This is a collection of small one-player puzzle games.
-\copyright This manual is copyright 2004 Simon Tatham. All rights
+\copyright This manual is copyright 2004-5 Simon Tatham. All rights
reserved. You may distribute this documentation under the MIT licence.
See \k{licence} for the licence text in full.
\dd Resets the current game to its initial state. (This can be undone.)
+\dt \ii\e{Load}
+
+\dd Loads a saved game from a file on disk.
+
+\dt \ii\e{Save}
+
+\dd Saves the current state of your game to a file on disk.
+
+\lcont{
+
+The Load and Save operations should preserve your entire game
+history (so you can save, reload, and still Undo and Redo things you
+had done before saving).
+
+}
+
\dt \ii\e{Undo} (\q{U}, Ctrl+\q{Z}, Ctrl+\q{_})
\dd Undoes a single move. (You can undo moves back to the start of the
\dt \e{Rotate tile clockwise}: right mouse button, \q{D} key
+\dt \e{Rotate tile by 180 degrees}: \q{F} key
+
\dt \e{Lock (or unlock) tile}: middle mouse button, shift-click, \q{S} key
\dd You can lock a tile once you're sure of its orientation. You can
Each square contains a small diagram showing which other squares
change when you flip it.
-\C{flip-controls} \i{Flip controls}
+\H{flip-controls} \i{Flip controls}
\IM{Flip controls} controls, for Flip
\IM{Flip controls} keys, for Flip
\IM{Flip controls} shortcuts (keyboard), for Flip
-Left-click in a square to flip it and its associated squares. That's
-all!
+This game can be played with either the keyboard or the mouse.
+
+Left-click in a square to flip it and its associated squares, or
+use the cursor keys to choose a square and the space bar or Enter
+key to flip.
+
+If you use the \q{Solve} function on this game, it will mark some of
+the squares in red. If you click once in every square with a red
+mark, the game should be solved. (If you click in a square
+\e{without} a red mark, a red mark will appear in it to indicate
+that you will need to reverse that operation to reach the solution.)
\H{flip-parameters} \I{parameters, for flip}Flip parameters
the game is different every time.
+\C{guess} \i{Guess}
+
+\cfg{winhelp-topic}{games.guess}
+
+You have a set of coloured pegs, and have to reproduce a
+predetermined sequence of them (chosen by the computer) within a
+certain number of guesses.
+
+Each guess gets marked with the number of correctly-coloured pegs
+in the correct places (in black), and also the number of
+correctly-coloured pegs in the wrong places (in white).
+
+This game is also known (and marketed, by Hasbro, mainly) as
+a board game \q{Mastermind}, with 6 colours, 4 pegs per row, and 10 guesses.
+However, this version allows custom settings of number of colours
+(up to 10), number of pegs per row, and number of guesses.
+
+Guess was contributed to this collection by James Harvey.
+
+\H{guess-controls} \i{Guess controls}
+
+\IM{Guess controls} controls, for Guess
+\IM{Guess controls} keys, for Guess
+\IM{Guess controls} shortcuts (keyboard), for Guess
+
+This game can be played with either the keyboard or the mouse.
+
+With the mouse, drag a coloured peg from the tray on the left-hand
+side to its required position in the current guess; pegs may also be
+dragged from current and past guesses to copy them elsewhere. To
+remove a peg, drag it off its current position to somewhere invalid.
+
+Right-clicking in the current guess adds a \q{hold} marker; pegs
+that have hold markers will be automatically added to the next guess
+after marking.
+
+Alternatively, with the keyboard, the up and down cursor keys can be
+used to select a peg colour, the left and right keys to select a
+peg position, and the space bar or Enter key to place a peg of the
+selected colour in the chosen position. \q{D} or Backspace removes a
+peg, and \q{H} adds a hold marker.
+
+When the guess is complete, the smaller feedback pegs will be highlighted;
+clicking on these (or moving the peg cursor to them with the arrow keys
+and pressing the space bar or Enter key) will mark the current guess,
+copy any held pegs to the next guess, and move the \q{current guess}
+marker.
+
+If you correctly position all the pegs the solution will be displayed
+below; if you run out of guesses (or select \q{Solve...}) the solution
+will also be revealed.
+
+\H{guess-parameters} \I{parameters, for Guess}Guess parameters
+
+These parameters are available from the \q{Custom...} option on the
+\q{Type} menu. The default game matches the parameters for the
+board game \q{Mastermind}.
+
+\dt \e{Colours}
+
+\dd Number of colours the solution is chosen from; from 2 to 10
+(more is harder).
+
+\dt \e{Pegs per guess}
+
+\dd Number of pegs per guess (more is harder).
+
+\dt \e{Guesses}
+
+\dd Number of guesses you have to find the solution in (fewer is harder).
+
+\dt \e{Allow blanks}
+
+\dd Allows blank pegs to be given as part of a guess (makes it easier, because
+you know that those will never be counted as part of the solution). This
+is turned off by default.
