published by greenhorn on Sun, 05/05/2019 - 09:39
Hi, I'm just wondering why Dark Knightlines (AKA Chaos) does contain symbols instead of usual numbers, even though the answer key requires translating these symbols back into the numbers. Doesn't make any sense :(
This was a decision by me to
This was a decision by me to refresh the "look and feel" of the puzzle type that was previously called "Chaos".
Generally I feel that GP has been too dominated by using letters and numbers in "fill-in-the-grid" style puzzles, making all the puzzles seem homogenous and often difficult to distinguish. Numbers make sense if the numerical value is important, like in Ripple Effect or Skyscrapers. Letters make sense if there is an inherently useful ordering for them, such as a Latin-square like constraint where each row or region needs a complete set (having something naturally ordered makes it easier to see if it exists in each row).
This puzzle type is different from the Latin-square-like constraints; it is really more like "No Four in a Row" in that the constraints are local and not global. So it feels like a good opportunity to use symbols.
I also felt that "Chaos" was a very poor puzzle title that doesn't really describe what the solver is supposed to be doing in the grid. If you've only seen "Chaos" one or twice a few years ago, the title doesn't help you remember the rules. In this puzzle type you're trying to avoid knight-move connections and lines, so "Dark Knightlines" seemed to both be helpful and a bit memorable.
It is unfortunate that the GP uses an answer-submission system that requires puzzle solutions to be translated into typeable text to verify submission. But I don't feel that that should constrain puzzle design.
One of the things that is being worked in is the ability to allow submissions where the solver can type any characters they want for the answer submission -- so, if AABCABB is the right answer, 1123122 would also be allowed, as would be 33h93hh. This would also avoid the XXOOXXX vs OOXXOOO annoyance that is in most of the instructions. I was expecting it to be ready for this month's GP, which is why I made this change this month. Unfortunately the technology wasn't ready for it to be rolled out this month :(
Answer key
Got the point for using symbols, but probably a better choice for the answer key could have been made. For example:
"A" for triangle
"O" for O
"X" for X
"D" for square
or something similar. I guess a lot of time will be used to insert the answer of this puzzle. Similar time for all the competitors, but easly subject to errors.
In any case,
thanks for your effort in preparing the rounds.
Ciao
Gabriele
The new name "Dark
The new name "Dark Knightlines" does not cover the no three in a row rule, if I don't miss something in English. So the name "Chaos" is obviously a better one, as it is a chaotic puzzle :)
Placing symbols may be good idea, because no three in a row constraint can sometimes be difficult to follow using the digits.
Knight = knight, lines = row
Knight = knight, lines = row :)