square will place a \ in it (a line leaning
1570 to the left, i.e. running from the top left of the square to the
1571 bottom right). Right-clicking in a blank square will place a / in it
1572 (leaning to the right, running from top right to bottom left).
1573
1574 Continuing to click either button will cycle between the three
1575 possible square contents. Thus, if you left-click repeatedly in a
1576 blank square it will change from blank to \ to / back to blank, and
1577 if you right-click repeatedly the square will change from blank to /
1578 to \ back to blank. (Therefore, you can play the game entirely with
1579 one button if you need to.)
1580
1581 You can also use the cursor keys to move around the grid. Pressing
1582 the return or space keys will place a \ or a /, respectively, and
1583 will then cycle them as above. You can also press / or \ to place a
1584 / or \, respectively, independent of what is already in the cursor
1585 square. Backspace removes any line from the cursor square.
1586
1587 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
1588
1589#20.2 Slant parameters
1590
1591 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
1592 `Type' menu.
1593
1594 _Width_, _Height_
1595
1596 Size of grid in squares.
1597
1598 _Difficulty_
1599
1600 Controls the difficulty of the generated puzzle. At Hard
1601 level, you are required to do deductions based on knowledge of
1602 _relationships_ between squares rather than always being able to
1603 deduce the exact contents of one square at a time. (For example,
1604 you might know that two squares slant in the same direction,
1605 even if you don't yet know what that direction is, and this
1606 might enable you to deduce something about still other squares.)
1607 Even at Hard level, guesswork and backtracking should never be
1608 necessary.
1609
1610#Chapter 21: Light Up
1611
1612 You have a grid of squares. Some are filled in black; some of the
1613 black squares are numbered. Your aim is to `light up' all the empty
1614 squares by placing light bulbs in some of them.
1615
1616 Each light bulb illuminates the square it is on, plus all squares
1617 in line with it horizontally or vertically unless a black square is
1618 blocking the way.
1619
1620 To win the game, you must satisfy the following conditions:
1621
1622 - All non-black squares are lit.
1623
1624 - No light is lit by another light.
1625
1626 - All numbered black squares have exactly that number of lights
1627 adjacent to them (in the four squares above, below, and to the
1628 side).
1629
1630 Non-numbered black squares may have any number of lights adjacent to
1631 them.
1632
1633 Credit for this puzzle goes to Nikoli [9].
1634
1635 Light Up was contributed to this collection by James Harvey.
1636
1637 [9] http://www.nikoli.co.jp/en/puzzles/akari.html (beware of Flash)
1638
1639#21.1 Light Up controls
1640
1641 Left-clicking in a non-black square will toggle the presence of a
1642 light in that square. Right-clicking in a non-black square toggles a
1643 mark there to aid solving; it can be used to highlight squares that
1644 cannot be lit, for example.
1645
1646 You may not place a light in a marked square, nor place a mark in a
1647 lit square.
1648
1649 The game will highlight obvious errors in red. Lights lit by other
1650 lights are highlighted in this way, as are numbered squares which do
1651 not (or cannot) have the right number of lights next to them.
1652
1653 Thus, the grid is solved when all non-black squares have yellow
1654 highlights and there are no red lights.
1655
1656 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
1657
1658#21.2 Light Up parameters
1659
1660 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
1661 `Type' menu.
1662
1663 _Width_, _Height_
1664
1665 Size of grid in squares.
1666
1667 _%age of black squares_
1668
1669 Rough percentage of black squares in the grid.
1670
1671 This is a hint rather than an instruction. If the grid generator
1672 is unable to generate a puzzle to this precise specification, it
1673 will increase the proportion of black squares until it can.
1674
1675 _Symmetry_
1676
1677 Allows you to specify the required symmetry of the black squares
1678 in the grid. (This does not affect the difficulty of the puzzles
1679 noticeably.)
1680
1681 _Difficulty_
1682
1683 `Easy' means that the puzzles should be soluble without
1684 backtracking or guessing, `Hard' means that some guesses will
1685 probably be necessary.
1686
1687#Chapter 22: Map
1688
1689 You are given a map consisting of a number of regions. Your task is
1690 to colour each region with one of four colours, in such a way that
1691 no two regions sharing a boundary have the same colour. You are
1692 provided with some regions already coloured, sufficient to make the
1693 remainder of the solution unique.
1694
1695 Only regions which share a length of border are required to be
1696 different colours. Two regions which meet at only one _point_ (i.e.
1697 are diagonally separated) may be the same colour.
1698
1699 I believe this puzzle is original; I've never seen an implementation
1700 of it anywhere else. The concept of a four-colouring puzzle was
1701 suggested by Owen Dunn; credit must also go to Nikoli and to Verity
1702 Allan for inspiring the train of thought that led to me realising
1703 Owen's suggestion was a viable puzzle. Thanks also to Gareth Taylor
1704 for many detailed suggestions.
1705
1706#22.1 Map controls
1707
1708 To colour a region, click the left mouse button on an existing
1709 region of the desired colour and drag that colour into the new
1710 region.
1711
1712 (The program will always ensure the starting puzzle has at least one
1713 region of each colour, so that this is always possible!)
1714
1715 If you need to clear a region, you can drag from an empty region, or
1716 from the puzzle boundary if there are no empty regions left.
1717
1718 Dragging a colour using the _right_ mouse button will stipple the
1719 region in that colour, which you can use as a note to yourself that
1720 you think the region _might_ be that colour. A region can contain
1721 stipples in multiple colours at once. (This is often useful at the
1722 harder difficulty levels.)
1723
1724 You can also use the cursor keys to move around the map: the colour
1725 of the cursor indicates the position of the colour you would drag
1726 (which is not obvious if you're on a region's boundary, since it
1727 depends on the direction from which you approached the boundary).
1728 Pressing the return key starts a drag of that colour, as above,
1729 which you control with the cursor keys; pressing the return key
1730 again finishes the drag. The space bar can be used similarly to
1731 create a stippled region. Double-pressing the return key (without
1732 moving the cursor) will clear the region, as a drag from an empty
1733 region does: this is useful with the cursor mode if you have filled
1734 the entire map in but need to correct the layout.
1735
1736 If you press L during play, the game will toggle display of a number
1737 in each region of the map. This is useful if you want to discuss a
1738 particular puzzle instance with a friend - having an unambiguous
1739 name for each region is much easier than trying to refer to them all
1740 by names such as `the one down and right of the brown one on the top
1741 border'.
1742
1743 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
1744
1745#22.2 Map parameters
1746
1747 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
1748 `Type' menu.
1749
1750 _Width_, _Height_
1751
1752 Size of grid in squares.
1753
1754 _Regions_
1755
1756 Number of regions in the generated map.
1757
1758 _Difficulty_
1759
1760 In `Easy' mode, there should always be at least one region whose
1761 colour can be determined trivially. In `Normal' and `Hard'
1762 modes, you will have to use increasingly complex logic to deduce
1763 the colour of some regions. However, it will always be possible
1764 without having to guess or backtrack.
1765
1766 In `Unreasonable' mode, the program will feel free to generate
1767 puzzles which are as hard as it can possibly make them: the
1768 only constraint is that they should still have a unique
1769 solution. Solving Unreasonable puzzles may require guessing and
1770 backtracking.
