Comments on: Altair Slitherlinks http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2008/03/28/altair-slitherlinks/ Interactive art, experimental software toys, screensavers and games by Jim Bumgardner. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:17:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: ChristianHuygen http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2008/03/28/altair-slitherlinks/#comment-41947 ChristianHuygen Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:05:04 +0000 http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2008/03/28/altair-slitherlinks/#comment-41947 Thanks Jim for the hints. I am having fun with these. regards, Christian Thanks Jim for the hints. I am having fun with these.

regards,
Christian

]]> By: jbum http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2008/03/28/altair-slitherlinks/#comment-41848 jbum Fri, 30 May 2008 19:27:05 +0000 http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2008/03/28/altair-slitherlinks/#comment-41848 Hey Christian, First of all, you have an awesome name. Another puzzle starter is something like a 5 in a hexagon which is on the border, and 4 sides which are on the border. In this case, all the border edges must be filled in (this rule holds as long as the clue is larger than the number of non-border edges). If the border edges were skipped, there wouldn't be enough remaining edges to fill the required number of edges. If one border edge is filled, they must all be filled. Also look for two adjacent cells in which the clues are the maximum possible number (which is one less than the number of sides of the cell). So for example, you have a 4 inside a pentagon, which is adjacent to a 5 in a hexagon. In these cases, the side that the two cells share is always filled in, and the sides that don't touch the adjacent polygon are always filled in. Hey Christian,

First of all, you have an awesome name.

Another puzzle starter is something like a 5 in a hexagon which is on the border, and 4 sides which are on the border. In this case, all the border edges must be filled in (this rule holds as long as the clue is larger than the number of non-border edges). If the border edges were skipped, there wouldn’t be enough remaining edges to fill the required number of edges. If one border edge is filled, they must all be filled.

Also look for two adjacent cells in which the clues are the maximum possible number (which is one less than the number of sides of the cell).

So for example, you have a 4 inside a pentagon, which is adjacent to a 5 in a hexagon.

In these cases, the side that the two cells share is always filled in, and the sides that don’t touch the adjacent polygon are always filled in.

]]> By: ChristianHuygen http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2008/03/28/altair-slitherlinks/#comment-41847 ChristianHuygen Fri, 30 May 2008 18:15:28 +0000 http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2008/03/28/altair-slitherlinks/#comment-41847 Ok, I sat down with a sample puzzle and was able to get a handle on it. So I think I answered my own question. These are quite fun also. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have a 0 to start with though. thanks again Christian [yes I was named after that Dutch guy] [g] Ok, I sat down with a sample puzzle and was able to get a handle on it. So I think I answered my own question. These are quite fun also. I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have a 0 to start with though.

thanks again

Christian [yes I was named after that Dutch guy] [g]

]]> By: ChristianHuygen http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2008/03/28/altair-slitherlinks/#comment-41846 ChristianHuygen Fri, 30 May 2008 17:56:57 +0000 http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2008/03/28/altair-slitherlinks/#comment-41846 Hi and thank you very much for your puzzles. I especially enjoy the Laves and Penrose slitherlinks. They're similar enough to regular square-grid-based slitherlinks that some of the tricks and shortcuts work; but they're different enough to feel like I'm solving puzzles in some kind of alternate dimension where the ordinary laws of physics don't apply. [g] I simply don't grasp how to even begin to solve the Altair ones, though. Each space has so many sides that I don't understand how to reduce the number of possibilities enough to get a toehold. How do you get started? I realize it's not easy to provide a verbal answer, but - um - well, please, if you can give me a hint or two, I'd really appreciate it. Thank you. Hi and thank you very much for your puzzles. I especially enjoy the Laves and Penrose slitherlinks. They’re similar enough to regular square-grid-based slitherlinks that some of the tricks and shortcuts work; but they’re different enough to feel like I’m solving puzzles in some kind of alternate dimension where the ordinary laws of physics don’t apply. [g]

I simply don’t grasp how to even begin to solve the Altair ones, though. Each space has so many sides that I don’t understand how to reduce the number of possibilities enough to get a toehold. How do you get started? I realize it’s not easy to provide a verbal answer, but - um - well, please, if you can give me a hint or two, I’d really appreciate it. Thank you.

]]> By: jbum http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2008/03/28/altair-slitherlinks/#comment-41588 jbum Tue, 29 Apr 2008 21:18:37 +0000 http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2008/03/28/altair-slitherlinks/#comment-41588 If you spot an alternate solution, scan or photograph your result and send it to me (dad at krazydad.com), so I can take a look. Thanks! If you spot an alternate solution, scan or photograph your result and send it to me (dad at krazydad.com), so I can take a look.

Thanks!

]]> By: mihkeltt http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2008/03/28/altair-slitherlinks/#comment-41587 mihkeltt Tue, 29 Apr 2008 21:06:32 +0000 http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2008/03/28/altair-slitherlinks/#comment-41587 hi krazydad, i'm really hooked on those puzzles, i've solved one intermediate and one hard one of the sample puzzles. what bothers me is that i can find at least 3 possible solutions for the #5 tough sample puzzle. the area with the variation is on the far left side of the puzzle. can you confirm that? i might be mistaken as well. i'll try to scan my solution and send it to you. until then, best regards Mihkel hi krazydad,

i’m really hooked on those puzzles, i’ve solved one intermediate and one hard one of the sample puzzles. what bothers me is that i can find at least 3 possible solutions for the #5 tough sample puzzle. the area with the variation is on the far left side of the puzzle. can you confirm that? i might be mistaken as well. i’ll try to scan my solution and send it to you.

until then, best regards
Mihkel

]]> By: jbum http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2008/03/28/altair-slitherlinks/#comment-41564 jbum Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:56:59 +0000 http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2008/03/28/altair-slitherlinks/#comment-41564 I've posted 100 books of these puzzles on my slitherlink pages. http://www.krazydad.com/slitherlink/index.php?fmt=altair I’ve posted 100 books of these puzzles on my slitherlink pages.

http://www.krazydad.com/slitherlink/index.php?fmt=altair

]]> By: brian http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2008/03/28/altair-slitherlinks/#comment-41525 brian Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:14:31 +0000 http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2008/03/28/altair-slitherlinks/#comment-41525 I think I enjoyed this version of Slitherlinks the most. Not the hardest, but a nice combination of visual attractiveness, needing to be careful, and requiring you to develop some consistant logic. The fact that the valence of each point is 3 allows some consistancy in choosing paths, but the variety of number of sides adds a new dimension. Hopefully some future books of this type will be posted. I think I enjoyed this version of Slitherlinks the most. Not the hardest, but a nice combination of visual attractiveness, needing to be careful, and requiring you to develop some consistant logic. The fact that the valence of each point is 3 allows some consistancy in choosing paths, but the variety of number of sides adds a new dimension. Hopefully some future books of this type will be posted.

]]> By: Blog Roundup 3/31/08 &raquo puzzlinks.com http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2008/03/28/altair-slitherlinks/#comment-41464 Blog Roundup 3/31/08 &raquo puzzlinks.com Tue, 01 Apr 2008 01:58:20 +0000 http://www.krazydad.com/blog/2008/03/28/altair-slitherlinks/#comment-41464 [...] is working on creating a new type of slitherlink puzzle called Altair slitherlink.  The grid for the puzzles is based on a medieval Islamic [...] [...] is working on creating a new type of slitherlink puzzle called Altair slitherlink.  The grid for the puzzles is based on a medieval Islamic [...]

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