Search found 478 matches

by drsteve
Sun 10 Mar, 2024 10:26 am
Forum: Puzzle Competitions
Topic: UK Puzzle League Division C 2023-2024
Replies: 20
Views: 4586

Re: UK Puzzle League Division C 2023-2024

OK, ignore the first question - seen the "these" eight cells and understand that now.

Still concerned about possible non-uniqueness though.
by drsteve
Sun 10 Mar, 2024 10:23 am
Forum: Puzzle Competitions
Topic: UK Puzzle League Division C 2023-2024
Replies: 20
Views: 4586

Re: UK Puzzle League Division C 2023-2024

A question about Whirlwinds - note this is only based on the IB, I haven't started the competition yet Does the path need to be roughly circular? Could it zig-zag away from the clue? All of the solution paths in the example are roughly circular. Also, slightly confused by the non-uniqueness - the to...
by drsteve
Sun 11 Feb, 2024 5:33 pm
Forum: Puzzle Competitions
Topic: UK Puzzle League Division C 2023-2024
Replies: 20
Views: 4586

Re: UK Puzzle League Division C 2023-2024

Sorry, confused by Round 3. Here are the instructions but where are the actual puzzles? Have they been emailed to the competitors? If so, I haven't received it
by drsteve
Tue 16 Jan, 2024 3:28 pm
Forum: Puzzle Competitions
Topic: UK Puzzle League Division C 2023-2024
Replies: 20
Views: 4586

Re: UK Puzzle League Division C 2023-2024

Just noticed that the Puzzle GP site is completely down - was this expected? Hopefully it'll be back up for February
by drsteve
Mon 04 Dec, 2023 3:37 pm
Forum: Puzzle Competitions
Topic: UK Puzzle League Division C 2023-2024
Replies: 20
Views: 4586

Re: UK Puzzle League Division C 2023-2024

Just clarifying the timing rules - not done this style of comp before.

We time each puzzle individually - how do we check that we've got it correct? Are we uploading scans of solutions or are we trusting that as intelligent individuals, we know if we're correct?
by drsteve
Mon 25 Feb, 2019 2:45 pm
Forum: Puzzle Competitions
Topic: UKPA Open Sudoku and Puzzle Tournaments 2019
Replies: 26
Views: 48055

Re: UKPA Open Sudoku and Puzzle Tournaments 2019

Real pedantry here, but Round 4 Cave - can we shade the cave rather than the walls? The rules say "a single white area". That's not the way I tend to do these...
by drsteve
Mon 25 Feb, 2019 2:43 pm
Forum: Puzzle Competitions
Topic: UKPA Open Sudoku and Puzzle Tournaments 2019
Replies: 26
Views: 48055

Re: UKPA Open Sudoku and Puzzle Tournaments 2019

Oops. Many thanks. :D
by drsteve
Mon 25 Feb, 2019 11:17 am
Forum: Puzzle Competitions
Topic: UKPA Open Sudoku and Puzzle Tournaments 2019
Replies: 26
Views: 48055

Re: UKPA Open Sudoku and Puzzle Tournaments 2019

Am I being daft (quite possible) or are there two solutions to Double Skyscrapers, Puzzle Round 5?

If you interchange the 1s and 2s in the second and fifth rows, I think that's still a valid solution or am I missing something in the rules?
by drsteve
Tue 31 Oct, 2017 11:45 am
Forum: Announcements
Topic: Record results for UK teams at the World Championships
Replies: 6
Views: 27145

Re: Record results for UK teams at the World Championships

Congratulations to everyone!
by drsteve
Thu 12 Oct, 2017 3:06 pm
Forum: Puzzle Competitions
Topic: Puzzle GP question
Replies: 16
Views: 37807

Re: Puzzle GP question

I got a reply and it was as I suggested - my two scores divided by two, not four, put me in Div A. Meanwhile, Tiago, who finished 66 overall in Div A wins Div B, mainly due to missing the higher scoring round 1. Very miffed about this as I put a decent effort into Div B - I’m counting it as an honou...
by drsteve
Wed 11 Oct, 2017 8:04 pm
Forum: Puzzle Competitions
Topic: Puzzle GP question
Replies: 16
Views: 37807

Re: Puzzle GP question

Thanks, James. I've posted a query in the forum. The only way I can be in Division A, I think, is if my average score after four rounds was actually averaged over the two rounds that I competed in, rather than all 4. This might make some weird sense in their book, as otherwise they'd say "total...
by drsteve
Tue 03 Oct, 2017 9:45 pm
Forum: Puzzle Competitions
Topic: Puzzle GP question
Replies: 16
Views: 37807

Re: Puzzle GP question

OK, anyone got an idea as to why I'm in the official Division A results rather than the official Division B. Seriously can't see why - and why Taigo Ando is in the official Division B when he's 66th in Division A!

