TBD
| Designer(s): pseudonam | Match Type: DM (for 2 players) |
| Featured in: The Genius: Variations on a Theme | |
FM1: Puzzle Constructor
Note: This DM will require heavy use of Google Sheets. It is recommended that you get used to used to quickly entering data via CTRL-C/CTRL-V.
There are five categories of puzzles. Each puzzle category will be played once -- the finalist to best their opponent’s time in at least three of them wins the FM!
Unfortunately, I’m incapable of making difficult puzzle rounds. Instead, finalists will create puzzles for their opponent in the preparation phase and solve the other player’s puzzles in the solving phase.
Preparation Phase
Puzzle preparation is non-live and played ahead of time. The rules for each puzzle are given in #fm1-puzzles. Players get 20 minutes to create each puzzle, with 20 minutes of reserve time distributed across all five puzzles.
Each of the five puzzles need not be done in one sitting, but each individual puzzle must be completed in a solid block of time in the order they are given in #fm1-puzzles. Puzzles must be created in a Google Sheets file provided once time begins.
Note that puzzles are subject to certain conditions that players will receive only once their 20 minutes begin. Conditions will be the exact same for both finalists.
If a created puzzle is invalid (conditions differ per puzzle, but one global condition is that puzzles must be solvable), the creator must resubmit until the puzzle is valid. If a creator runs out of reserve time (which is used once the initial 20 minutes are up) for a puzzle, their opponent automatically wins the solving phase. If both creators run out of reserve time for a puzzle, neither win.
Solving Phase
The solving phase is done live (though it doesn’t need to be; in case of scheduling failure, it can be done non-live). In the solving phase, both finalists will solve their opponent’s puzzle of a given category simultaneously on a host-provided Google Sheet. Once a player finishes submitting, they must type “finish” (or otherwise make the fact that they are submitting clear).
At this point, a screenshot will be taken of the player’s sheet, and the host will take the time of the final message as their given time if indeed the solution was valid. If it isn’t valid, the player needs to resubmit a correct solution (which will be retimed) but must wait 30 seconds before doing so. This can be pre-submitted. Final times are rounded up to the nearest second.
Each puzzle also allows players to ask for hints, which can be used to gain information about their opponent’s solution in the solving phase at the cost of additional time. Hints may be used once three minutes have passed for the puzzle.
Players win a puzzle if they spend less time than their opponent on that puzzle. Whichever player wins more puzzle categories wins the FM. If there is a tie, the player with more Accrued Power (that is, Thea) wins the FM.
Players may bring notes into either phase of the DM, but as usual, they may not use automated tools during either phase.
In particular, CTRL-F is disallowed.
Items:
Adrenaline: Choose one puzzle before the FM begins. Your final time for that puzzle is decreased by 20%.
Discount: The first hint used for each puzzle uses half as much time.
Hourglass: Increases your reserve time in the puzzle preparation phase to 35 minutes.
Puzzle 1: Reflection
On a 7x7 grid, there are pairs of board edges that link together (each pair of matching board edges will have a different color). Diagonal mirrors (/ or \) can be placed on the grid. Each end fires a laser, which will reflect at 90-degree angles when hitting a mirror. The puzzle is solved when each laser hits the other edge in the pair, and every pylon is hit by at least one laser.
Construction Phase:
The constructor receives an empty grid with some number of paired edges.
The constructor can only place additional mirrors (╱, ╲) or pylons (*) on empty spaces.
The constructor must demonstrate a solution (on another tab on the same sheet provided by the host).
Solving Phase:
The solver can only place mirrors (╱, ╲) on empty spaces. Mirrors and pylons placed during the Construction Phase will be shaded to differentiate them.
(Exclusively during the solving phase, it is also acceptable to use / and \ as alternatives.)
Hints:
The solver can request the contents of a space in the constructor’s solution (receiving either ╱, ╲, or empty). Doing so will add 30 seconds to their clock.
Puzzle 2: Incline
On an 8x8 grid, each space has an integer from 1 to 9 (inclusive), indicating the elevations of each cell. CenterHex is on the top left corner of the grid trying to navigate to the bottom right.
