This is a collection of small one-player puzzle games.
-\copyright This manual is copyright 2004-2007 Simon Tatham. All rights
+\copyright This manual is copyright 2004-2008 Simon Tatham. All rights
reserved. You may distribute this documentation under the MIT licence.
See \k{licence} for the licence text in full.
\cfg{winhelp-topic}{games.solo}
-You have a square grid, which is divided into square or rectangular
-blocks. Each square must be filled in with a digit from 1 to the
-size of the grid, in such a way that
+You have a square grid, which is divided into as many equally sized
+sub-blocks as the grid has rows. Each square must be filled in with
+a digit from 1 to the size of the grid, in such a way that
\b every row contains only one occurrence of each digit
\b every block contains only one occurrence of each digit.
+\b (optionally, by default off) each of the square's two main
+diagonals contains only one occurrence of each digit.
+
You are given some of the numbers as clues; your aim is to place the
rest of the numbers correctly.
-The default puzzle size is 3\by\.3 (a 9\by\.9 actual grid, divided
-into nine 3\by\.3 blocks). You can also select sizes with
-rectangular blocks instead of square ones, such as 2\by\.3 (a
-6\by\.6 grid divided into six 3\by\.2 blocks).
+Under the default settings, the sub-blocks are square or
+rectangular. The default puzzle size is 3\by\.3 (a 9\by\.9 actual
+grid, divided into nine 3\by\.3 blocks). You can also select sizes
+with rectangular blocks instead of square ones, such as 2\by\.3 (a
+6\by\.6 grid divided into six 3\by\.2 blocks). Alternatively, you
+can select \q{jigsaw} mode, in which the sub-blocks are arbitrary
+shapes which differ between individual puzzles.
If you select a puzzle size which requires more than 9 digits, the
additional digits will be letters of the alphabet. For example, if
the inverse of this: for example, if you select 2 columns and 3 rows,
each actual block will have 3 columns and 2 rows.)
+If you tick the \q{X} checkbox, Solo will apply the optional extra
+constraint that the two main diagonals of the grid also contain one
+of every digit. (This is sometimes known as \q{Sudoku-X} in
+newspapers.) In this mode, the squares on the two main diagonals
+will be shaded slightly so that you know it's enabled.
+
+If you tick the \q{Jigsaw} checkbox, Solo will generate randomly
+shaped sub-blocks. In this mode, the actual grid size will be taken
+to be the product of the numbers entered in the \q{Columns} and
+\q{Rows} boxes. There is no reason why you have to enter a number
+greater than 1 in both boxes; Jigsaw mode has no constraint on the
+grid size, and it can even be a prime number if you feel like it.
+
You can also configure the type of symmetry shown in the generated
puzzles. More symmetry makes the puzzles look prettier but may also
make them easier, since the symmetry constraints can force more
\cfg{winhelp-topic}{games.loopy}
-You are given a grid of dots. Your aim is to draw a single unbroken
+You are given a grid of dots, marked with yellow lines to indicate
+which dots you are allowed to connect directly together. Your aim is
+to use some subset of those yellow lines to draw a single unbroken
loop from dot to dot within the grid.
-Some of the square spaces between the dots contain numbers. These
-numbers indicate how many of the four edges of that square are part
-of the loop. The loop you draw must correctly satisfy all of these
-clues to be considered a correct solution.
+Some of the spaces between the lines contain numbers. These numbers
+indicate how many of the lines around that space form part of the
+loop. The loop you draw must correctly satisfy all of these clues to
+be considered a correct solution.
+
+In the default mode, the dots are arranged in a grid of squares;
+however, you can also play on triangular or hexagonal grids, or even
+more exotic ones.
-Credit for this puzzle goes to \i{Nikoli} \k{nikoli-loopy}.
+Credit for the basic puzzle idea goes to \i{Nikoli}
+\k{nikoli-loopy}.
-Loopy was contributed to this collection by Mike Pinna.
