2011 UK Puzzle Championship (25-26 June 2011)

[PuzzleScot]

The official 2011 UK Puzzle Championship - will be held on-line here on 25-26 June 2011.

Final notes
1) Please check this thread for any updates BEFORE you start the contest
2) Answer keys will be entered in a single box per question. Multiple keys should be separated by a comma, with no spaces, exactly as described in the IB & PB.
3) Puzzle examples have not been included in the contest PB, so you may want to keep the IB handy.
4) If there are any issues with the web hosting company, or website, during the contest after you have clicked START, please email me at chairman@ukpuzzles.org with your answer keys before your time is up. These will count as your official answers, with your completion time being when I receive the email. In all other cases, entries can only be submitted via the contest page.
5) UK participants only: If you have an emergency AFTER you have started, you can call me on 01313390028 to discuss.
6) If you wish to appeal over an answer key after your time is up, use the above email address use the comments box on your results page as soon as possible to register your appeal.
7) Ensure you have enough printer toner and paper before you start. (PB is 18 sides A4)
8) Do not discuss the puzzles here, or anywhere else until after the contest!
9) Good Luck!

Alan

PS. 10) I will publish a (short!) booklet with full puzzle solutions after the contest has completed.

Advisory (24/6/11 17:20):
- Update (24/6/11 21:20) Earlier issue resoved.


In response to requests for a longer contest window, please note that you will be able to start the contest any time after 3pm Friday 24 June. The last time for submissions remains as 3am Monday 27 June. (all times GMT+0100)

You will have a 2hr 30min window of your choosing over that weekend to correctly solve as many puzzles as you can.

The top eligible performer from the UK will be offered a place on the UK team for the 2011 World Puzzle Championship.

Any questions regarding the contest or puzzles should be posted below.

An overview of UK WPC team qualification is available here. Full details can be found here.


** errata/amendum summary from original puzzle booklet **

Amendments 23/6/11:

#2 UKPA Masyu: Answer key change: "Enter the length of of all horizontal segments that appear in each row top to bottom the marked rows ". Example:13,21,2,2,21,4 (for rows 1&5): 13,21

New amendments 22/6/11: (Revised IB available from contest page)

#7 Magnets: Amendum: The points for this puzzle have been increased to 30 (from 15), making the contest maximum = 400.

#12 Hidoku: Amendum: Answer key change. Now reads "Enter the last digit of each number appearing in the marked row/columns. Example (row 3, col 3): 5704,3306".. Anyone entering the answer in the originally declared answer key format will still be given full credit for a correct answer.

Minor amendments 20/6/11: (Revised IB available from contest page)

#3 Union Jack Maths:
Addendum: “:” symbol denotes division. Operations should be carried out in the order they appear in the sum. eg "8 - 4 : 2" = 2, not 6

#4/5 Turn of the 90s:
Addendum: Every white cell must be visited exactly once. You can only move to a neighbouring empty white cell on each step.

#8 Clueless Tents:
Amendum: example answer key corrected

#10 Chain Reaction:
Clarification: Patterns used in the contest puzzle are all monochrome, and easily distinguished.

#13/14 Easy as UKPA:
Addendum: The example shown has more than one solution. The contest puzzles have unique solutions.

#16 Spanish Armada:
Amendum. Instructions rephrased for clarity as follows:
"Locate all the ships of the Spanish Armada into the grid below. Numbers to the TOP and RIGHT of the grid indicate how many ship segments are present in that row/column. Ships cannot touch each other, not even diagonally. Each ship carries a number of cannons, (0,1 or 2 per ship segment) arranged as displayed in the diagram by the grid. The entire Armada fleet is shown. Numbers to the LEFT and BOTTOM of the grid indicate how many cannons are present in that row/column. Ships can be rotated. Ignore the letters around the grid when solving."

Also for #16:
Addendum: Any given ship segments can NOT be modified.

#17 Striped Snake:
Amendum – words black/white interchanged in original text

#19 Domino Castle:
Addendum: all dominoes must form a single connected structure. The example shown has more than one solution. The contest puzzle solves uniquely.

