Logic puzzles
November 28, 2007 9:52 PM Subscribe
A virtually unlimited supply of randomly-generated logic puzzles, in a variety of sizes and difficulties: Nonograms. Slither Link. Nurikabe. Bridges. Light Up.
Ah, interesting link.
While we're on the topic, there's a collection of randomly-generated puzzle programs out there called "Simon Tatham's Portable Puzzle Collection" that I've found is quite nice. (The version I've been playing is actually the homebrew DS port, PuzzleManiak.) Especially, Slant, Dominosa and Net....
posted by JHarris at 11:05 PM on November 28, 2007
While we're on the topic, there's a collection of randomly-generated puzzle programs out there called "Simon Tatham's Portable Puzzle Collection" that I've found is quite nice. (The version I've been playing is actually the homebrew DS port, PuzzleManiak.) Especially, Slant, Dominosa and Net....
posted by JHarris at 11:05 PM on November 28, 2007
"Bridges" is fun, but is the game supposed to halt the timer, or present us with a flourish of trumpets, or something, when it's solved? Is it smart enough to notice? Or is it more of an honor system? I'm staring at a completed Bridges game (yay me!) and the timer just keeps rolling.
posted by sidereal at 11:13 PM on November 28, 2007
posted by sidereal at 11:13 PM on November 28, 2007
Oh, they are called "nonograms"? No wonder I couldn't find any printable ones by googling "picross".
posted by DU at 4:26 AM on November 29, 2007
posted by DU at 4:26 AM on November 29, 2007
Slitherlink is an outstanding game.
I played a version on my DS on a game called Brain Buster Puzzle Pak. It's a bargain bin title for sure but it has 50 puzzles each for slitherlink, nurikabe, light up, sudoku, and another game whose name escapes me.
Slitherlink is the gem though. The DS version was made easier / better because the numbers would change color depending on whether they were currently satisfied or not.
posted by utsutsu at 8:03 AM on November 29, 2007
I played a version on my DS on a game called Brain Buster Puzzle Pak. It's a bargain bin title for sure but it has 50 puzzles each for slitherlink, nurikabe, light up, sudoku, and another game whose name escapes me.
Slitherlink is the gem though. The DS version was made easier / better because the numbers would change color depending on whether they were currently satisfied or not.
posted by utsutsu at 8:03 AM on November 29, 2007
Great stuff, thanks...
I keep getting close on the nonograms, but losing it in the final few steps. I came up with what looked like a good solution, but it told me 'twas not. Does the order of the numbers indicate which "streak" of black squares comes first (left/right, top/bottom)?
posted by Pantengliopoli at 12:39 PM on November 29, 2007
I keep getting close on the nonograms, but losing it in the final few steps. I came up with what looked like a good solution, but it told me 'twas not. Does the order of the numbers indicate which "streak" of black squares comes first (left/right, top/bottom)?
posted by Pantengliopoli at 12:39 PM on November 29, 2007
Oh heck yes, Pantengliopoli. They have to be in the order the constraints are listed. 3 2 2 1 != 3 1 2 2, etc.
posted by cortex at 12:43 PM on November 29, 2007
posted by cortex at 12:43 PM on November 29, 2007
Thanks! That screwed me on several then... I've since discovered hitting "ready" partway through will at least allow me to check my progress.
posted by Pantengliopoli at 1:36 PM on November 29, 2007
posted by Pantengliopoli at 1:36 PM on November 29, 2007
Good games, but it's totally annoying that
1. 5 different logins for 5 different games on different domains
2. right clicking (at least for me) also brings up the right menu in the browser, in addition to performing the game function.
posted by mbd1mbd1 at 3:43 PM on November 29, 2007
1. 5 different logins for 5 different games on different domains
2. right clicking (at least for me) also brings up the right menu in the browser, in addition to performing the game function.
posted by mbd1mbd1 at 3:43 PM on November 29, 2007
A limited (per week) supply, but a good variety, is at conceptispuzzles.com. They make puzzles commercially, selling them to magazines and other end publishers. Commercial, yes, but they aren't trying to make money off their web users (other than by introducing them to puzzles they may go out and buy books full of). On the contrary, I won a t-shirt from them....
You can't see the weekly puzzles without registering, but each week they put up between 3 and 9 logic puzzles in each of 11 different types. Without logging in, you should be able to see the types at their product page.
There are java applets for playing four of the puzzle types--sudoku, nonograms (which they call Pic-a-Pix), Link-a-Pix, and Fill-a-Pix (sort of Minesweeper in reverse--you see the numbers, and logic back to what cells are filled). The others are given only as PDFs for pencil-and-paper solving. Or graphics program solving, if you're stubborn.
