X-Git-Url: https://git.distorted.org.uk/~mdw/sgt/puzzles/blobdiff_plain/de3b0e332712c81307a7800808b6d13d2c5cec93..9cfc03b7245f89f9ded8f844e55aebe0a74c7500:/puzzles.but diff --git a/puzzles.but b/puzzles.but index 9949da4..9013006 100644 --- a/puzzles.but +++ b/puzzles.but @@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ \define{by} \u00D7{x} +\define{dash} \u2013{-} + This is a collection of small one-player puzzle games. \copyright This manual is copyright 2004-5 Simon Tatham. All rights @@ -43,16 +45,15 @@ both, and have more recently done a port to Mac OS X as well. When I find (or perhaps invent) further puzzle games that I like, they'll be added to this collection and will immediately be available on both platforms. And if anyone feels like writing any other front -ends - PocketPC, Mac OS pre-10, or whatever it might be - then all -the games in this framework will immediately become available on -another platform as well. +ends \dash PocketPC, Mac OS pre-10, or whatever it might be \dash +then all the games in this framework will immediately become +available on another platform as well. -The actual games in this collection were mostly not my invention; I -saw them elsewhere, and rewrote them in a form that was more -convenient for me. I do not claim credit, in general, for inventing -the rules of any of these puzzles; all I claim is authorship of the -code (or at least those parts of the code that weren't contributed -by other people!). +The actual games in this collection were mostly not my invention; they +are re-implementations of existing game concepts within my portable +puzzle framework. I do not claim credit, in general, for inventing the +rules of any of these puzzles. (I don't even claim authorship of all +the code; some of the puzzles have been submitted by other authors.) This collection is distributed under the \i{MIT licence} (see \k{licence}). This means that you can do pretty much anything you like @@ -844,11 +845,11 @@ partial deductions about the \e{set} of squares a number could be in eventually have to make a guess, and then backtrack if it turns out to be wrong. -Generating difficult puzzles is itself difficult: if you select -\q{Intermediate} or \q{Advanced} difficulty, Solo may have to make -many attempts at generating a puzzle before it finds one hard enough -for you. Be prepared to wait, especially if you have also configured -a large puzzle size. +Generating difficult puzzles is itself difficult: if you select one +of the higher difficulty levels, Solo may have to make many attempts +at generating a puzzle before it finds one hard enough for you. Be +prepared to wait, especially if you have also configured a large +puzzle size. \C{mines} \i{Mines} @@ -960,11 +961,6 @@ Removing a region causes the rest of the grid to shuffle up: blocks that are suspended will fall down (first), and then empty columns are filled from the right. -The game generator does not try to guarantee soluble grids; -it will, however, ensure that there are at least 2 squares of each -colour on the grid at the start (and will forbid custom grids for which -that would be impossible). - Same Game was contributed to this collection by James Harvey. \H{samegame-controls} \i{Same Game controls} @@ -1010,6 +1006,23 @@ any points at all. With the alternative \q{(n-1)^2} system, regions of two squares score a point each, and larger regions score relatively more points. +\dt \e{Ensure solubility} + +\dd If this option is ticked (the default state), generated grids +will be guaranteed to have at least one solution. + +\lcont{ + +If you turn it off, the game generator will not try to guarantee +soluble grids; it will, however, still ensure that there are at +least 2 squares of each colour on the grid at the start (since a +grid with exactly one square of a given colour is \e{definitely} +insoluble). Grids generated with this option disabled may contain +more large areas of contiguous colour, leading to opportunities for +higher scores; they can also take less time to generate. + +} + \C{flip} \i{Flip} @@ -1197,12 +1210,12 @@ time (but always one that is known to have a solution). \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. +A normal set of dominoes \dash that is, one instance of every +(unordered) pair of numbers from 0 to 6 \dash 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. @@ -1378,11 +1391,22 @@ 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 +If you click the \q{mark} button and your guesses are not correct, +the game will show you as little information as possible to +demonstrate this to you, so you can try again. If your ball +positions are not consistent