1771
1772#Chapter 23: Loopy
1773
1774 You are given a grid of dots, marked with yellow lines to indicate
1775 which dots you are allowed to connect directly together. Your aim is
1776 to use some subset of those yellow lines to draw a single unbroken
1777 loop from dot to dot within the grid.
1778
1779 Some of the spaces between the lines contain numbers. These numbers
1780 indicate how many of the lines around that space form part of the
1781 loop. The loop you draw must correctly satisfy all of these clues to
1782 be considered a correct solution.
1783
1784 In the default mode, the dots are arranged in a grid of squares;
1785 however, you can also play on triangular or hexagonal grids, or even
1786 more exotic ones.
1787
1788 Credit for the basic puzzle idea goes to Nikoli [10].
1789
1790 Loopy was originally contributed to this collection by Mike Pinna,
1791 and subsequently enhanced to handle various types of non-square grid
1792 by Lambros Lambrou.
1793
1794 [10] http://www.nikoli.co.jp/en/puzzles/slitherlink.html (beware of
1795 Flash)
1796
1797#23.1 Loopy controls
1798
1799 Click the left mouse button on a yellow line to turn it black,
1800 indicating that you think it is part of the loop. Click again to
1801 turn the line yellow again (meaning you aren't sure yet).
1802
1803 If you are sure that a particular line segment is _not_ part of the
1804 loop, you can click the right mouse button to remove it completely.
1805 Again, clicking a second time will turn the line back to yellow.
1806
1807 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
1808
1809#23.2 Loopy parameters
1810
1811 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
1812 `Type' menu.
1813
1814 _Width_, _Height_
1815
1816 Size of grid, measured in number of regions across and down. For
1817 square grids, it's clear how this is counted; for other types of
1818 grid you may have to think a bit to see how the dimensions are
1819 measured.
1820
1821 _Grid type_
1822
1823 Allows you to choose between a selection of types of tiling.
1824 Some have all the faces the same but may have multiple different
1825 types of vertex (e.g. the _Cairo_ or _Kites_ mode); others
1826 have all the vertices the same but may have different types of
1827 face (e.g. the _Great Hexagonal_). The square, triangular and
1828 honeycomb grids are fully regular, and have all their vertices
1829 _and_ faces the same; this makes them the least confusing to
1830 play.
1831
1832 _Difficulty_
1833
1834 Controls the difficulty of the generated puzzle.
1835
1836#Chapter 24: Inertia
1837
1838 You are a small green ball sitting in a grid full of obstacles. Your
1839 aim is to collect all the gems without running into any mines.
1840
1841 You can move the ball in any orthogonal _or diagonal_ direction.
1842 Once the ball starts moving, it will continue until something stops
1843 it. A wall directly in its path will stop it (but if it is moving
1844 diagonally, it will move through a diagonal gap between two other
1845 walls without stopping). Also, some of the squares are `stops'; when
1846 the ball moves on to a stop, it will stop moving no matter what
1847 direction it was going in. Gems do _not_ stop the ball; it picks
1848 them up and keeps on going.
1849
1850 Running into a mine is fatal. Even if you picked up the last gem in
1851 the same move which then hit a mine, the game will count you as dead
1852 rather than victorious.
1853
1854 This game was originally implemented for Windows by Ben Olmstead
1855 [11], who was kind enough to release his source code on request so
1856 that it could be re-implemented for this collection.
1857
1858 [11] http://xn13.com/
1859
1860#24.1 Inertia controls
1861
1862 You can move the ball in any of the eight directions using the
1863 numeric keypad. Alternatively, if you click the left mouse button
1864 on the grid, the ball will begin a move in the general direction of
1865 where you clicked.
1866
1867 If you use the `Solve' function on this game, the program will
1868 compute a path through the grid which collects all the remaining
1869 gems and returns to the current position. A hint arrow will appear
1870 on the ball indicating the direction in which you should move to
1871 begin on this path. If you then move in that direction, the arrow
1872 will update to indicate the next direction on the path. You can
1873 also press Space to automatically move in the direction of the hint
1874 arrow. If you move in a different direction from the one shown
1875 by the arrow, arrows will be shown only if the puzzle is still
1876 solvable.
1877
1878 All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available. In
1879 particular, if you do run into a mine and die, you can use the Undo
1880 function and resume playing from before the fatal move. The game
1881 will keep track of the number of times you have done this.
1882
1883#24.2 Inertia parameters
1884
1885 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
1886 `Type' menu.
1887
1888 _Width_, _Height_
1889
1890 Size of grid in squares.
1891
1892#Chapter 25: Tents
1893
1894 You have a grid of squares, some of which contain trees. Your aim is
1895 to place tents in some of the remaining squares, in such a way that
1896 the following conditions are met:
1897
1898 - There are exactly as many tents as trees.
1899
1900 - The tents and trees can be matched up in such a way that each
1901 tent is directly adjacent (horizontally or vertically, but not
1902 diagonally) to its own tree. However, a tent may be adjacent to
1903 other trees as well as its own.
1904
1905 - No two tents are adjacent horizontally, vertically _or
1906 diagonally_.
1907
1908 - The number of tents in each row, and in each column, matches the
1909 numbers given round the sides of the grid.
1910
1911 This puzzle can be found in several places on the Internet, and was
1912 brought to my attention by e-mail. I don't know who I should credit
1913 for inventing it.
1914
1915#25.1 Tents controls
1916
1917 Left-clicking in a blank square will place a tent in it. Right-
1918 clicking in a blank square will colour it green, indicating that you
1919 are sure it _isn't_ a tent. Clicking either button in an occupied
1920 square will clear it.
1921
1922 If you _drag_ with the right button along a row or column, every
1923 blank square in the region you cover will be turned green, and no
1924 other squares will be affected. (This is useful for clearing the
1925 remainder of a row once you have placed all its tents.)
1926
1927 You can also use the cursor keys to move around the grid. Pressing
1928 the return key over an empty square will place a tent, and pressing
1929 the space bar over an empty square will colour it green; either key
1930 will clear an occupied square. Holding Shift and pressing the cursor
1931 keys will colour empty squares green. Holding Control and pressing
1932 the cursor keys will colour green both empty squares and squares
1933 with tents.
1934
1935 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
1936
1937#25.2 Tents parameters
1938
1939 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
1940 `Type' menu.
1941
1942 _Width_, _Height_
1943
1944 Size of grid in squares.
1945
1946 _Difficulty_
1947
1948 Controls the difficulty of the generated puzzle. More difficult
1949 puzzles require more complex deductions, but at present none
1950 of the available difficulty levels requires guesswork or
1951 backtracking.
1952
1953#Chapter 26: Bridges
1954
1955 You have a set of islands distributed across the playing area.
1956 Each island contains a number. Your aim is to connect the islands
1957 together with bridges, in such a way that:
1958
1959 - Bridges run horizontally or vertically.
1960
1961 - The number of bridges terminating at any island is equal to the
1962 number written in that island.
1963
1964 - Two bridges may run in parallel between the same two islands,
1965 but no more than two may do so.