If you like big print-and-solve puzzles, there are bonus puzzles hidden all over the web site, included in their online newsletters, and stashed a few clicks down from the link I gave above. Look for the "puzzle samples" link on each product page. Most of these can be found without registering, but the applets require registration.
In the user forums (reg required, natch) you can connect with folks who have archived lots of the applets (nonograms and the two other picture logic puzzles types) and created their own Windows application for solving and creating them. I find this a much more pleasant way to do color puzzles than alternating markers or colored pencils.
posted by clauclauclaudia at 5:01 PM on November 29, 2007 [1 favorite]
You can't see the weekly puzzles without registering, but each week they put up between 3 and 9 logic puzzles in each of 11 different types. Without logging in, you should be able to see the types at their product page.
There are java applets for playing four of the puzzle types--sudoku, nonograms (which they call Pic-a-Pix), Link-a-Pix, and Fill-a-Pix (sort of Minesweeper in reverse--you see the numbers, and logic back to what cells are filled). The others are given only as PDFs for pencil-and-paper solving. Or graphics program solving, if you're stubborn.
If you like big print-and-solve puzzles, there are bonus puzzles hidden all over the web site, included in their online newsletters, and stashed a few clicks down from the link I gave above. Look for the "puzzle samples" link on each product page. Most of these can be found without registering, but the applets require registration.
In the user forums (reg required, natch) you can connect with folks who have archived lots of the applets (nonograms and the two other picture logic puzzles types) and created their own Windows application for solving and creating them. I find this a much more pleasant way to do color puzzles than alternating markers or colored pencils.
posted by clauclauclaudia at 5:01 PM on November 29, 2007 [1 favorite]
DU: The WiiPicross site has lots of nonograms (I didn't know they were called that either), all printable. Just start a puzzle and click the printer icon.
posted by geeky at 5:35 PM on November 29, 2007
posted by geeky at 5:35 PM on November 29, 2007
If you prefer, as I do, to solve your Slitherlinks with pen & paper, you'll find over 10,000 of them, in PDF format over at my puzzle website, Krazydad.
Each booklet contains anywhere from 8 to 32 Slitherlink puzzles, depending on the size. My site also has thousands of Kakuro, Sudoku and other puzzles.
http://www.krazydad.com/slitherlink/
posted by jbum at 5:56 PM on November 29, 2007
Each booklet contains anywhere from 8 to 32 Slitherlink puzzles, depending on the size. My site also has thousands of Kakuro, Sudoku and other puzzles.
http://www.krazydad.com/slitherlink/
posted by jbum at 5:56 PM on November 29, 2007
Those nonogram puzzles aren't very challenging. The best program to play nonogram puzzles is from kaser. They call their version descartes enigma. You can down a shareware version of it, or you can pay twenty dollars for the licensed version. I'm a nonogram freak and I spend way too much time playing that game.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 6:00 PM on November 29, 2007
posted by MaryDellamorte at 6:00 PM on November 29, 2007
Mary, I can't tell from the product page--how large a puzzle does Kaser's program allow? Same question about their "Rainbow" program, if you happen to know.
My favorite, very configurable, nonogram program is for the palm pilot: PictureLogic. It doesn't do color puzzles, but it makes excellent use of color to allow several levels of guessing as you solve.
posted by clauclauclaudia at 6:43 PM on November 29, 2007
My favorite, very configurable, nonogram program is for the palm pilot: PictureLogic. It doesn't do color puzzles, but it makes excellent use of color to allow several levels of guessing as you solve.
posted by clauclauclaudia at 6:43 PM on November 29, 2007
Claudia, they get pretty big. I just finished a 40 by 60 puzzle and there are tons around that size, some even larger. There are also smaller puzzles too but those aren't nearly as fun. I also find how the program is set up is very easy to use. Download the shareware version which I think has 20 puzzles in it ranging from small to large.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 7:09 PM on November 29, 2007
posted by MaryDellamorte at 7:09 PM on November 29, 2007
These nonograms are really addictive. Pantengliopoli, it took me a while to figure out the order rule, too. It makes it a lot easier after that, doesn't it? And jbum, I'm really enjoying paging around your site. You have some pretty cool stuff on there, and I'd missed the previous FPPs.
posted by mosessis at 9:56 AM on December 1, 2007
posted by mosessis at 9:56 AM on December 1, 2007
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I geeked out hard on nonograms recently—Picross for DS really is braineating stuff, though the interface doesn't scale well to the larger puzzles—but I just ate a bunch of time playing Bridges, which I hadn't seen before.
posted by cortex at 10:35 PM on November 28, 2007