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user created puzzles
https://www.calcudoku.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=967
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Author:  paulv66  [ Sun Oct 08, 2017 9:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: user created puzzles

wjm wrote:
Thank you, michaele, for your 9x9 subtraction only puzzle - it was indeed challenging and I enjoyed working it immensely! I would be interested to know how you, as a puzzle creator, go about proving that your puzzle has a unique solution.

wjm


I also found it very interesting and extremely challenging. Thank you Michaele.

Author:  sjs34  [ Sun Oct 08, 2017 11:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: user created puzzles

michaele,

Very impressive, very difficult 9x9 subtraction. Excellent contribution. Congratulations.

Author:  michaele  [ Mon Oct 09, 2017 4:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: user created puzzles

Good to know you found my latest puzzle a challenge. I have another puzzle ready that I will submit next month.

To answer the question by wjm about ensuring that my puzzles have a unique solution: I start with a pattern of cages, and then try to solve the puzzle, when I have gone as far as possible I can then see where small changes need to be made to make it solvable. The tricky part is to make changes that do not make it too easy to solve. I have assumed (without being completely sure) that if I can solve it without using any guessing or trial and error that there must be only one possible solution. I only use the computer to create the initial pattern of numbers and to save my solving attempts so that I don't have to start from the beginning each time I make a small change to the cage pattern. By the time I finish creating the puzzle I find it is not easy to assess how difficult it is to solve, but on my last 9x9 subtraction puzzle I could tell it was going to be a challenge (it was easier to create the puzzle than to solve it).

I have started creating a 15x15 puzzle with several embedded smaller puzzles, but I have been away for about a week and I have not had the time to finish it.

Author:  wjm  [ Mon Oct 09, 2017 5:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: user created puzzles

Thank you for your reply michaele (and also for your comments marblevolcano). I asked because I think I have a good idea for a puzzle theme. I haven't created it yet (probably would be a 9x9), but it would be embarrassing to submit only to find out that it had more than one solution and I didn't realize it. So, my question should really be: How does one submit a puzzle? I imagine that Patrick must review it first and assess for a variety of qualities, maybe including a computer program that tests for a single solution (Patrick?). I apologize if this subject has already been covered in the forum.

wjm

Author:  pnm  [ Mon Oct 09, 2017 8:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: user created puzzles

wjm wrote:
I imagine that Patrick must review it first and assess for a variety of qualities, maybe including a computer program that tests for a single solution (Patrick?). I apologize if this subject has already been covered in the forum.


No problem. Yes, I run it through the solver first, to see if it has a single solution,
and to get an estimate of the difficulty level.

If there's a problem with the puzzle, of course I won't put it online, but you'll get an email from me [namaste]

Author:  wjm  [ Tue Oct 10, 2017 12:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: user created puzzles

Thanks, Patrick! [namaste]

Author:  bschwart  [ Sat Dec 16, 2017 6:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: user created puzzles

clm’s 7x7 puzzle was quite challenging! I didn’t think a 7x7 could be that challenging!

Thanks for the contribution!

-Bev

Author:  frederick  [ Sat Dec 16, 2017 6:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: user created puzzles

bschwart wrote:
clm’s 7x7 puzzle was quite challenging!


and the "Simply a little difficult" was a perfect phrase!

Author:  paulv66  [ Wed Dec 20, 2017 12:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: user created puzzles

bschwart wrote:
clm’s 7x7 puzzle was quite challenging! I didn’t think a 7x7 could be that challenging!

Thanks for the contribution!

-Bev


Yes, thank you clm and well done on setting such a challeging puzzle. It's hard to believe that a 7x7 could be quite that difficult! I finally managed to solve it a few minutes ago after who knows have many failed attempts.

Author:  clm  [ Sun Dec 24, 2017 1:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: user created puzzles

paulv66 wrote:
bschwart wrote:
clm’s 7x7 puzzle was quite challenging! I didn’t think a 7x7 could be that challenging!

Thanks for the contribution!

-Bev


Yes, thank you clm and well done on setting such a challeging puzzle. It's hard to believe that a 7x7 could be quite that difficult! I finally managed to solve it a few minutes ago after who knows have many failed attempts.


Thank you very much bschwart and paulv66. But in fact the congratulations must be given to Patrick Min for creating those two puzzles (which constitute both sides of a 6x6 twin puzzle already published in one of his books). I explain the reasons for having done all this here:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1007

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