X-Git-Url: https://git.distorted.org.uk/~mdw/sgt/puzzles/blobdiff_plain/26801d29c8305a5cb9bd3709909b1eeb896aa3e4..b498c53924c571d997f97c7ff3dd81c3e66894a1:/puzzles.but diff --git a/puzzles.but b/puzzles.but index 44bdb25..e1f6681 100644 --- a/puzzles.but +++ b/puzzles.but @@ -286,12 +286,14 @@ missing. See \k{common-id} for more details on this.) \i\cw{NETGAME.EXE} to avoid clashing with Windows's own \cw{NET.EXE}.) I originally saw this in the form of a Flash game called \i{FreeNet} -\k{FreeNet}, written by Pavils Jurjans. The computer prepares a +\k{FreeNet}, written by Pavils Jurjans; there are several other +implementations under the name \i{NetWalk}. The computer prepares a network by connecting up the centres of squares in a grid, and then shuffles the network by rotating every tile randomly. Your job is to rotate it all back into place. The successful solution will be an -entirely connected network, with no closed loops. \#{Is it also true -that a correct solution will not contain any cycles?} As a visual aid, +entirely connected network, with no closed loops. \#{The latter +clause means that there are no closed paths within the network. +Could this be clearer? "No closed paths"?} As a visual aid, all tiles which are connected to the one in the middle are highlighted. @@ -318,6 +320,21 @@ controls are: also unlock it again, but while it's locked you can't accidentally turn it. +The following controls are not necessary to complete the game, but may +be useful: + +\dt \e{Shift grid}: Shift + arrow keys + +\dd On grids that wrap, you can move the origin of the grid, so that +tiles that were on opposite sides of the grid can be seen together. + +\dt \e{Move centre}: Ctrl + arrow keys + +\dd You can change which tile is used as the source of highlighting. +(It doesn't ultimately matter which tile this is, as every tile will +be connected to every other tile in a correct solution, but it may be +helpful in the intermediate stages of solving the puzzle.) + \dt \e{Jumble tiles}: \q{J} key \dd This key turns all tiles that are not locked to random @@ -361,6 +378,15 @@ from the original Net window. } +\dt \e{Ensure unique solution} + +\dd Normally, Net will make sure that the puzzles it presents have +only one solution. Puzzles with ambiguous sections can be more +difficult and more subtle, so if you like you can turn off this +feature and risk having ambiguous puzzles. (Also, finding \e{all} +the possible solutions can be an additional challenge for an +advanced player.) + \C{cube} \i{Cube} \cfg{winhelp-topic}{games.cube} @@ -604,15 +630,23 @@ When a rectangle of the correct size is completed, it will be shaded. \H{rectangles-params} \I{parameters, for Rectangles}Rectangles parameters -The \q{Custom...} option on the \q{Type} menu offers you \e{Width} -and \e{Height} parameters, which are self-explanatory. +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. -\q{Expansion factor} is a mechanism for changing the type of grids -generated by the program. Some people prefer a grid containing a few -large rectangles to one containing many small ones. So you can ask +\dt \e{Expansion factor} + +\dd This is a mechanism for changing the type of grids generated by +the program. Some people prefer a grid containing a few large +rectangles to one containing many small ones. So you can ask Rectangles to essentially generate a \e{smaller} grid than the size you specified, and then to expand it by adding rows and columns. +\lcont{ + The default expansion factor of zero means that Rectangles will simply generate a grid of the size you ask for, and do nothing further. If you set an expansion factor of (say) 0.5, it means that @@ -627,6 +661,17 @@ and more intuitive playing style. If you set it \e{too} high, though, the game simply cannot generate more than a few rectangles to cover the entire grid, and the game becomes trivial. +} + +\dt \e{Ensure unique solution} + +\dd Normally, Rectangles will make sure that the puzzles it presents +have only one solution. Puzzles with ambiguous sections can be more +difficult and more subtle, so if you like you can turn off this +feature and risk having ambiguous puzzles. 