+Loopy was originally contributed to this collection by Mike Pinna,
+and subsequently enhanced to handle various types of non-square grid
+by Lambros Lambrou.
\B{nikoli-loopy}
\W{http://www.nikoli.co.jp/puzzles/3/index-e.htm}\cw{http://www.nikoli.co.jp/puzzles/3/index-e.htm}
\IM{Loopy controls} controls, for Loopy
-Click the left mouse button between two dots to add a line segment
-connecting them. Click again to remove that line segment.
+Click the left mouse button on a yellow line to turn it black,
+indicating that you think it is part of the loop. Click again to
+turn the line yellow again (meaning you aren't sure yet).
If you are sure that a particular line segment is \e{not} part of
-the loop, you can click the right mouse button to add a small cross
-indicating this. Click again to remove the cross.
+the loop, you can click the right mouse button to remove it
+completely. Again, clicking a second time will turn the line back to
+yellow.
(All the actions described in \k{common-actions} are also available.)
\dt \e{Width}, \e{Height}
-\dd Size of grid in squares.
+\dd Size of grid, measured in number of regions across and down. For
+square grids, it's clear how this is counted; for other types of
+grid you may have to think a bit to see how the dimensions are
+measured.
+
+\dt \e{Grid type}
+
+\dd Allows you to choose between a selection of types of tiling.
+Some have all the faces the same but may have multiple different
+types of vertex (e.g. the \e{Cairo} or \e{Kites} mode); others have
+all the vertices the same but may have differnt types of face (e.g.
+the \e{Great Hexagonal}). The square, triangular and honeycomb grids
+are fully regular, and have all their vertices \e{and} faces the
+same; this makes them the least confusing to play.
\dt \e{Difficulty}
\b All the greater-than signs are satisfied.
-In \q{Trivial} mode, there are no greater-than signs; the puzzle is
-to solve the \i{Latin square} only.
+In \q{Trivial} mode (available via the \q{Custom} game type
+selector), there are no greater-than signs; the puzzle is to solve
+the \i{Latin square} only.
At the time of writing, this puzzle is appearing in the Guardian
weekly under the name \q{\i{Futoshiki}}.
\dt \e{Difficulty}
\dd Controls the difficulty of the generated puzzle. At Trivial
-level, there are no greater-than signs (the puzzle is to solve the
-Latin square only); at Recursive level backtracking will be required
-(but the solution should still be unique); the levels in between
-require increasingly complex reasoning to avoid having to backtrack.
+level, there are no greater-than signs; the puzzle is to solve the
+Latin square only. At Recursive level (only available via the
+\q{Custom} game type selector) backtracking will be required, but
+the solution should still be unique. The levels in between require
+increasingly complex reasoning to avoid having to backtrack.
\H{filling-controls} \I{controls, for Filling}Filling controls
To play Filling, simply click the mouse in any empty square and then
-type a digit on the keyboard to fill that square. If you make a
-mistake, click the mouse in the incorrect square and press 0, Space,
-Backspace or Enter to clear it again (or use the Undo feature).
+type a digit on the keyboard to fill that square. By dragging the
+mouse, you can select multiple squares to fill with a single keypress.
+If you make a mistake, click the mouse in the incorrect square and
+press 0, Space, Backspace or Enter to clear it again (or use the Undo
+feature).
(All the actions described in \k{common-actions} are also available.)
\A{licence} \I{MIT licence}\ii{Licence}
-This software is \i{copyright} 2004-2007 Simon Tatham.
+This software is \i{copyright} 2004-2008 Simon Tatham.
-Portions copyright Richard Boulton, James Harvey, Mike Pinna and
-Jonas K\u00F6{oe}lker.
+Portions copyright Richard Boulton, James Harvey, Mike Pinna, Jonas
+K\u00F6{oe}lker, Dariusz Olszewski and Michael Schierl.
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person
obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files
~mdw / sgt / puzzles / blobdiff