Cross+A (www.cross-plus-a.com)

Morozov · Last edited by Morozov on Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:49 am; edited 5 times in total

Type of software: solver and generator

Name of the application: Cross+A

Authors: Sergey Kutasov, Ilya Morozov (Russia)

Version number: 6.14

Type of license: shareware ($35)

Platform: Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP/2003/Vista/2008/7

Special requirements: None

Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Latvian, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Ukrainian

Programming language: Delphi
Source code: not available

The main purpose of "Cross+A" is to simplify the solution of crosswords and other word-based puzzles. But with the course of time, the solution of nonograms, sudokus and kakuro were added; these puzzles are extremely popular in Russia.

The program can solve:

- sudoku 9x9;
- sudoku 10x10;
- sudoku 12x12;
- sudoku 16x16;
- "Diagonal Sudoku" or Sudoku X;
- "Geometry Sudoku" ("Geometry Number Place"): sudoku with the regions of random (irregular) shape;
- Godoku (Wordoku): it uses letters instead of numbers;
- Samurai Sudoku: five grids, one in the center and the other 4 overlapping each corner grid of the central one;
- Killer Sudoku ("Sums Number Place"): sub-regions have specified sums, and no number can be repeated within a region;
- Greater Than Sudoku;
- Even-Odd Sudoku: white cells must contain odd digits, gray cells must contain even digits;
- Flower Sudoku;
- Consecutive Sudoku ("1-away Disallowed Number Place"): all the places where orthogonally adjacent cells are consecutive numbers have been specially marked;
- kakuro.

The program solves sudokus without any human participation (i.e. no manual mode).

Also "Cross+A" allows to generate some kinds of sudokus:

- 9x9;
- 10x10;
- 12x12;
- 16x16;
- "Diagonal Sudoku";
- "Geometry Sudoku";
- Killer Sudoku;
- Greater Than Sudoku;
- Even-Odd Sudoku.

The generated sudoku has only one possible solution.

Morozov · Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 9:53 am Post subject: Cross+A 7.01

New version 7.01.

Now the program can solve:

- Asterisk Sudoku;
- Windoku ("Four-Box Sudoku");
- Sudoku-DG (DG means "disjoint groups");
- 12 x 12;
- Sohei Sudoku;
- Twodoku ("DoubleDoku").

Also "Cross+A" can solve hitori and slitherlink.

Morozov · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 9:26 am Post subject: Cross+A 7.02

New version 7.02.

Now the program can solve:

- Kazaguruma (Windmill Sudoku).

Bugs were fixed. Also Cross+A can solve Link-a-Pix.

Ruud · Site Admin

Morozov · Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:35 pm Post subject:

Hm, thanks for the task with empty central grid 9x9... Shocked

Yes, the program begins to solve Kazaguruma from the central grid now. In next version we will analyze other grids also and after that choose the appropriate grid to start the solving.

If Cross+A will start from the left-upper grid, this Kazaguruma will be solved during 3-4 minutes (P4 3000 MHz).

Morozov · Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 10:11 am Post subject:

New version 7.03.

Now the program can solve:

- Butterfly Sudoku.

http://www.cross-plus-a.com

Morozov · Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 11:14 am Post subject:

Version 7.05 was released. The program can solve Jigsaw Samurai Sudoku (with the regions of irregular shape).

Also the new kinds of logic puzzles were added:
- Fill-a-Pix;
- Battleship;
- Hashiwokakero;
- Masyu.

http://www.cross-plus-a.com

Morozov · Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 7:43 am Post subject:

Version 7.09 was released. The program can solve one more Sudoku variation - Sukaku.

Also the solving of logic puzzles were added:
- Fillomino;
- Futoshiki;
- Kuromasu;
- Nurikabe;
- Tents (Tents & Trees).

http://www.cross-plus-a.com

Morozov · Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 7:20 pm Post subject:

Version 7.11 is on the server. The solving of Triple Doku and Gattai-3 was added.

New options for other kinds of puzzles:
- the solving of KenKen (CalcuDoku, KenDoku);
- the generator of Hitori.

http://www.cross-plus-a.com

Morozov · Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 4:29 pm Post subject:

Version 7.12 was released. Added the solving of sudoku variations: Center Dot, Kropki Sudoku (Dots Sudoku), Hoshi, Tridoku.

Hoshi: this puzzle with triangular cells was taken from the magazines of the Russian publishing house "Krot" (http://www.gazetakrot.ru). The rules of Hoshi can be viewed here: http://www.gazetakrot.ru/about/papers/sudokus/0/14.jpg.

Tridoku: it was invented by Japheth Light (USA). More info can be found here: http://www.tridoku.com

Other puzzles in v7.12:
- the solving of Hidato, Numbrix, Shikaku;
- the generator of Hidato and Numbrix.

http://www.cross-plus-a.com

Morozov · Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 10:38 pm Post subject:

Version 8.0 was released. Added the solving of sudoku variations: Argyle Sudoku, 10 x 10. New generators: Killer Sudoku, 10 x 10, 16 x 16.

Other puzzles in v8.0:
- the solving of Galaxies;
- the generator of KenKen and Galaxies.

http://www.cross-plus-a.com

Morozov · Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 8:06 am Post subject:

New version 8.01: added the solving and creating of Chain Sudoku.
http://www.conceptispuzzles.com/index.aspx?uri=puzzle/sudoku/chain

Other puzzles in v8.01:
- the solving of Skyscrapers (without empty cells, without so called "fields");
- the generators of Kakuro and Hashiwokakero.

wapati

Morozov · Posted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 11:48 pm Post subject:

Version 8.02 was released. Added the solving and creating of Anti-Knight Sudoku.

Also the creating of puzzles was added:
- Battleship;
- Fill-a-Pix;
- Fillomino;
- Futoshiki;
- Light Up;
- Link-a-Pix;
- Masyu;
- Shikaku;
- Slitherlink;
- Tents.

Solving of new puzzle from Nikoli: Hakyuu (Ripple Effect). The creating of Numbrix was improved.

http://www.cross-plus-a.com

Morozov · Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 2:11 pm Post subject:

Version 8.03 was released. New features:
- solving of puzzles Easy as ABC, Grand Tour;
- creating of puzzles Easy as ABC, Grand Tour, Hakyuu, Skyscrapers;
- support of Hunspell (free spell checker).

Fixed the error in the generator of Battleship.

http://www.cross-plus-a.com