[PuzzleScot]

Instruction Booklet is now available on the contest page: http://www.ukpuzzles.org/contests.php?contestid=7

[drsteve]

A question and a clarification, Alan.

When you say that the atoms will be patterned in Chain Reaction, will that require a colour printing, or are the patterns Black and White?

and

Just to clarify, as per the example, the Union Jack Maths is doing the operations in order, not according to proper mathematical precendence (aka BODMAS), correct?

Looks like fun

Steve

[PuzzleScot]

When you say that the atoms will be patterned in Chain Reaction, will that require a colour printing, or are the patterns Black and White?

Patterns in the contest puzzle are all monochrome, and easily distinguished. No puzzle in the contest will favour a person with a colour printer.

Just to clarify, as per the example, the Union Jack Maths is doing the operations in order, not according to proper mathematical precendence (aka BODMAS), correct?

Correct. Operations should be carried out in the order they appear in the sum. eg "8 - 4 : 2" = 2. (not 6)
FYI, the final puzzle has the UK National Flag as a background, which helps highlight the direction of the sums. I was unable to satisfactorily replicate this in the example, but I think it's clear enough as it is.

[ronald]

#13 and #14 Easy as UKPA example appears to have two solutions (rotating the As in rows 3, 4 and 5)?
Have I understood the rules correctly?

[gareth]

In Turn of the 90s (#4 and #5) is the set of rules complete? Should it also say that the loop can't enter a white square more than once, or perhaps that it can only move from the centre of one square to the centre of a touching (including diagonally) square? Currently it just says it must visit the centre of each white square once, which allows all sorts of angled passes through the edges of squares from one centre to another, not necessarily touching, square, so long as the loop returns later to the centre. Or maybe that is the intention? But if so the example doesn't demonstrate this.

However I presume the rules are wrong. Without an extra (or reworded) rule there are multiple solutions to the example.

[gareth]

Correct. Operations should be carried out in the order they appear in the sum. eg "8 - 4 : 2" = 2. (not 6)

Since this is a UK test which we want to be open to the general population, shouldn't we use a division symbol that most people would actually recognise as one? In the WPC last year it took me a long while to realise that ":" was meant to mean divide - I'd never seen that before. I've never seen this notation in any English language puzzle book or magazine.

[gareth]

In Spanish Armada (#16) what does the rule "The orientation of the cannons must be respected, however, the 1x1 ships (which cannot be described as submarines as those did not exist at the time of the Armada!) can have the cannon oriented in any direction." mean?

So far as I can see the orientation of the cannons has no effect on the counts on the left.

Ah... do you mean that the ship segments need to be kept in the same order? "Orientation" is not the right word, maybe? So it doesn't matter which way the cannons are facing/orientated?

But what does that have to do with the 1x1 ships? That implies that orientation does matter after all...

Also the rules say to count how many cannons are "visible", which seems to imply that those on the other side of a ship should not count. This is wrong I presume? Presumably you count all the cannons in a row/column, whether visible or not?

[gareth]

I think the example solution key to Clueless Tents (#8) should be 31222222.

On various puzzles the example row/column entries are not marked on the puzzles.

For the Hidoku, I've never yet seen anyone solve one of these by drawing in lines (for a whole host of reasons), so it strikes me that entering this solution key is going to be more difficult than solving the actual puzzle. It seems to me that a different key is needed for this. What's wrong with entering rows or columns, other than questions of spacing for double-digit numbers? Maybe enter just the units digit? That's still easier than aligned and disaligned right angles, which are no part of solving the actual puzzle.

[david mcneill]

Have had a look at the instruction booklet. I think there are at least 2 solutions to the Hidden Domino Castle example. Agree that there are 2 solutions to the Easy as UKPA example. Don't like the answer keys for Hidoku or Masyu. If we used the squares outside the loop for the Masyu, we could easily use the same for the Fences puzzles as well. Is it possible to provide a better example for Good Neighbours, or a worked solution?

Favourite puzzles were Brick Wall and ABC Minesweeper. Thanks for organising this.