1966
1967 - No bridge crosses another bridge.
1968
1969 - All the islands are connected together.
1970
1971 There are some configurable alternative modes, which involve
1972 changing the parallel-bridge limit to something other than 2, and
1973 introducing the additional constraint that no sequence of bridges
1974 may form a loop from one island back to the same island. The rules
1975 stated above are the default ones.
1976
1977 Credit for this puzzle goes to Nikoli [12].
1978
1979 Bridges was contributed to this collection by James Harvey.
1980
1981 [12] http://www.nikoli.co.jp/en/puzzles/hashiwokakero.html (beware
1982 of Flash)
1983
1984#26.1 Bridges controls
1985
1986 To place a bridge between two islands, click the mouse down on one
1987 island and drag it towards the other. You do not need to drag all
1988 the way to the other island; you only need to move the mouse far
1989 enough for the intended bridge direction to be unambiguous. (So you
1990 can keep the mouse near the starting island and conveniently throw
1991 bridges out from it in many directions.)
1992
1993 Doing this again when a bridge is already present will add another
1994 parallel bridge. If there are already as many bridges between the
1995 two islands as permitted by the current game rules (i.e. two by
1996 default), the same dragging action will remove all of them.
1997
1998 If you want to remind yourself that two islands definitely _do not_
1999 have a bridge between them, you can right-drag between them in the
2000 same way to draw a `non-bridge' marker.
2001
2002 If you think you have finished with an island (i.e. you have placed
2003 all its bridges and are confident that they are in the right
2004 places), you can mark the island as finished by left-clicking on it.
2005 This will highlight it and all the bridges connected to it, and you
2006 will be prevented from accidentally modifying any of those bridges
2007 in future. Left-clicking again on a highlighted island will unmark
2008 it and restore your ability to modify it.
2009
2010 You can also use the cursor keys to move around the grid: if
2011 possible the cursor will always move orthogonally, otherwise it
2012 will move towards the nearest island to the indicated direction.
2013 Holding Control and pressing a cursor key will lay a bridge in that
2014 direction (if available); Shift and a cursor key will lay a `non-
2015 bridge' marker. Pressing the return key followed by a cursor key
2016 will also lay a bridge in that direction.
2017
2018 You can mark an island as finished by pressing the space bar or by
2019 pressing the return key twice.
2020
2021 By pressing a number key, you can jump to the nearest island with
2022 that number. Letters `a', ..., `f' count as 10, ..., 15 and `0' as
2023 16.
2024
2025 Violations of the puzzle rules will be marked in red:
2026
2027 - An island with too many bridges will be highlighted in red.
2028
2029 - An island with too few bridges will be highlighted in red if it
2030 is definitely an error (as opposed to merely not being finished
2031 yet): if adding enough bridges would involve having to cross
2032 another bridge or remove a non-bridge marker, or if the island
2033 has been highlighted as complete.
2034
2035 - A group of islands and bridges may be highlighted in red if it
2036 is a closed subset of the puzzle with no way to connect it to
2037 the rest of the islands. For example, if you directly connect
2038 two 1s together with a bridge and they are not the only two
2039 islands on the grid, they will light up red to indicate that
2040 such a group cannot be contained in any valid solution.
2041
2042 - If you have selected the (non-default) option to disallow loops
2043 in the solution, a group of bridges which forms a loop will be
2044 highlighted.
2045
2046 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
2047
2048#26.2 Bridges parameters
2049
2050 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
2051 `Type' menu.
2052
2053 _Width_, _Height_
2054
2055 Size of grid in squares.
2056
2057 _Difficulty_
2058
2059 Difficulty level of puzzle.
2060
2061 _Allow loops_
2062
2063 This is set by default. If cleared, puzzles will be generated in
2064 such a way that they are always soluble without creating a loop,
2065 and solutions which do involve a loop will be disallowed.
2066
2067 _Max. bridges per direction_
2068
2069 Maximum number of bridges in any particular direction. The
2070 default is 2, but you can change it to 1, 3 or 4. In general,
2071 fewer is easier.
2072
2073 _%age of island squares_
2074
2075 Gives a rough percentage of islands the generator will try and
2076 lay before finishing the puzzle. Certain layouts will not manage
2077 to lay enough islands; this is an upper bound.
2078
2079 _Expansion factor (%age)_
2080
2081 The grid generator works by picking an existing island at random
2082 (after first creating an initial island somewhere). It then
2083 decides on a direction (at random), and then works out how far
2084 it could extend before creating another island. This parameter
2085 determines how likely it is to extend as far as it can, rather
2086 than choosing somewhere closer.
2087
2088 High expansion factors usually mean easier puzzles with fewer
2089 possible islands; low expansion factors can create lots of
2090 tightly-packed islands.
2091
2092#Chapter 27: Unequal
2093
2094 You have a square grid; each square may contain a digit from 1 to
2095 the size of the grid, and some squares have clue signs between them.
2096 Your aim is to fully populate the grid with numbers such that:
2097
2098 - Each row contains only one occurrence of each digit
2099
2100 - Each column contains only one occurrence of each digit
2101
2102 - All the clue signs are satisfied.
2103
2104 There are two modes for this game, `Unequal' and `Adjacent'.
2105
2106 In `Unequal' mode, the clue signs are greater-than symbols
2107 indicating one square's value is greater than its neighbour's. In
2108 this mode not all clues may be visible, particularly at higher
2109 difficulty levels.
2110
2111 In `Adjacent' mode, the clue signs are bars indicating one square's
2112 value is numerically adjacent (i.e. one higher or one lower) than
2113 its neighbour. In this mode all clues are always visible: absence of
2114 a bar thus means that a square's value is definitely not numerically
2115 adjacent to that neighbour's.
2116
2117 In `Trivial' difficulty level (available via the `Custom' game type
2118 selector), there are no greater-than signs in `Unequal' mode; the
2119 puzzle is to solve the Latin square only.
2120
2121 At the time of writing, the `Unequal' mode of this puzzle is
2122 appearing in the Guardian weekly under the name `Futoshiki'.
2123
2124 Unequal was contributed to this collection by James Harvey.
2125
2126#27.1 Unequal controls
2127
2128 Unequal shares much of its control system with Solo.
2129
2130 To play Unequal, simply click the mouse in any empty square and then
2131 type a digit or letter on the keyboard to fill that square. If you
2132 make a mistake, click the mouse in the incorrect square and press
2133 Space to clear it again (or use the Undo feature).
2134
2135 If you _right_-click in a square and then type a number, that
2136 number will be entered in the square as a `pencil mark'. You can
2137 have pencil marks for multiple numbers in the same square. Squares
2138 containing filled-in numbers cannot also contain pencil marks.
2139
2140 The game pays no attention to pencil marks, so exactly what you
2141 use them for is up to you: you can use them as reminders that a
2142 particular square needs to be re-examined once you know more about
2143 a particular number, or you can use them as lists of the possible
2144 numbers in a given square, or anything else you feel like.
2145
2146 To erase a single pencil mark, right-click in the square and type
2147 the same number again.
2148
2149 All pencil marks in a square are erased when you left-click and type
2150 a number, or when you left-click and press space. Right-clicking and
2151 pressing space will also erase pencil marks.