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{netslide} \i{Netslide} @@ -641,8 +686,9 @@ a time. As in Sixteen, \I{controls, for Netslide}control is with the mouse. See \k{sixteen-controls}. -\I{parameters, for Netslide}Game parameters are the same as for Net -(see \k{net-params}). +\I{parameters, for Netslide}The available game parameters have similar +meanings to those in Net (see \k{net-params}) and Sixteen (see +\k{sixteen-params}). \C{pattern} \i{Pattern} @@ -730,6 +776,23 @@ type a digit or letter on the keyboard to fill that square. If you make a mistake, click the mouse in the incorrect square and press Space to clear it again (or use the Undo feature). +If you \e{right}-click in a square and then type a number, that +number will be entered in the square as a \q{pencil mark}. You can +have pencil marks for multiple numbers in the same square. + +The game pays no attention to pencil marks, so exactly what you use +them for is up to you: you can use them as reminders that a +particular square needs to be re-examined once you know more about a +particular number, or you can use them as lists of the possible +numbers in a given square, or anything else you feel like. + +To erase a single pencil mark, right-click in the square and type +the same number again. + +All pencil marks in a square are erased when you left-click and type +a number, or when you left-click and press space. Right-clicking and +pressing space will also erase pencil marks. + (All the actions described in \k{common-actions} are also available.) \H{solo-parameters} \I{parameters, for Solo}Solo parameters @@ -766,6 +829,78 @@ for you. Be prepared to wait, especially if you have also configured a large puzzle size. +\C{mines} \i{Mines} + +\cfg{winhelp-topic}{games.mines} + +You have a grid of covered squares, some of which contain mines, but +you don't know which. Your job is to uncover every square which does +\e{not} contain a mine. If you uncover a square containing a mine, +you lose. If you uncover a square which does not contain a mine, you +are told how many mines are contained within the eight surrounding +squares. + +This game needs no introduction; popularised by Windows, it is +perhaps the single best known desktop puzzle game in existence. + +This version of it has an unusual property. By default, it will +generate its mine positions in such a way as to ensure that you +never need to \e{guess} where a mine is: you will always be able to +deduce it somehow. So you will never, as can happen in other +versions, get to the last four squares and discover that there are +two mines left but you have no way of knowing for sure where they +are. + +\H{mines-controls} \I{controls, for Mines}Mines controls + +This game is played with the mouse. + +If you left-click in a covered square, it will be uncovered. + +If you right-click in a covered square, it will place a flag which +indicates that the square is believed to be a mine. Left-clicking in +a marked square will not uncover it, for safety. You can right-click +again to remove a mark placed in error. + +If you left-click in an \e{uncovered} square, it will \q{clear +around} the square. This means: if the square has exactly as many +flags surrounding it as it should have mines, then all the covered +squares next to it which are \e{not} flagged will be uncovered. So +once you think you know the location of all the mines around a +square, you can use this function as a shortcut to avoid having to +click on each of the remaining squares one by one. + +If you uncover a square which has \e{no} mines in the surrounding +eight squares, then it is obviously safe to uncover those squares in +turn, and so on if any of them also has no surrounding mines. This +will be done for you automatically; so sometimes when you uncover a +square, a whole new area will open up to be explored. + +(All the actions described in \k{common-actions} are also available. +Even Undo is available, although you might consider it cheating to +use it!) + +\H{mines-parameters} \I{parameters, for Mines}Mines parameters + +The options available from the \q{Custom...} option on the \q{Type} +menu are: + +\dt \e{Width}, \e{Height} + +\dd Size of grid in squares. + +\dt \e{Mines} + +\dd Number of mines in the grid. + +\dt \e{Ensure solubility} + +\dd When this option is enabled (as it is by default), Mines will +ensure that the entire grid can be fully deduced starting from the +initial open space. If you prefer the riskier grids generated by +other implementations, you can switch off this option. + + \A{licence} \I{MIT licence}\ii{Licence} This software is \i{copyright} 2004-2005 Simon Tatham.