Kolot Challenge Accepted
(Published on 7. November 2022, 14:44 by Andrewsarchus)
About:
- This puzzle was created to answer a challenge from kolot, asking for a chaos construction with only ? clues outside of the grid, with a single rule applying to each ? and no inside clues or other rules.
- You can read kolot's challenge here: Region Geometry X
- I may have pushed the boundary of the challenge parameters by sneaking some geometrical region constraints into the ? clue rules, but to be fair, they don't apply to un-clued regions (if there are any).
So what do you say, kolot? Did I succeed? :-) - As this puzzle was created to answer a setting challenge, the rules may seem a little awkward, but nevertheless it should be a fun solve.
Rules:
- Normal Chaos Construction rules apply.
- Each ? outside of the grid represents a digit from 1 to 9, which gives:
- The digit in the cell closest to the outside clue
- A lowerbound on the run length in the row/column of the consecutive cells in the same region as the first cell seen by the clue.
(i.e., if ?=N, then at least the first N cells are in the same region as the first cell) - The distance from the clue to the first cell in the row/column which contains the region's only 2x2 area
- The distance to a digit (not necessarily the first) from 1 to 6 which is kropki-dottable to another digit in the same 2x2 area.
- The number of cells, starting with the first, which must NOT sum to a prime.
Clarifications:
- Q: What is meant by "kropki-dottable"?
A: That just means that there is an adjacent cell that is either consecutive with or in a 2:1 ratio with the given cell. In other words, you'd be able to place a white dot or black dot between the two cells in accordance with kropki pairs rules. - Q: Are all regions required to have exactly one 2x2 area?
A: Not necessarily. The “distance to ... the regions's only 2x2 area” clause is a feature of the outside clue, so regions which are un-clued are free from having to contain only one 2x2, or having to contain one at all (Otherwise, this might constitute an "additional rule"). Whether or not there are any un-clued regions is up to the solver to discover. - Q: How is "distance" defined?
A: The cell closest to the clue is at a distance of 1,
the next cell inward is at a distance of 2, etc. - Q: What is this "lowerbound" nonsense?
A: That's just a fancy way of saying that at least the first N cells (where ?=N) seen by the clue must be part of the same region as the first cell. In other words, it's there to specify that the 2x2 area and the first cell are connected by all the cells in between in the clued row or column, rather than having the region curve around other regions to get to there. - Q: Does the rule about the first N cells Not summing to a prime, impose any restrictions on sums of other numbers of cells in the row/column?
A: No. Only the sum of the first N cells (where ?=N) is restricted from being non-prime, and there is NO constraint requiring N to be the only such number of cells that produces a non-prime sum. - Q: Is the "1 to 6" limit on the digit in the Nth cell a typo?
A: No. The value of the Nth digit (where ?=N) is limited to {1,2,3,4,5,6} in the main puzzle (and to {1,2,3,4} in the example puzzle). Hey, it's not easy forcing a solution with just outside question marks! :-P
Example Puzzle:
f-puzzles: example
ctc: example
Example Solution:
Play Online:
f-puzzles: Kolot Challenge Accepted
ctc: Kolot Challenge Accepted
Solution code: Row 6 and Column 6
(left to right, top to bottom, no spaces)
Comments
on 14. November 2022, 07:53 by cdwg2000
Very nice!
on 11. November 2022, 16:19 by bansalsaab
Wow. I had to restart couple of times due to mistakes but in the end very rewarding. Beautiful puzzle.
on 9. November 2022, 14:56 by DVFrank
Quite incredible! I especially loved the opening logic! :^)
on 8. November 2022, 19:13 by Elliptical
I think that should count as a valid answer to the challenge. Well done!
on 8. November 2022, 13:15 by Vebby
Great achievement to create this! Well done Andrew!
on 7. November 2022, 18:59 by marcmees
Q: Does the digit which is kropki-connecting to the kropki-dottable digit need to be in the range 1-6 too? !In the ex. no 6 has been connected with a 3 and no 5 with a 4. Coincidence?)
Hi marcmees,
The 1-6 limit only applies to the Nth cell from the ?=N clue, not to the digit it "kropkis" with. So yeah, just a coincidence that the situation didn't come up in the example.
on 7. November 2022, 16:46 by KNT
ow my head