2152
2153 As for Solo, the cursor keys can be used in conjunction with the
2154 digit keys to set numbers or pencil marks. You can also use the `M'
2155 key to auto-fill every numeric hint, ready for removal as required,
2156 or the `H' key to do the same but also to remove all obvious hints.
2157
2158 Alternatively, use the cursor keys to move the mark around the grid.
2159 Pressing the return key toggles the mark (from a normal mark to a
2160 pencil mark), and typing a number in is entered in the square in the
2161 appropriate way; typing in a 0 or using the space bar will clear a
2162 filled square.
2163
2164 Left-clicking a clue will mark it as done (grey it out), or unmark
2165 it if it is already marked. Holding Control or Shift and pressing
2166 an arrow key likewise marks any clue adjacent to the cursor in the
2167 given direction.
2168
2169 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
2170
2171#27.2 Unequal parameters
2172
2173 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
2174 `Type' menu.
2175
2176 _Mode_
2177
2178 Mode of the puzzle (`Unequal' or `Adjacent')
2179
2180 _Size (s*s)_
2181
2182 Size of grid.
2183
2184 _Difficulty_
2185
2186 Controls the difficulty of the generated puzzle. At Trivial
2187 level, there are no greater-than signs; the puzzle is to solve
2188 the Latin square only. At Recursive level (only available via
2189 the `Custom' game type selector) backtracking will be required,
2190 but the solution should still be unique. The levels in between
2191 require increasingly complex reasoning to avoid having to
2192 backtrack.
2193
2194#Chapter 28: Galaxies
2195
2196 You have a rectangular grid containing a number of dots. Your aim is
2197 to draw edges along the grid lines which divide the rectangle into
2198 regions in such a way that every region is 180-degree rotationally
2199 symmetric, and contains exactly one dot which is located at its
2200 centre of symmetry.
2201
2202 This puzzle was invented by Nikoli [13], under the name `Tentai
2203 Show'; its name is commonly translated into English as `Spiral
2204 Galaxies'.
2205
2206 Galaxies was contributed to this collection by James Harvey.
2207
2208 [13] http://www.nikoli.co.jp/en/puzzles/astronomical_show.html
2209
2210#28.1 Galaxies controls
2211
2212 Left-click on any grid line to draw an edge if there isn't one
2213 already, or to remove one if there is. When you create a valid
2214 region (one which is closed, contains exactly one dot, is 180-degree
2215 symmetric about that dot, and contains no extraneous edges inside
2216 it) it will be highlighted automatically; so your aim is to have the
2217 whole grid highlighted in that way.
2218
2219 During solving, you might know that a particular grid square belongs
2220 to a specific dot, but not be sure of where the edges go and which
2221 other squares are connected to the dot. In order to mark this so you
2222 don't forget, you can right-click on the dot and drag, which will
2223 create an arrow marker pointing at the dot. Drop that in a square of
2224 your choice and it will remind you which dot it's associated with.
2225 You can also right-click on existing arrows to pick them up and move
2226 them, or destroy them by dropping them off the edge of the grid.
2227 (Also, if you're not sure which dot an arrow is pointing at, you can
2228 pick it up and move it around to make it clearer. It will swivel
2229 constantly as you drag it, to stay pointed at its parent dot.)
2230
2231 You can also use the cursor keys to move around the grid squares and
2232 lines. Pressing the return key when over a grid line will draw or
2233 clear its edge, as above. Pressing the return key when over a dot
2234 will pick up an arrow, to be dropped the next time the return key
2235 is pressed; this can also be used to move existing arrows around,
2236 removing them by dropping them on a dot or another arrow.
2237
2238 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
2239
2240#28.2 Galaxies parameters
2241
2242 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
2243 `Type' menu.
2244
2245 _Width_, _Height_
2246
2247 Size of grid in squares.
2248
2249 _Difficulty_
2250
2251 Controls the difficulty of the generated puzzle. More difficult
2252 puzzles require more complex deductions, and the `Unreasonable'
2253 difficulty level may require backtracking.
2254
2255#Chapter 29: Filling
2256
2257 You have a grid of squares, some of which contain digits, and the
2258 rest of which are empty. Your job is to fill in digits in the empty
2259 squares, in such a way that each connected region of squares all
2260 containing the same digit has an area equal to that digit.
2261
2262 (`Connected region', for the purposes of this game, does not count
2263 diagonally separated squares as adjacent.)
2264
2265 For example, it follows that no square can contain a zero, and that
2266 two adjacent squares can not both contain a one. No region has an
2267 area greater than 9 (because then its area would not be a single
2268 digit).
2269
2270 Credit for this puzzle goes to Nikoli [14].
2271
2272 Filling was contributed to this collection by Jonas Koelker.
2273
2274 [14] http://www.nikoli.co.jp/en/puzzles/fillomino.html
2275
2276#29.1 Filling controls
2277
2278 To play Filling, simply click the mouse in any empty square and
2279 then type a digit on the keyboard to fill that square. By dragging
2280 the mouse, you can select multiple squares to fill with a single
2281 keypress. If you make a mistake, click the mouse in the incorrect
2282 square and press 0, Space, Backspace or Enter to clear it again (or
2283 use the Undo feature).
2284
2285 You can also move around the grid with the cursor keys; typing a
2286 digit will fill the square containing the cursor with that number;
2287 typing 0 will clear it. You can also select multiple squares for
2288 numbering or clearing with the return and arrow keys, before typing
2289 a digit to fill or clear the highlighted squares (as above). The
2290 space bar adds and removes single squares to and from the selection.
2291 Backspace and escape remove all squares from the selection.
2292
2293 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
2294
2295#29.2 Filling parameters
2296
2297 Filling allows you to configure the number of rows and columns of
2298 the grid, through the `Type' menu.
2299
2300#Chapter 30: Keen
2301
2302 You have a square grid; each square may contain a digit from 1 to
2303 the size of the grid. The grid is divided into blocks of varying
2304 shape and size, with arithmetic clues written in them. Your aim is
2305 to fully populate the grid with digits such that:
2306
2307 - Each row contains only one occurrence of each digit
2308
2309 - Each column contains only one occurrence of each digit
2310
2311 - The digits in each block can be combined to form the number
2312 stated in the clue, using the arithmetic operation given in the
2313 clue. That is:
2314
2315 - An addition clue means that the sum of the digits in the
2316 block must be the given number. For example, `15+' means the
2317 contents of the block adds up to fifteen.
2318
2319 - A multiplication clue (e.g. `60*'), similarly, means that
2320 the product of the digits in the block must be the given
2321 number.
2322
2323 - A subtraction clue will always be written in a block of
2324 size two, and it means that one of the digits in the block
2325 is greater than the other by the given amount. For example,
2326 `2-' means that one of the digits in the block is 2 more
2327 than the other, or equivalently that one digit minus the
2328 other one is 2. The two digits could be either way round,
2329 though.
2330
2331 - A division clue (e.g. `3/'), similarly, is always in a block
2332 of size two and means that one digit divided by the other is
2333 equal to the given amount.