with the laser paths you already know +about, one laser path will be circled to indicate that it proves you +wrong. If your positions match all the existing laser paths but are +still wrong, one new laser path will be revealed (written in red) +which is not consistent with your current guesses. + +If you decide to give up completely, you can select Solve to reveal +the actual ball positions. At this point, correctly-placed balls +will be 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 (just as when you press the mark button), and red text marks any laser you \e{could} have fired in order to distinguish your ball layout from the right one. @@ -1408,11 +1432,281 @@ using a different number to the original solution is still acceptable, if all the laser inputs and outputs match. +\C{slant} \i{Slant} + +\cfg{winhelp-topic}{games.slant} + +You have a grid of squares. Your aim is to draw a diagonal line +through each square, and choose which way each line slants so that +the following conditions are met: + +\b The diagonal lines never form a loop. + +\b Any point with a circled number has precisely that many lines +meeting at it. (Thus, a 4 is the centre of a cross shape, whereas a +zero is the centre of a diamond shape \dash or rather, a partial +diamond shape, because a zero can never appear in the middle of the +grid because that would immediately cause a loop.) + +Credit for this puzzle goes to \i{Nikoli} \k{nikoli-slant}. + +\B{nikoli-slant} +\W{http://www.nikoli.co.jp/puzzles/39/index.htm}\cw{http://www.nikoli.co.jp/puzzles/39/index.htm} +(in Japanese) + + +\H{slant-controls} \i{Slant controls} + +\IM{Slant controls} controls, for Slant +\IM{Slant controls} keys, for Slant +\IM{Slant controls} shortcuts (keyboard), for Slant + +Left-clicking in a blank square will place a \cw{\\} in it (a line +leaning to the left, i.e. running from the top left of the square to +the bottom right). Right-clicking in a blank square will place a +\cw{/} in it (leaning to the right, running from top right to bottom +left). + +Continuing to click either button will cycle between the three +possible square contents. Thus, if you left-click repeatedly in a +blank square it will change from blank to \cw{\\} to \cw{/} back to +blank, and if you right-click repeatedly the square will change from +blank to \cw{/} to \cw{\\} back to blank. (Therefore, you can play +the game entirely with one button if you need to.) + +(All the actions described in \k{common-actions} are also available.) + +\H{slant-parameters} \I{parameters, for Slant}Slant 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. + +\dt \e{Difficulty} + +\dd Controls the difficulty of the generated puzzle. At Hard level, +you are required to do deductions based on knowledge of +\e{relationships} between squares rather than always being able to +deduce the exact contents of one square at a time. (For example, you +might know that two squares slant in the same direction, even if you +don't yet know what that direction is, and this might enable you to +deduce something about still other squares.) Even at Hard level, +guesswork and backtracking should never be necessary. + + +\C{lightup} \i{Light Up} + +\cfg{winhelp-topic}{games.lightup} + +You have a grid of squares. Some are filled in black; some of the +black squares are numbered. Your aim is to \q{light up} all the +empty squares by placing light bulbs in some of them. + +Each light bulb illuminates the square it is on, plus all squares in +line with it horizontally or vertically unless a black square is +blocking the way. + +To win the game, you must satisfy the following conditions: + +\b All non-black squares are lit. + +\b No light is lit by another light. + +\b All numbered black squares have exactly that number of lights adjacent to + them (in the four squares above, below, and to the side). + +Non-numbered black squares may have any number of lights adjacent to them. + +Credit for this puzzle goes to \i{Nikoli} \k{nikoli-lightup}. + +Light Up was contributed to this collection by James Harvey. + +\B{nikoli-lightup} +\W{http://www.nikoli.co.jp/puzzles/32/index-e.htm}\cw{http://www.nikoli.co.jp/puzzles/32/index-e.htm} +(beware of Flash) + +\H{lightup-controls} \i{Light Up controls} + +\IM{Light Up controls} controls, for Light Up +\IM{Light Up controls} keys, for Light Up +\IM{Light Up controls} shortcuts (keyboard), for Light Up + +Left-clicking in a non-black square will toggle the presence of a light +in that square. Right-clicking in a non-black square toggles a mark there to aid +solving; it can be used to highlight squares that cannot be lit, for example. + +You may not