+
+Note that this doesn't allow blank pegs in the solution; if you really wanted
+that, use one extra colour.
+
+\dt \e{Allow duplicates}
+
+\dd Allows the solution (and the guesses) to contain colours more than once;
+this increases the search space (making things harder), and is turned on by
+default.
+
+
+\C{pegs} \i{Pegs}
+
+\cfg{winhelp-topic}{games.pegs}
+
+A number of pegs are placed in holes on a board. You can remove a
+peg by jumping an adjacent peg over it (horizontally or vertically)
+to a vacant hole on the other side. Your aim is to remove all but one
+of the pegs initially present.
+
+This game, best known as \q{Peg Solitaire}, is possibly one of the
+oldest puzzle games still commonly known.
+
+\H{pegs-controls} \i{Pegs controls}
+
+\IM{Pegs controls} controls, for Pegs
+
+To move a peg, drag it with the mouse from its current position to
+its final position. If the final position is exactly two holes away
+from the initial position, is currently unoccupied by a peg, and
+there is a peg in the intervening square, the move will be permitted
+and the intervening peg will be removed.
+
+Vacant spaces which you can move a peg into are marked with holes. A
+space with no peg and no hole is not available for moving at all: it
+is an obstacle which you must work around.
+
+
+\H{pegs-parameters} \I{parameters, for Pegs}Pegs parameters
+
+These parameters are available from the \q{Custom...} option on the
+\q{Type} menu.
+
+\dt \e{Width}, \e{Height}
+
+\dd Size of grid in holes.
+
+\dt \e{Board type}
+
+\dd Controls whether you are given a board of a standard shape or a
+randomly generated shape. The two standard shapes currently
+supported are \q{Cross} and \q{Octagon} (also commonly known as the
+English and European traditional board layouts respectively).
+Selecting \q{Random} will give you a different board shape every
+time (but always one that is known to have a solution).
+
+
+\C{dominosa} \i{Dominosa}
+
+\cfg{winhelp-topic}{games.dominosa}
+
+A normal set of dominoes - that is, one instance of every (unordered)
+pair of numbers from 0 to 6 - has been arranged irregularly into a
+rectangle; then the number in each square has been written down and
+the dominoes themselves removed. Your task is to reconstruct the
+pattern by arranging the set of dominoes to match the provided array
+of numbers.
+
+This puzzle is widely credited to O. S. Adler, and takes part of its
+name from those initials.
+
+\H{dominosa-controls} \i{Dominosa controls}
+
+\IM{Dominosa controls} controls, for Dominosa
+
+Left-clicking between any two adjacent numbers places a domino
+covering them, or removes one if it is already present. Trying to
+place a domino which overlaps existing dominoes will remove the ones
+it overlaps.
+
+Right-clicking between two adjacent numbers draws a line between
+them, which you can use to remind yourself that you know those two
+numbers are \e{not} covered by a single domino. Right-clicking again
+removes the line.
+
+
+\H{dominosa-parameters} \I{parameters, for Dominosa}Dominosa parameters
+
+These parameters are available from the \q{Custom...} option on the
+\q{Type} menu.
+
+\dt \e{Maximum number on dominoes}
+
+\dd Controls the size of the puzzle, by controlling the size of the
+set of dominoes used to make it. Dominoes with numbers going up to N
+will give rise to an (N+2) \by (N+1) rectangle; so, in particular,
+the default value of 6 gives an 8\by\.7 grid.
+
+\dt \e{Ensure unique solution}
+
+\dd Normally, Dominosa will make sure that the puzzles it presents
+have only one solution. Puzzles with ambiguous sections can be more
+difficult and sometimes more subtle, so if you like you can turn off
+this feature. Also, finding \e{all} the possible solutions can be an
+additional challenge for an advanced player. Turning off this option
+can also speed up puzzle generation.
+
+
+\C{untangle} \i{Untangle}
+
+\cfg{winhelp-topic}{games.untangle}
+
+You are given a number of points, some of which have lines drawn
+between them. You can move the points about arbitrarily; your aim is
+to position the points so that no line crosses another.
+
+I originally saw this in the form of a Flash game called \i{Planarity}
+\k{Planarity}, written by John Tantalo.
+
+\B{Planarity} \W{http://home.cwru.edu/~jnt5/Planarity}\cw{http://home.cwru.edu/~jnt5/Planarity}
+
+\H{untangle-controls} \i{Untangle controls}
+
+\IM{Untangle controls} controls, for Untangle
+
+To move a point, click on it with the left mouse button and drag it
+into a new position.
+
+\H{untangle-parameters} \I{parameters, for Untangle}Untangle parameters
+
+There is only one parameter available from the \q{Custom...} option
+on the \q{Type} menu:
+
+\dt \e{Number of points}
+
+\dd Controls the size of the puzzle, by specifying the number of
+points in the generated graph.