2334
2335 Note that a block may contain the same digit more than once
2336 (provided the identical ones are not in the same row and
2337 column). This rule is precisely the opposite of the rule in
2338 Solo's `Killer' mode (see chapter 11).
2339
2340 This puzzle appears in the Times under the name `KenKen'.
2341
2342#30.1 Keen controls
2343
2344 Keen shares much of its control system with Solo (and Unequal).
2345
2346 To play Keen, simply click the mouse in any empty square and then
2347 type a digit on the keyboard to fill that square. If you make a
2348 mistake, click the mouse in the incorrect square and press Space to
2349 clear it again (or use the Undo feature).
2350
2351 If you _right_-click in a square and then type a number, that
2352 number will be entered in the square as a `pencil mark'. You can
2353 have pencil marks for multiple numbers in the same square. Squares
2354 containing filled-in numbers cannot also contain pencil marks.
2355
2356 The game pays no attention to pencil marks, so exactly what you
2357 use them for is up to you: you can use them as reminders that a
2358 particular square needs to be re-examined once you know more about
2359 a particular number, or you can use them as lists of the possible
2360 numbers in a given square, or anything else you feel like.
2361
2362 To erase a single pencil mark, right-click in the square and type
2363 the same number again.
2364
2365 All pencil marks in a square are erased when you left-click and type
2366 a number, or when you left-click and press space. Right-clicking and
2367 pressing space will also erase pencil marks.
2368
2369 As for Solo, the cursor keys can be used in conjunction with the
2370 digit keys to set numbers or pencil marks. Use the cursor keys to
2371 move a highlight around the grid, and type a digit to enter it in
2372 the highlighted square. Pressing return toggles the highlight into a
2373 mode in which you can enter or remove pencil marks.
2374
2375 Pressing M will fill in a full set of pencil marks in every square
2376 that does not have a main digit in it.
2377
2378 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
2379
2380#30.2 Keen parameters
2381
2382 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
2383 `Type' menu.
2384
2385 _Grid size_
2386
2387 Specifies the size of the grid. Lower limit is 3; upper limit is
2388 9 (because the user interface would become more difficult with
2389 `digits' bigger than 9!).
2390
2391 _Difficulty_
2392
2393 Controls the difficulty of the generated puzzle. At Unreasonable
2394 level, some backtracking will be required, but the solution
2395 should still be unique. The remaining levels require
2396 increasingly complex reasoning to avoid having to backtrack.
2397
2398 _Multiplication only_
2399
2400 If this is enabled, all boxes will be multiplication boxes. With
2401 this rule, the puzzle is known as `Inshi No Heya'.
2402
2403#Chapter 31: Towers
2404
2405 You have a square grid. On each square of the grid you can build
2406 a tower, with its height ranging from 1 to the size of the grid.
2407 Around the edge of the grid are some numeric clues.
2408
2409 Your task is to build a tower on every square, in such a way that:
2410
2411 - Each row contains every possible height of tower once
2412
2413 - Each column contains every possible height of tower once
2414
2415 - Each numeric clue describes the number of towers that can be
2416 seen if you look into the square from that direction, assuming
2417 that shorter towers are hidden behind taller ones. For example,
2418 in a 5x5 grid, a clue marked `5' indicates that the five tower
2419 heights must appear in increasing order (otherwise you would
2420 not be able to see all five towers), whereas a clue marked `1'
2421 indicates that the tallest tower (the one marked 5) must come
2422 first.
2423
2424 In harder or larger puzzles, some towers will be specified for you
2425 as well as the clues round the edge, and some edge clues may be
2426 missing.
2427
2428 This puzzle appears on the web under various names, particularly
2429 `Skyscrapers', but I don't know who first invented it.
2430
2431#31.1 Towers controls
2432
2433 Towers shares much of its control system with Solo, Unequal and
2434 Keen.
2435
2436 To play Towers, simply click the mouse in any empty square and then
2437 type a digit on the keyboard to fill that square with a tower of
2438 the given height. If you make a mistake, click the mouse in the
2439 incorrect square and press Space to clear it again (or use the Undo
2440 feature).
2441
2442 If you _right_-click in a square and then type a number, that
2443 number will be entered in the square as a `pencil mark'. You can
2444 have pencil marks for multiple numbers in the same square. A square
2445 containing a tower cannot also contain pencil marks.
2446
2447 The game pays no attention to pencil marks, so exactly what you
2448 use them for is up to you: you can use them as reminders that a
2449 particular square needs to be re-examined once you know more about
2450 a particular number, or you can use them as lists of the possible
2451 numbers in a given square, or anything else you feel like.
2452
2453 To erase a single pencil mark, right-click in the square and type
2454 the same number again.
2455
2456 All pencil marks in a square are erased when you left-click and type
2457 a number, or when you left-click and press space. Right-clicking and
2458 pressing space will also erase pencil marks.
2459
2460 As for Solo, the cursor keys can be used in conjunction with the
2461 digit keys to set numbers or pencil marks. Use the cursor keys to
2462 move a highlight around the grid, and type a digit to enter it in
2463 the highlighted square. Pressing return toggles the highlight into a
2464 mode in which you can enter or remove pencil marks.
2465
2466 Pressing M will fill in a full set of pencil marks in every square
2467 that does not have a main digit in it.
2468
2469 Left-clicking a clue will mark it as done (grey it out), or unmark
2470 it if it is already marked. Holding Control or Shift and pressing an
2471 arrow key likewise marks any clue in the given direction.
2472
2473 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
2474
2475#31.2 Towers parameters
2476
2477 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
2478 `Type' menu.
2479
2480 _Grid size_
2481
2482 Specifies the size of the grid. Lower limit is 3; upper limit is
2483 9 (because the user interface would become more difficult with
2484 `digits' bigger than 9!).
2485
2486 _Difficulty_
2487
2488 Controls the difficulty of the generated puzzle. At Unreasonable
2489 level, some backtracking will be required, but the solution
2490 should still be unique. The remaining levels require
2491 increasingly complex reasoning to avoid having to backtrack.
2492
2493#Chapter 32: Singles
2494
2495 You have a grid of white squares, all of which contain numbers. Your
2496 task is to colour some of the squares black (removing the number) so
2497 as to satisfy all of the following conditions:
2498
2499 - No number occurs more than once in any row or column.
2500
2501 - No black square is horizontally or vertically adjacent to any
2502 other black square.
2503
2504 - The remaining white squares must all form one contiguous region
2505 (connected by edges, not just touching at corners).
2506
2507 Credit for this puzzle goes to Nikoli [15] who call it Hitori.
2508
2509 Singles was contributed to this collection by James Harvey.
2510
2511 [15] http://www.nikoli.com/en/puzzles/hitori.html (beware of Flash)
2512
2513#32.1 Singles controls
2514
2515 Left-clicking on an empty square will colour it black; left-clicking
2516 again will restore the number. Right-clicking will add a circle
2517 (useful for indicating that a cell is definitely not black).
2518
2519 You can also use the cursor keys to move around the grid. Pressing
2520 the return or space keys will turn a square black or add a circle
2521 respectively, and pressing the key again will restore the number or
2522 remove the circle.
2523
2524 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
2525
2526#32.2 Singles parameters
2527
2528 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
2529 `Type' menu.