Every time CenterHex moves onto a space with a higher elevation than its current space, it spends fuel equal to the difference. If CenterHex moves onto a space with equal or lower elevation than its current space, no fuel is exhausted.
The puzzle is solved when a route from the top-left to the bottom-right is declared that does not visit any cells twice and does not exceed CenterHex's fuel count. (The path need not use all fuel.) A path should be represented as a movement sequence (a sequence of letters URLD, representing one space up, down, left, or right).
Construction Phase:
The constructor receives a grid with some numbers already on it. Pre-placed numbers will be shaded to differentiate them.
The constructor can only place new numbers on the grid. The constructor must also find a path for CenterHex -- the fuel will be the fuel count. In other words, the constructor's best path defines the fuel count.
Solving Phase:
To solve the puzzle, the solver needs to find a path using fuel equal to at most the fuel count.
Hints:
The solver can request to know whether a space is visited in the constructor’s solution or not. Doing so will add 30 seconds to their clock.
Puzzle 3: Star Battle
On a 9x9 grid, each cell is separated into one of nine regions.
The puzzle is solved when eighteen stars are placed on the board such that:
There are exactly two cells in each row, column, and region.
No stars are touching orthogonally or diagonally.
Construction Phase:
The constructor receives a 9x9 grid with numbers from 1-9 on various spaces of the board. Numbers represent distinct regions, and pre-placed numbers are shaded to differentiate them.
The constructor can place numbers 1-9 on the grid. All equal numbers must be in a single contiguous group -- this group is a region.
The constructor must demonstrate a valid star battle solution by bolding 18 spaces that could contain a star.
Once the Construction Phase is over, numbers and bolds will be removed. Edges containing distinct numbers will be converted into grid boundaries, separating each contiguous group of numbers.
Solving Phase:
To solve the puzzle, the solver needs to place 18 stars to satisfy both star battle conditions.
Hints:
The solver can request to know whether a space contains a star in the constructor’s solution or not. Doing so will add 30 seconds to their clock.
Puzzle 4: Binairo
On a 10x10 grid, each cell is empty, has a 1, or has a 0.
A puzzle is solved when there are no empty cells, each row and column contains five 1’s and five 0’s, and there are no horizontal or vertical three-in-a-rows containing the same number.
Each row and column must also be unique.
Construction Phase:
The constructor receives an empty 10x10 grid. There are some number of gray cells on the grid.
The constructor must fill the only gray cells with 1’s and 0’s. The remaining cells can also be filled but may be left empty.
The constructor must also demonstrate a valid Binario solution by adding numbers to each remaining cell on the “Binario Solution” grid.
Once the Construction Phase is over, the puzzle in the “Binario Puzzle” grid will be sent to the solver.
Solving Phase:
To solve the puzzle, the solver needs to add zeros and ones to each of the cells of the grid such that the Binario conditions are met. All cells that start with numbers will also be colored in gray to distinguish them.
Hints:
The solver can request to know whether a space contains a 0 or a 1 in the constructor’s solution. Doing so will add 30 seconds to their clock.
Puzzle 5: Word Search
On an 11x11 grid, each space has a letter on it. There is also a predetermined word bank, consisting of sixteen words (the sum of the lengths of the words is at most 100). A word appears in the grid if it appears horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. (Words can appear backward as per usual.)
The puzzle is solved once the solver declares the set of three words that do not appear in the grid. As a reminder, CTRL-F is disallowed.
Construction Phase:
The constructor receives an empty grid and a word bank that I provide.
The constructor must place letters on every space of the grid, and place exactly thirteen of the sixteen words on the grid.
Solving Phase:
The solver can name the three words not in the grid to solve the puzzle.
Hints:
The solver can learn whether an individual word appears in the grid or not. Doing this will add 30 seconds to their clock.
Clarification: Puzzle 1 does not have pre-placed mirrors in the Construction Phase. All mirrors are placed by the Constructor.