FAQ   Search   Memberlist   Usergroups   Register   Profile   Log in          Games  Calendar Log in to check your private messages    Disjoint groups in addition to rows, columns and boxes Goto page Previous  1, 2          Sudoku Programmers Forum Index -> Exotic sudoku View previous topic :: View next topic   Author Message Michael Kennett Joined: 21 Jul 2005 Posts: 11 : Location: Adelaide, South Australia Items Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2005 2:39 am    Post subject: Irregularly shaped blocks Thanks for the feedback - it's really great. As you've suggested, the template mechanism can be used to design non-symmetrical, and arbitrarily patterned, sudoku boards. I not played around with it much, but I'm sure that there is an art in designing good patterns - it seems that boards with reflective symmetry aren't as much fun to solve as those with rotational symmetry. I've just updated the solver/generator to allow the template file to be explicitly set on the command line (with a -t option) that should make experimentation with these ideas easier. I like your idea on different block patterns: chuckfresno wrote: Templates might also be used to used to create an entirerly different Sudoku variant: Code: +---+---------------------------+---+ | 7 | .   3   .   6   .   .   . | . | |   |   +---+-------------------+   | | . | 9 | . | .   .   4   .   .   2 | |   |   |   |   +---+---+-----------+ | 8 | . | . | . | . | . | .   .   . | |   +---+   |   |   |   +-------+   | | . | .   . | 6 | . | .   .   2 | . | |   |   +---+---+   +-------+   |   | | 9 | . | .   2   .   8   . | . | 3 | |   |   +-------+   +---+---+   |   | | . | 2   .   . | . | 5 | .   . | . | |   +-------+   |   |   |   +---+   | | .   .   . | . | . | . | . | . | 4 | +-----------+---+---+   |   |   |   | | 1   .   .   4   .   . | . | 3 | . | |   +-------------------+---+   |   | | . | .   .   .   7   .   4   . | 6 | +---+---------------------------+---+ Instead of 3x3 boxes, 9 irregularly shaped areas are used. These are a very common variant in some of the Japanese puzzle mgazines. Both these variations are currently hard to find outside of Japanese publications. This variation of irregularly shaped blocks would be much easier for me to implement than the disjoint groupings - the problem I have with the disjoint groupings is how to display this information in a console based application. As mentioned earlier in this thread, colour would be a good way to provide this additional information, but a telnet-enabled application cannot rely on colour being available... One possible approach would be to draw up the schematic of the groups away from the main board. I'm interested in trying to support these variants, and will let you know when I have something to show. Back to top chuckfresno Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 39 : Items Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2005 8:44 pm    Post subject: Re: Irregularly shaped blocks Michael Kennett wrote: I've just updated the solver/generator to allow the template file to be explicitly set on the command line (with a -t option) that should make experimentation with these ideas easier. Great! It does just that. Michael Kennett wrote: I like your idea on different block patterns: Of course they aren't *my* idea. Michael Kennett wrote: This variation of irregularly shaped blocks would be much easier for me to implement than the disjoint groupings I find the irregularly shapped block puzzles the more interesting variation anyway. They appear much more often in the magazines as well, impying that others feel the same way. When I solve the disjoint ones, I just solve as usual until I come to a standstill, then check the disjoint groups for more information. Not really that different of a solving experience. Back to top latian Joined: 08 Jan 2008 Posts: 5 : Items Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 2:41 pm    Post subject: dukuso wrote: minimum was 16 with 100 tries. This does not seems a lot, or does it requires much time ? Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First         Sudoku Programmers Forum Index -> Exotic sudoku All times are GMT Goto page Previous  1, 2 Page 2 of 2   Jump to: Select a forum Sudoku----------------Solving sudokuSetting sudokuProgramming sudokuThe mathematics of sudokuExotic sudoku Library----------------PuzzlesSoftwareSudoku elsewhere Not sudoku----------------Random thoughtsForum feedback  You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum   Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group Igloo Theme Version 1.0 :: Created By: Andrew Charron