2530
2531 _Width_, _Height_
2532
2533 Size of grid in squares.
2534
2535 _Difficulty_
2536
2537 Controls the difficulty of the generated puzzle.
2538
2539#Chapter 33: Magnets
2540
2541 A rectangular grid has been filled with a mixture of magnets (that
2542 is, dominoes with one positive end and one negative end) and blank
2543 dominoes (that is, dominoes with two neutral poles). These dominoes
2544 are initially only seen in silhouette. Around the grid are placed a
2545 number of clues indicating the number of positive and negative poles
2546 contained in certain columns and rows.
2547
2548 Your aim is to correctly place the magnets and blank dominoes such
2549 that all the clues are satisfied, with the additional constraint
2550 that no two similar magnetic poles may be orthogonally adjacent
2551 (since they repel). Neutral poles do not repel, and can be adjacent
2552 to any other pole.
2553
2554 Credit for this puzzle goes to Janko [16].
2555
2556 Magnets was contributed to this collection by James Harvey.
2557
2558 [16] http://www.janko.at/Raetsel/Magnete/index.htm
2559
2560#33.1 Magnets controls
2561
2562 Left-clicking on an empty square places a magnet at that position
2563 with the positive pole on the square and the negative pole on the
2564 other half of the magnet; left-clicking again reverses the polarity,
2565 and a third click removes the magnet.
2566
2567 Right-clicking on an empty square places a blank domino there.
2568 Right-clicking again places two question marks on the domino,
2569 signifying `this cannot be blank' (which can be useful to note
2570 deductions while solving), and right-clicking again empties the
2571 domino.
2572
2573 Left-clicking a clue will mark it as done (grey it out), or unmark
2574 it if it is already marked.
2575
2576 You can also use the cursor keys to move a cursor around the grid.
2577 Pressing the return key will lay a domino with a positive pole at
2578 that position; pressing again reverses the polarity and then removes
2579 the domino, as with left-clicking. Using the space bar allows
2580 placement of blank dominoes and cannot-be-blank hints, as for right-
2581 clicking.
2582
2583 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
2584
2585#33.2 Magnets parameters
2586
2587 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
2588 `Type' menu.
2589
2590 _Width_, _Height_
2591
2592 Size of grid in squares. There will be half _Width_ x _Height_
2593 dominoes in the grid: if this number is odd then one square will
2594 be blank.
2595
2596 (Grids with at least one odd dimension tend to be easier to
2597 solve.)
2598
2599 _Difficulty_
2600
2601 Controls the difficulty of the generated puzzle. At Tricky
2602 level, you are required to make more deductions about empty
2603 dominoes and row/column counts.
2604
2605 _Strip clues_
2606
2607 If true, some of the clues around the grid are removed at
2608 generation time, making the puzzle more difficult.
2609
2610#Chapter 34: Signpost
2611
2612 You have a grid of squares; each square (except the last one)
2613 contains an arrow, and some squares also contain numbers. Your job
2614 is to connect the squares to form a continuous list of numbers
2615 starting at 1 and linked in the direction of the arrows - so the
2616 arrow inside the square with the number 1 will point to the square
2617 containing the number 2, which will point to the square containing
2618 the number 3, etc. Each square can be any distance away from the
2619 previous one, as long as it is somewhere in the direction of the
2620 arrow.
2621
2622 By convention the first and last numbers are shown; one or more
2623 interim numbers may also appear at the beginning.
2624
2625 Credit for this puzzle goes to Janko [17], who call it `Pfeilpfad'
2626 (`arrow path').
2627
2628 Signpost was contributed to this collection by James Harvey.
2629
2630 [17] http://janko.at/Raetsel/Pfeilpfad/index.htm
2631
2632#34.1 Signpost controls
2633
2634 To play Signpost, you connect squares together by dragging from
2635 one square to another, indicating that they are adjacent in the
2636 sequence. Drag with the left button from a square to its successor,
2637 or with the right button from a square to its predecessor.
2638
2639 If you connect together two squares in this way and one of them has
2640 a number in it, the appropriate number will appear in the other
2641 square. If you connect two non-numbered squares, they will be
2642 assigned temporary algebraic labels: on the first occasion, they
2643 will be labelled `a' and `a+1', and then `b' and `b+1', and so on.
2644 Connecting more squares on to the ends of such a chain will cause
2645 them all to be labelled with the same letter.
2646
2647 When you left-click or right-click in a square, the legal squares to
2648 connect it to will be shown.
2649
2650 The arrow in each square starts off black, and goes grey once you
2651 connect the square to its successor. Also, each square which needs
2652 a predecessor has a small dot in the bottom left corner, which
2653 vanishes once you link a square to it. So your aim is always to
2654 connect a square with a black arrow to a square with a dot.
2655
2656 To remove any links for a particular square (both incoming and
2657 outgoing), left-drag it off the grid. To remove a whole chain,
2658 right-drag any square in the chain off the grid.
2659
2660 You can also use the cursor keys to move around the grid squares
2661 and lines. Pressing the return key when over a square starts a link
2662 operation, and pressing the return key again over a square will
2663 finish the link, if allowable. Pressing the space bar over a square
2664 will show the other squares pointing to it, and allow you to form a
2665 backward link, and pressing the space bar again cancels this.
2666
2667 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
2668
2669#34.2 Signpost parameters
2670
2671 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
2672 `Type' menu.
2673
2674 _Width_, _Height_
2675
2676 Size of grid in squares.
2677
2678 _Force start/end to corners_
2679
2680 If true, the start and end squares are always placed in opposite
2681 corners (the start at the top left, and the end at the bottom
2682 right). If false the start and end squares are placed randomly
2683 (although always both shown).
2684
2685#Chapter 35: Range
2686
2687 You have a grid of squares; some squares contain numbers. Your job
2688 is to colour some of the squares black, such that several criteria
2689 are satisfied:
2690
2691 - no square with a number is coloured black.
2692
2693 - no two black squares are adjacent (horizontally or vertically).
2694
2695 - for any two white squares, there is a path between them using
2696 only white squares.
2697
2698 - for each square with a number, that number denotes the total
2699 number of white squares reachable from that square going in a
2700 straight line in any horizontal or vertical direction until
2701 hitting a wall or a black square; the square with the number is
2702 included in the total (once).
2703
2704 For instance, a square containing the number one must have four
2705 black squares as its neighbours by the last criterion; but then it's
2706 impossible for it to be connected to any outside white square, which
2707 violates the second to last criterion. So no square will contain the
2708 number one.
2709
2710 Credit for this puzzle goes to Nikoli, who have variously called it
2711 `Kurodoko', `Kuromasu' or `Where is Black Cells'. [18].
2712
2713 Range was contributed to this collection by Jonas Koelker.
2714
2715 [18] http://www.nikoli.co.jp/en/puzzles/where_is_black_cells.html
2716
2717#35.1 Range controls
2718
2719 Click with the left button to paint a square black, or with the
2720 right button to mark a square with a dot to indicate that you are
2721 sure it should _not_ be painted black. Repeated clicking with either
2722 button will cycle the square through the three possible states
2723 (filled, dotted or empty) in opposite directions.