place a light in a marked square, nor place a mark in a lit square. + +The game will highlight obvious errors in red. Lights lit by other +lights are highlighted in this way, as are numbered squares which +do not (or cannot) have the right number of lights next to them. + +Thus, the grid is solved when all non-black squares have yellow +highlights and there are no red lights. + + +\H{lightup-parameters} \I{parameters, for Light Up}Light Up 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. + +\dt \e{%age of black squares} + +\dd Rough percentage of black squares in the grid. + +\lcont{ + +This is a hint rather than an instruction. If the grid generator is +unable to generate a puzzle to this precise specification, it will +increase the proportion of black squares until it can. + +} + +\dt \e{Symmetry} + +\dd Allows you to specify the required symmetry of the black squares +in the grid. (This does not affect the difficulty of the puzzles +noticeably.) + +\dt \e{Difficulty} + +\dd \q{Easy} means that the puzzles should be soluble without +backtracking or guessing, \q{Hard} means that some guesses will +probably be necessary. + + +\C{map} \i{Map} + +\cfg{winhelp-topic}{games.map} + +You are given a map consisting of a number of regions. Your task is +to colour each region with one of four colours, in such a way that +no two regions sharing a boundary have the same colour. You are +provided with some regions already coloured, sufficient to make the +remainder of the solution unique. + +Only regions which share a length of border are required to be +different colours. Two regions which meet at only one \e{point} +(i.e. are diagonally separated) may be the same colour. + +I believe this puzzle is original; I've never seen an implementation +of it anywhere else. The concept of a four-colouring puzzle was +suggested by Owen Dunn; credit must also go to Nikoli and to Verity +Allan for inspiring the train of thought that led to me realising +Owen's suggestion was a viable puzzle. Thanks also to Gareth Taylor +for many detailed suggestions. + + +\H{map-controls} \i{Map controls} + +\IM{Map controls} controls, for Map +\IM{Map controls} keys, for Map +\IM{Map controls} shortcuts (keyboard), for Map + +To colour a region, click on an existing region of the desired +colour and drag that colour into the new region. + +(The program will always ensure the starting puzzle has at least one +region of each colour, so that this is always possible!) + +If you need to clear a region, you can drag from an empty region, or +from the puzzle boundary if there are no empty regions left. + + +\H{map-parameters} \I{parameters, for Map}Map 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. + +\dt \e{Regions} + +\dd Number of regions in the generated map. + +\dt \e{Difficulty} + +\dd In \q{Easy} mode, there should always be at least one region +whose colour can be determined trivially. In \q{Normal} mode, you +will have to use more complex logic to deduce the colour of some +regions. However, it will always be possible without having to +guess or backtrack. + + +\C{loopy} \i{Loopy} + +\cfg{winhelp-topic}{games.loopy} + +You are given a grid of dots. Your aim is 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. + +Credit for this puzzle goes to \i{Nikoli} \k{nikoli-loopy}. + +Loopy was contributed to this collection by Mike Pinna. + +\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} +(beware of Flash) + + +\H{loopy-controls} \i{Loopy controls} + +\IM{Loopy controls} controls, for Loopy +\IM{Loopy controls} keys, for Loopy +\IM{Loopy controls} shortcuts (keyboard), for Loopy + +Click the left mouse button between two dots to add a line segment +connecting them. Click again to remove that line segment. + +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. + + +\H{loopy-parameters} \I{parameters, for Loopy}Loopy 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. + +\dt \e{Recursion depth} + +\dd Determines how much guesswork and backtracking you will need to +do to solve the puzzle. When this is set to zero (as it is for all +of the \q{Easy} options in the menu), you should always be able to +deduce the state of an edge without having to guess. If you increase +it, you will have to guess more and more. + +\lcont{ + +Setting a high value for this option is liable to consume a lot of +CPU time and memory. Be warned! + +} + + \A{licence} \I{MIT licence}\ii{Licence} This software is \i{copyright} 2004-2005 Simon Tatham. -Portions copyright Richard Boulton and James Harvey. +Portions copyright Richard Boulton, James Harvey and Mike Pinna. Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files