Just asking as I thought I'd won Division B...
by drsteve
Tue 29 Aug, 2017 8:24 am
Forum: Puzzle Competitions
Topic: Puzzle GP question
Replies: 16
Views: 37807

Re: Puzzle GP question

Anyone have any idea is there is going to ever be an "Official" section B or C result - i.e. discounting the A and the A or B contestants?
by drsteve
Wed 16 Aug, 2017 6:07 pm
Forum: Puzzle Competitions
Topic: Puzzle GP question
Replies: 16
Views: 37807

Re: Puzzle GP question

Well I finished at 102, but Heather made it into the top 100. By the way, in round 8b, it looks like eight people completed but got the second snake wrong. At least in my case I know that my spare 25 seconds wouldn't have been enough to check my answers... Yup, I was one of those eight. Had two cor...
by drsteve
Wed 16 Aug, 2017 8:19 am
Forum: Puzzle Competitions
Topic: Puzzle GP question
Replies: 16
Views: 37807

Re: Puzzle GP question

Ah, but there's a chance of actually winning for once for those of us in B or C. That is, if they choose to filter the A contestants from the B list...
by drsteve
Mon 14 Aug, 2017 8:22 am
Forum: Puzzle Competitions
Topic: Puzzle GP question
Replies: 16
Views: 37807

Re: Puzzle GP question

Oh good, that should put me out of the top 100. Probably.

Just checking, I actually did two section A comps - it was probably Round 2 that convinced me to stick to section B!

Thanks, James. Hopefully, that's the right interpretation of average.
by drsteve
Sat 12 Aug, 2017 3:57 pm
Forum: Puzzle Competitions
Topic: Puzzle GP question
Replies: 16
Views: 37807

Puzzle GP question

Silly question but have I been getting this wrong all year? I only had time to do more than one division puzzle comp in the first round and did A and B. I qualified as a B contestant and as such for the whole tournament have been doing the B competitions. Just had a quick look at the rules, mostly d...
by drsteve
Wed 28 Jun, 2017 11:53 am
Forum: Announcements
Topic: Results: 2017 UK Puzzle Championship
Replies: 7
Views: 31072

Re: Results: 2017 UK Puzzle Championship

Many thanks for organising this, Liane. One of the toughest - and most enjoyable - that I've done for a good while. Thanks again
by drsteve
Thu 02 Mar, 2017 11:35 am
Forum: Puzzle Competitions
Topic: 2017 Puzzle GP
Replies: 41
Views: 85944

Re: 2017 Puzzle GP

Really enjoyed the B puzzles, a nice set with Oases being fun - my first encounter with these. Similarly not convinced by the five hard puzzles format - well, four, as the inequalities was just big, not hard. Seen harder five by five Futoshiki puzzles... Looking forward to taking a run at the three ...
by drsteve
Wed 22 Feb, 2017 4:04 pm
Forum: Puzzle Competitions
Topic: UKPA Open Sudoku and Puzzle Tournament 2017
Replies: 20
Views: 44947

Re: UKPA Open Sudoku and Puzzle Tournament 2017

Just one more question: In Power of Tapa, am I right in understanding that a three number clue is either a power (a^(b^c)) or a 3 digit clue - it can't be one digit and a power. So, for example 2 1 3 is either just 2 or 2 1 3, it can't be 2 1 or 2 3 (from 2 & 1^3 or 2^1 & 3). Pretty sure tha...
by drsteve
Mon 13 Feb, 2017 4:09 pm
Forum: Announcements
Topic: @ukpuzzles Twitter Account
Replies: 2
Views: 19759

Re: @ukpuzzles Twitter Account

Thought I'd plugged the first one, along with the LMI on the same weekend.

Ah, just realised as I type, I probably missed the Sudoku one, as I don't get alerts for that one, not being a Sudoku competitor. I'll try and correct that in future.
by drsteve
Mon 13 Feb, 2017 4:06 pm
Forum: Puzzle Competitions
Topic: UKPA Open Sudoku and Puzzle Tournament 2017
Replies: 20
Views: 44947

Re: UKPA Open Sudoku and Puzzle Tournament 2017

A question on Puzzles Round 3

Are the Arrows puzzles both ones with only one square around the grid? Or could there be a two square boundary (sometimes called Double Arrows, iirc)? Or is it a surprise?
by drsteve
Sat 04 Feb, 2017 8:49 am
Forum: Puzzle Competitions
Topic: 2017 Puzzle GP
Replies: 41
Views: 85944

Re: 2017 Puzzle GP

Nope, the appeal was unsuccessful. Rather harsh, I thought - spend the time solving the puzzle correctly (as is clear from entering one correct row and then choosing the wrong row to enter) only to be told that entering the correct answer key is part of solving the puzzle. When it is clear that the...
by drsteve
Wed 01 Feb, 2017 11:46 am
Forum: Puzzle Competitions
Topic: 2017 Puzzle GP
Replies: 41
Views: 85944

Re: 2017 Puzzle GP

I have had a go at solving the A puzzles and B puzzles. The A puzzles seemed spot on apart from the third Doppelblock which was over the top. The B puzzles were great, although I didn't beat Heather. I haven't had a go at the C puzzles yet. Thinking of this from the puzzle setters' point of view, t...
by drsteve
Wed 01 Feb, 2017 11:43 am
Forum: Puzzle Competitions
Topic: 2017 Puzzle GP
Replies: 41
Views: 85944

Re: 2017 Puzzle GP

... that's still 100 in front of me I make 608 - 425 = 183, not 100. Maybe this is why I beat you? :lol: No, I meant if you count entering the wrong row in B2 (which I'm appealing) and not counting battleships correctly which would add 32+59 = 91 points to my score. Sounds like I won't be in luck w...