2724
2725 You can also use the cursor keys to move around the grid squares.
2726 Pressing Return does the same as clicking with the left button,
2727 while pressing Space does the same as a right button click. Moving
2728 with the cursor keys while holding Shift will place dots in all
2729 squares that are moved through.
2730
2731 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
2732
2733#35.2 Range parameters
2734
2735 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
2736 `Type' menu.
2737
2738 _Width_, _Height_
2739
2740 Size of grid in squares.
2741
2742#Chapter 36: Pearl
2743
2744 You have a grid of squares. Your job is to draw lines between the
2745 centres of horizontally or vertically adjacent squares, so that the
2746 lines form a single closed loop. In the resulting grid, some of the
2747 squares that the loop passes through will contain corners, and some
2748 will be straight horizontal or vertical lines. (And some squares can
2749 be completely empty - the loop doesn't have to pass through every
2750 square.)
2751
2752 Some of the squares contain black and white circles, which are clues
2753 that the loop must satisfy.
2754
2755 A black circle in a square indicates that that square is a corner,
2756 but neither of the squares adjacent to it in the loop is also a
2757 corner.
2758
2759 A white circle indicates that the square is a straight edge, but _at
2760 least one_ of the squares adjacent to it in the loop is a corner.
2761
2762 (In both cases, the clue only constrains the two squares adjacent
2763 _in the loop_, that is, the squares that the loop passes into after
2764 leaving the clue square. The squares that are only adjacent _in the
2765 grid_ are not constrained.)
2766
2767 Credit for this puzzle goes to Nikoli, who call it `Masyu'. [19]
2768
2769 Thanks to James Harvey for assistance with the implementation.
2770
2771 [19] http://www.nikoli.co.jp/en/puzzles/masyu.html (beware of Flash)
2772
2773#36.1 Pearl controls
2774
2775 Click with the left button on a grid edge to draw a segment of the
2776 loop through that edge, or to remove a segment once it is drawn.
2777
2778 Drag with the left button through a series of squares to draw more
2779 than one segment of the loop in one go. Alternatively, drag over an
2780 existing part of the loop to undraw it, or to undraw part of it and
2781 then go in a different direction.
2782
2783 Click with the right button on a grid edge to mark it with a cross,
2784 indicating that you are sure the loop does not go through that edge.
2785 (For instance, if you have decided which of the squares adjacent
2786 to a white clue has to be a corner, but don't yet know which way
2787 the corner turns, you might mark the one way it _can't_ go with a
2788 cross.)
2789
2790 Alternatively, use the cursor keys to move the cursor. Use the Enter
2791 key to begin and end keyboard `drag' operations. Use the Space,
2792 Escape or Backspace keys to cancel the drag. Or, hold Control while
2793 dragging with the cursor keys to toggle segments as you move between
2794 squares.
2795
2796 Pressing Control-Shift-arrowkey or Shift-arrowkey simulates a left
2797 or right click, respectively, on the edge in the direction of the
2798 key.
2799
2800 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
2801
2802#36.2 Pearl parameters
2803
2804 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
2805 `Type' menu.
2806
2807#Chapter 37: Undead
2808
2809 You are given a grid of squares, some of which contain diagonal
2810 mirrors. Every square which is not a mirror must be filled with one
2811 of three types of undead monster: a ghost, a vampire, or a zombie.
2812
2813 Vampires can be seen directly, but are invisible when reflected in
2814 mirrors. Ghosts are the opposite way round: they can be seen in
2815 mirrors, but are invisible when looked at directly. Zombies are
2816 visible by any means.
2817
2818 You are also told the total number of each type of monster in the
2819 grid. Also around the edge of the grid are written numbers, which
2820 indicate how many monsters can be seen if you look into the grid
2821 along a row or column starting from that position. (The diagonal
2822 mirrors are reflective on both sides. If your reflected line of
2823 sight crosses the same monster more than once, the number will count
2824 it each time it is visible, not just once.)
2825
2826 This puzzle type was invented by David Millar, under the name
2827 `Haunted Mirror Maze'. See [20] for more details.
2828
2829 Undead was contributed to this collection by Steffen Bauer.
2830
2831 [20] http://www.janko.at/Raetsel/Spukschloss/index.htm
2832
2833#37.1 Undead controls
2834
2835 Undead has a similar control system to Solo, Unequal and Keen.
2836
2837 To play Undead, click the mouse in any empty square and then type
2838 a letter on the keyboard indicating the type of monster: `G' for
2839 a ghost, `V' for a vampire, or `Z' for a zombie. If you make a
2840 mistake, click the mouse in the incorrect square and press Space to
2841 clear it again (or use the Undo feature).
2842
2843 If you _right_-click in a square and then type a letter, the
2844 corresponding monster will be shown in reduced size in that square,
2845 as a `pencil mark'. You can have pencil marks for multiple monsters
2846 in the same square. A square containing a full-size monster cannot
2847 also contain pencil marks.
2848
2849 The game pays no attention to pencil marks, so exactly what you
2850 use them for is up to you: you can use them as reminders that a
2851 particular square needs to be re-examined once you know more about
2852 a particular monster, or you can use them as lists of the possible
2853 monster in a given square, or anything else you feel like.
2854
2855 To erase a single pencil mark, right-click in the square and type
2856 the same letter again.
2857
2858 All pencil marks in a square are erased when you left-click and type
2859 a monster letter, or when you left-click and press Space. Right-
2860 clicking and pressing space will also erase pencil marks.
2861
2862 As for Solo, the cursor keys can be used in conjunction with the
2863 letter keys to place monsters or pencil marks. Use the cursor keys
2864 to move a highlight around the grid, and type a monster letter to
2865 enter it in the highlighted square. Pressing return toggles the
2866 highlight into a mode in which you can enter or remove pencil marks.
2867
2868 If you prefer plain letters of the alphabet to cute monster
2869 pictures, you can press `A' to toggle between showing the monsters
2870 as monsters or showing them as letters.
2871
2872 Left-clicking a clue will mark it as done (grey it out), or unmark
2873 it if it is already marked.
2874
2875 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
2876
2877#37.2 Undead parameters
2878
2879 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
2880 `Type' menu.
2881
2882 _Width_, _Height_
2883
2884 Size of grid in squares.
2885
2886 _Difficulty_
2887
2888 Controls the difficulty of the generated puzzle.
2889
2890#Chapter 38: Unruly
2891
2892 You are given a grid of squares, which you must colour either black
2893 or white. Some squares are provided as clues; the rest are left for
2894 you to fill in. Each row and column must contain the same number
2895 of black and white squares, and no row or column may contain three
2896 consecutive squares of the same colour.
2897
2898 This puzzle type was invented by Adolfo Zanellati, under the name
2899 `Tohu wa Vohu'. See [21] for more details.
2900
2901 Unruly was contributed to this collection by Lennard Sprong.
2902
2903 [21] http://www.janko.at/Raetsel/Tohu-Wa-Vohu/index.htm
2904
2905#38.1 Unruly controls
2906
2907 To play Unruly, click the mouse in a square to change its colour.
2908 Left-clicking an empty square will turn it black, and right-clicking
2909 will turn it white. Keep clicking the same button to cycle through
2910 the three possible states for the square. If you middle-click in a
2911 square it will be reset to empty.