[gareth]

The Striped Snake instructions contradict themselves on the meaning of
black and white.

[ronald]

Agree that the solution key for Hidoku is Hideous. Can we input row(s) of numbers instead?

The solution key for the Masyu too is probably as hard as the puzzle and I would anticipate mistakes by competitors there - although I'm less clear about a workaround for that.

Gareth: about the ships - I understood that the orientation matters as far as the ships have to be in the configuration shown, facing in some direction. The given ship segments are oriented correctly, corresponding to the ships.
(I don't think it's necessary to make a distinction about 1x1 ships). You're right about visibility.
(At first I thought the direction that the cannons shoot would be relevant, but it appears not.)

: is well understood as a division sign by probably everyone except UK (and perhaps US) competitors, ironically

David: I only found one solution for the dominoes example, but I will check again.

Overall an interesting set of puzzles, thanks

[PuzzleScot]

In Spanish Armada (#16) what does the rule "The orientation of the cannons must be respected, however, the 1x1 ships can have the cannon oriented in any direction." mean?

It should say "orientation of the SHIPS must be respected".
"Cannons visible ..." does indeed mean as viewed from the solvers perspective.

I think the example solution key to Clueless Tents (#8) should be 31222222.

Yes of course, thank-you.

On various puzzles the example row/column entries are not marked on the puzzles.

They will be on the main puzzles.

Hidoku solution keys

The author suggested this, and I found it was easy to count in the example and main puzzle once solved, so thought no more of it.

Regarding all solution keys: The instructions are published now, so I believe it's too late to make major changes to any answer key structure, even though they could be better. Instructions may well also be in the process of translation, which would be unfair to guests participating. I'm open to opinions though.

#13 and #14 Easy as UKPA example appears to have two solutions (rotating the As in rows 3, 4 and 5)?

So it does! This example was taken from a WPC Instruction booklet (Easy as ABCD), so I didn't proof test the example. The main puzzle does indeed have a unique answer, and yes, you appear to have understood the instructions correctly.

Turn of the 90s (#4 and #5)

I thought it WAS mentioned. You are correct,Every white square must be visited exactly once, and You can only move to a neighbouring empty white square on each step will be added for clarification.

division symbol

Both options '/' and ':' are a compromise to "÷", which can be confused with '+'. I'll add a direct clarification to the rules to ensure no UK participants are disadvantaged.

..at least 2 solutions to the Hidden Domino Castle example

Example was taken from the Domino Castle variations contest. Again, since from a tested source, presumed it was fine. I can see the second solution now.

Code: Select all

- - - - 2 -
1 4 4 - 2 -
- 4 4 - 2 1
- 2 - 4 - 1
- 2 - 3 - 1
- 3 3 3 3 1

Main puzzle definitely solves uniquely. I will also include a list of the dominos by this puzzle in the contest, to cross off as found.
I can also see now that it is not stated that all dominoes must form a single connected structure.

The Striped Snake instructions contradict themselves on the meaning of black and white

I could argue that the digits' colours are what is being referred to? Not going to try and get away with that! Genuine mistake. Will switch the text to reflect the puzzle.

Is it possible to provide a better example for Good Neighbours, or a worked solution?

I can't really give any more than you have.
As the instructions say, each tile of area N will share at least one edge with exactly N neighbours. (Touching by a corner does not count)
This will be a think-on-your-feet puzzle when you see it, like sometimes appears at the WPC!

I thought I'd done quite well too . Hope my responses are satisfactory.
Being the first contest I've organised, I focused 90% of effort into ensuring the main puzzles are all good. Apologies for IB ambiguities/errors.

[david mcneill]

Alan,

Thanks for answering all our questions. I didn't read the instructions of Good Neighbours properly, so I'll have another go at the example.