+
+
+\C{blackbox} \i{Black Box}
+
+\cfg{winhelp-topic}{games.blackbox}
+
+A number of balls are hidden in a rectangular arena. You have to
+deduce the positions of the balls by firing lasers from positions
+on the edge of the arena and observing how they are deflected.
+
+Lasers will fire straight until they hit the opposite side of the
+arena (at which point they emerge), unless affected by balls in one of
+the following ways:
+
+\b A laser that hits a ball head-on is absorbed and will never re-emerge.
+ This includes lasers that meet a ball on the first rank of the arena.
+
+\b A laser with a ball to its front-left square gets deflected 90 degrees
+ to the right.
+
+\b A laser with a ball to its front-right square gets similarly deflected
+ to the left.
+
+\b A laser that would re-emerge from the entry location is considered to be
+ \q{reflected}.
+
+\b A laser which would get deflected before entering the arena (down the
+ \q{firing range}) by a ball to the front-left or front-right of its
+ entry point is also considered to be \q{reflected}.
+
+Lasers that are reflected appear as a \q{R}; lasers that hit balls
+dead-on appear as \q{H}. Otherwise, a number appears at the firing point
+and the location where the laser emerges (this number is unique to
+that shot).
+
+You can place guesses as to the location of the balls, based on the
+entry and exit patterns of the lasers; once you have placed enough
+balls a button appears enabling you to have your guesses checked.
+
+Here is a diagram showing how the positions of balls can create each
+of the laser behaviours shown above:
+
+\c 1RHR----
+\c |..O.O...|
+\c 2........3
+\c |........|
+\c |........|
+\c 3........|
+\c |......O.|
+\c H........|
+\c |.....O..|
+\c 12-RH---
+
+As shown, it is possible for a ball to receive multiple reflections
+before re-emerging (see turn 3). Similarly, a ball may be reflected
+(possibly more than once) before receiving a hit (the \q{H} on the
+left side of the example).
+
+Note that any layout with more that 4 balls may have a non-unique
+solution. The following diagram illustrates this; if you know the
+board contains 5 balls, it is impossible to determine where the fifth
+ball is (possible positions marked with an x):
+
+\c --------
+\c |........|
+\c |........|
+\c |..O..O..|
+\c |...xx...|
+\c |...xx...|
+\c |..O..O..|
+\c |........|
+\c |........|
+\c --------
+
+For this reason when you have your guesses checked the game will
+check that your solution \e{produces the same results} as the
+computer's, rather than that your solution is identical to the
+computer's. So in the above example, you could put the fifth ball at
+\e{any} of the locations marked with an x, and you would still win.
+
+Black Box was contributed to this collection by James Harvey.
+
+\H{blackbox-controls} \i{Black Box controls}
+
+\IM{Black Box controls}controls, for Black Box
+
+To fire a laser, left-click in a square around the side of the arena.
+The results will be displayed immediately. Lasers may not be fired
+twice (because the results will never change). Holding down the left
+button will highlight the current go (or a previous go) to confirm the
+exit point for that laser, if applicable.
+
+To guess the location of a ball, left-click within the arena and a
+black circle will appear marking the guess; to remove the guessed ball
+click again.
+
+Locations in the arena may be locked against modification by
+right-clicking; whole rows and columns may be similarly locked by
+right-clicking in the laser firing range above/below that column, or
+to the left/right of that row.
+
+When an appropriate number of balls have been guessed a button will
+appear at the top-left corner of the grid; clicking that will mark
+your guesses.
+
+Once marked, correctly-placed balls are displayed as filled black
+circles. Incorrectly-placed balls are displayed as filled black
+circles with red crosses, and missing balls are filled red circles.
+In addition, a red circle marks any laser you had already fired
+which is not consistent with your ball layout, and red text marks
+any laser you \e{could} have fired in order to distinguish your ball
+layout from the right one.
+
+(All the actions described in \k{common-actions} are also available.)
+
+\H{blackbox-parameters} \I{parameters, for Black Box}Black Box parameters
+
+These parameters are available from the \q{Custom...} option on the
+\q{Type} menu.
+
+\dt \e{Width}, \e{Height}
+
+\dd Size of grid in squares. There are 2 \by \e{Width} \by \e{Height} lasers
+per grid, two per row and two per column.
+
+\dt \e{No. of balls}
+
+\dd Number of balls to place in the grid. This can be a single number,
+or a range (separated with a hyphen, like \q{2-6}), and determines the
+number of balls to place on the grid. The \q{reveal} button is only
+enabled if you have guessed an appropriate number of balls; a guess
+using a different number to the original solution is still acceptable,
+if all the laser inputs and outputs match.
+
+
\A{licence} \I{MIT licence}\ii{Licence}
This software is \i{copyright} 2004-2005 Simon Tatham.
~mdw / sgt / puzzles / blobdiff