2912
2913 You can also use the cursor keys to move around the grid. Pressing
2914 the return or space keys will turn an empty square black or white
2915 respectively (and then cycle the colours in the same way as the
2916 mouse buttons), and pressing Backspace will reset a square to empty.
2917
2918 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
2919
2920#38.2 Unruly parameters
2921
2922 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
2923 `Type' menu.
2924
2925 _Width_, _Height_
2926
2927 Size of grid in squares. (Note that the rules of the game
2928 require both the width and height to be even numbers.)
2929
2930 _Difficulty_
2931
2932 Controls the difficulty of the generated puzzle.
2933
2934 _Unique rows and columns_
2935
2936 If enabled, no two rows are permitted to have exactly the same
2937 pattern, and likewise columns. (A row and a column can match,
2938 though.)
2939
2940#Chapter 39: Flood
2941
2942 You are given a grid of squares, coloured at random in multiple
2943 colours. In each move, you can flood-fill the top left square in a
2944 colour of your choice (i.e. every square reachable from the starting
2945 square by an orthogonally connected path of squares all the same
2946 colour will be filled in the new colour). As you do this, more and
2947 more of the grid becomes connected to the starting square.
2948
2949 Your aim is to make the whole grid the same colour, in as few moves
2950 as possible. The game will set a limit on the number of moves, based
2951 on running its own internal solver. You win if you can make the
2952 whole grid the same colour in that many moves or fewer.
2953
2954 I saw this game (with a fixed grid size, fixed number of colours,
2955 and fixed move limit) at http://floodit.appspot.com (no longer
2956 accessible).
2957
2958#39.1 Flood controls
2959
2960 To play Flood, click the mouse in a square. The top left corner and
2961 everything connected to it will be flood-filled with the colour of
2962 the square you clicked. Clicking a square the same colour as the top
2963 left corner has no effect, and therefore does not count as a move.
2964
2965 You can also use the cursor keys to move a cursor (outline black
2966 square) around the grid. Pressing the return key will fill the top
2967 left corner in the colour of the square under the cursor.
2968
2969 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
2970
2971#39.2 Flood parameters
2972
2973 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
2974 `Type' menu.
2975
2976 _Width_, _Height_
2977
2978 Size of the grid, in squares.
2979
2980 _Colours_
2981
2982 Number of colours used to fill the grid. Must be at least 3
2983 (with two colours there would only be one legal move at any
2984 stage, hence no choice to make at all), and at most 10.
2985
2986 _Extra moves permitted_
2987
2988 Controls the difficulty of the puzzle, by increasing the move
2989 limit. In each new grid, Flood will run an internal solver to
2990 generate its own solution, and then the value in this field
2991 will be added to the length of Flood's solution to generate the
2992 game's move limit. So a value of 0 requires you to be just as
2993 efficient as Flood's automated solver, and a larger value makes
2994 it easier.
2995
2996 (Note that Flood's internal solver will not necessarily find the
2997 shortest possible solution, though I believe it's pretty close.
2998 For a real challenge, set this value to 0 and then try to solve
2999 a grid in _strictly fewer_ moves than the limit you're given!)
3000
3001#Chapter 40: Tracks
3002
3003 You are given a grid of squares, some of which are filled with train
3004 tracks. You need to complete the track from A to B so that the
3005 rows and columns contain the same number of track segments as are
3006 indicated in the clues to the top and right of the grid.
3007
3008 There are only straight and 90 degree curved rails, and the track
3009 may not cross itself.
3010
3011 Tracks was contributed to this collection by James Harvey.
3012
3013#40.1 Tracks controls
3014
3015 Left-clicking on an edge between two squares adds a track segment
3016 between the two squares. Right-clicking on an edge adds a cross on
3017 the edge, indicating no track is possible there.
3018
3019 Left-clicking in a square adds a colour indicator showing that
3020 you know the square must contain a track, even if you don't know
3021 which edges it crosses yet. Right-clicking in a square adds a cross
3022 indicating it contains no track segment.
3023
3024 Left- or right-dragging between squares allows you to lay a straight
3025 line of is-track or is-not-track indicators, useful for filling in
3026 rows or columns to match the clue.
3027
3028 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
3029
3030#40.2 Tracks parameters
3031
3032 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
3033 `Type' menu.
3034
3035 _Width_, _Height_
3036
3037 Size of the grid, in squares.
3038
3039 _Difficulty_
3040
3041 Controls the difficulty of the generated puzzle: at Tricky
3042 level, you are required to make more deductions regarding
3043 disregarding moves that would lead to impossible crossings
3044 later.
3045
3046 _Disallow consecutive 1 clues_
3047
3048 Controls whether the Tracks game generation permits two adjacent
3049 rows or columns to have a 1 clue, or permits the row or column
3050 of the track's endpoint to have a 1 clue. By default this is
3051 not permitted, to avoid long straight boring segments of track
3052 and make the games more twiddly and interesting. If you want to
3053 restore the possibility, turn this option off.
3054
3055#Chapter 41: Palisade
3056
3057 You're given a grid of squares, some of which contain numbers. Your
3058 goal is to subdivide the grid into contiguous regions, all of the
3059 same (given) size, such that each square containing a number is
3060 adjacent to exactly that many edges (including those between the
3061 inside and the outside of the grid).
3062
3063 Credit for this puzzle goes to Nikoli, who call it `Five Cells'.
3064 [22].
3065
3066 Palisade was contributed to this collection by Jonas Koelker.
3067
3068 [22] http://nikoli.co.jp/en/puzzles/five_cells.html
3069
3070#41.1 Palisade controls
3071
3072 Left-click to place an edge. Right-click to indicate `no edge'.
3073 Alternatively, the arrow keys will move a keyboard cursor. Holding
3074 Control while pressing an arrow key will place an edge. Press Shift-
3075 arrowkey to switch off an edge. Repeat an action to perform its
3076 inverse.
3077
3078 (All the actions described in section 2.1 are also available.)
3079
3080#41.2 Palisade parameters
3081
3082 These parameters are available from the `Custom...' option on the
3083 `Type' menu.
3084
3085 _Width_, _Height_
3086
3087 Size of grid in squares.
3088
3089 _Region size_
3090
3091 The size of the regions into which the grid must be subdivided.
3092
3093#Appendix A: Licence
3094
3095 This software is copyright 2004-2014 Simon Tatham.
3096
3097 Portions copyright Richard Boulton, James Harvey, Mike Pinna, Jonas
3098 Koelker, Dariusz Olszewski, Michael Schierl, Lambros Lambrou, Bernd
3099 Schmidt, Steffen Bauer, Lennard Sprong and Rogier Goossens.
3100
3101 Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person
3102 obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files
3103 (the `Software'), to deal in the Software without restriction,
3104 including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge,
3105 publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software,
3106 and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so,
3107 subject to the following conditions:
3108
3109 The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be
3110 included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
3111
3112 THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED `AS IS', WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,
3113 EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES
3114 OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND
3115 NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS
3116 BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN
3117 ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN
3118 CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
3119 SOFTWARE.
3120
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