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This is a nice puzzle. I wonder, when generating the puzzle, how do you prove the solution is unique? If you take the naive approach of just fitting words to th
by jl6 4y ago
This is a nice puzzle. I wonder, when generating the puzzle, how do you prove the solution is unique? If you take the naive approach of just fitting words to the space, there is a chance that alternative solutions could become possible by chance.
Simple example: you can never have the following contiguous string:
WORDSAMPLE
Because the solution could legitimately be WORDS+AMPLE or WORD+SAMPLE.
A brute force of all possible contiguous regions, to hunt for rogue alternative solutions, is probably feasible in this small grid, but is there a better way?
- n3k5 4y ago> you can never have the following contiguous string: WORDSAMPLE This kind of situation actually does occur, and you can then use the knowledge that the solution is unique to conclude that neither alternative (WORDS+AMPLE or WORD+SAMPLE) can be part of the correct solution.
- cnity 4y agoWhy would you even want to constrain the solution if there is more than one? Why not just allow any solution that fills the tower?
- johnday 4y agoBecause puzzles have unique solutions. This is often (but, admittedly, not always) part of the definition of a puzzle, as a specific form of a problem or a game. If the fact that a solution is unique is given as part of the rules, then it can be used directly to rule out some classes of solution. That seems to be the case in Cell Tower.
- cnity 4y agoI am thinking from the perspective of gameplay, rather than the perspective of a dictionary.