[PuzzleScot]

I'd have rephrase the potentially confusing instructions for #16 - Spanish Armada:

"Locate all the ships of the Spanish Armada in the diagram below. Numbers to the TOP and RIGHT of the grid indicate how many ship segments are present in that row/column. Ships cannot touch each other, not even diagonally. Each ship carries a number of cannons, (0,1 or 2 per ship segment) arranged as displayed in the diagram by the grid. The entire Armada fleet is shown. Numbers to the LEFT and BOTTOM of the grid indicate how many cannons are present in that row/column. Ships can be rotated. Ignore the letters around the grid when solving."

A revised Instruction booklet is now available from the contest page, incorporating the issues raised in this forum. No answer key formats have been changed.

[drsteve]

More questions

Good Neighbours - will the shapes be given for the actual puzzle - the comment "shapes not given for the example" might imply they will be for the real thing

Spanish Armada - if there is a given "1 gun" square, can you draw an extra gun in the square to make a "2 gun" square?

[gareth]

Good Neighbours - will the shapes be given for the actual puzzle - the comment "shapes not given for the example" might imply they will be for the real thing

Isn't that exactly what it means? I thought that that meant the shapes will definitely be given. Not that I suppose it really matters, since they either will or won't and we will have to cope either way.

[PuzzleScot]

Good Neighbours - will the shapes be given for the actual puzzle

The first line of the instructions for that puzzle says: "Some shapes constructed from square cell(s) will be shown to you, along with a grid."

Spanish Armada - if there is a given "1 gun" square, can you draw an extra gun in the square to make a "2 gun" square?

The rules do not forbid this. Clarification from the author - Any given ship segments can NOT be modified.

[neerajmehrotra]

Can we have a better system of answering in case of Hidoku.......
I mean finding right angles is itself a puzzle....especially along the diagonal....we may tend to make mistake in counting...

[gabrieleud]

More questions

Spanish Armada - if there is a given "1 gun" square, can you draw an extra gun in the square to make a "2 gun" square?

In regular battleships you cannot "complete" a bended part of the ship in order to turn it into a middle segment. For the same reason, in Spanish Armada you cannot add cannons to given segments.


Explication about: <<the orientation of the cannons must be respected>> and <<the cannons of the 1x1 ships can have any orientation>>
a) given cannons are intended to help the solver by showing the orientation of the ship itself. So, if you see a 1x1 square with one cannon, you know that it can represent a simple submarine (yes, the horrific spanish submarines of XVII century) or a 2x1 ship having the second square (the blank one) opposite from the cannon.

b) the legenda shows a 1x1 submarine with the cannon pointing north but, on the solving grid, the cannon can point any direction.

[ronald]

Spanish Armada - if there is a given "1 gun" square, can you draw an extra gun in the square to make a "2 gun" square?

The rules do not forbid this.

ermmmm... oh. :S

Thanks for the clarification I had not understood this at all from the given rules and example.

[PuzzleScot]

Spanish Armada - if there is a given "1 gun" square, can you draw an extra gun in the square to make a "2 gun" square?

The rules do not forbid this.

ermmmm... oh. :S

Thanks for the clarification I had not understood this at all from the given rules and example.

Ronald, the puzzle author (Gabriele) followed up my response by stating that you specifically can NOT add to any single cannon ship segments. (If there are any)

[ronald]

Ronald, the puzzle author (Gabriele) followed up my response by stating that you specifically can NOT add to any single cannon ship segments. (If there are any)

So the rules do forbid adding cannons to existing ship segments?
Please can you edit/remove the comments that state the rules incorrectly? Edit: thanks

[david mcneill]

Can I seek a clarification regarding Good Neighbours. If 2 sections of the same shape appear in a given row or column (separated by one or more sections of other shapes), will the size of the shape be counted twice in the row or column total?

[PuzzleScot]

Can I seek a clarification regarding Good Neighbours. If 2 sections of the same shape appear in a given row or column (separated by one or more sections of other shapes), will the size of the shape be counted twice in the row or column total?

[edit:] The scenario: "2 sections of the same piece/tile appearing in a row/col, separated from each other by another piece/tile does not occur in the contest puzzle.

If 2 pieces/tiles having the same size and shape appear in a row/col, separated by something else, then of course the size of each would separately contribute to the row/column total. (remember exactly one piece/tile is used twice)