2011 UK Puzzle Championship (25-26 June 2011)

[ronald]

Good Neighbours - so if the grid were

515
555

the top row would be clued as 11 (and not 6)?

[cantdance]

In Union Jack Maths: can intermediate results (of divisions) be non-integral?

Marcin

[PuzzleScot]

Good Neighbours - so if the grid were

515
555

the top row would be clued as 11 (and not 6)?

There are only 2 distinct entities (in your example, a monimo(?) and a U-pentomino) in the top row, so the clue would say 6.
The top row of the following would also be clued as 6, as the 2 1s are distinct entities (albeit identical).

141
444

In Union Jack Maths: can intermediate results (of divisions) be non-integral?

The rules don't prohibit it, so 1:3x6=2 would be a valid sum.

[PuzzleScot]

After many requests for the Hidoku answer key to be changed, I have now done so.
Also, after resolving all puzzles again, I have considered the contest Magnets puzzle is worth more than the original 15 points.

The amendments below have been added to the IB and to the first post of this thread.

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.

[gareth]

Good Neighbours - so if the grid were

515
555

the top row would be clued as 11 (and not 6)?

There are only 2 distinct entities (in your example, a monimo(?) and a U-pentomino) in the top row, so the clue would say 6.

In your answer to David's previous question, which explicitly asked exactly this, you said the opposite. Both can't be correct!

[PuzzleScot]

In your answer to David's previous question, which explicitly asked exactly this, you said the opposite. Both can't be correct!

One of us (probably me) misunderstood the original question then.

David asked:
"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?"

I replied: "Yes. As they are 2 separate entities in the grid, the size of each would separately contribute to the row/column total."

I understood that David was questioning whether '.. 2 identical pieces having the same shape..' were in the same row/col would be counted once or twice, which is why I replied with the 'separate entities in the grid' reference. (since one piece is used twice, remember). I now see he (and you) meant '..2 sections of the same piece..'!

To save any further discussion on this matter, I can say the situation you describe does not appear in the puzzle.
I'll amend my response to his question.

[PuzzleScot]

I've relented on the unnecessarily over-complicated answer key for #2 Masyu, so another mod appears in the first post:

#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

[PuzzleScot]

Password-protected Championship Puzzle Booklet is now available for download.

Contest can be started from 3pm (14:00 GMT).

Please read final notes in the first post of this discussion for important information before you start.

[auroux]

Wow... good stuff!
In ABC minesweeper, I entered a numbered clue into the answer key instead of replacing it by '-' as per instructions. Hopefully it will be counted as ok...

Thanks for the great puzzles!
Denis

[standupcanada]

Fun Stuff. One hitch on my printout - the Arrows puzzle didn't show on the pdf. Could well be me, just wanted to make you aware. Thanks again.

[PuzzleScot]

Wow... good stuff!
In ABC minesweeper, I entered a numbered clue into the answer key instead of replacing it by '-' as per instructions. Hopefully it will be counted as ok...

Thanks for the great puzzles!
Denis

Well done Denis! I'm delighted you enjoyed that
Of course you will get credit for that answer. It wasn't made clear long before the event, so it is fine.

[PuzzleScot]

Fun Stuff. One hitch on my printout - the Arrows puzzle didn't show on the pdf. Could well be me, just wanted to make you aware. Thanks again.

Glad you enjoyed it The puzzle is definitely there (others have correctly solved it!). Perhaps the pdf didn't download correctly for you? If you download it again and still can't see it, let me know (here). If so, tell me what version of Adobe reader and o/s you have. I don't want anyone to have any problems at all... Alan.

[david mcneill]

Alan,

Please look at my answer to Q1. Thanks for organising the contest.

[PuzzleScot]

Alan,

Please look at my answer to Q1. Thanks for organising the contest.

Sorted. I'm accepting Q1 answer with or without commas (you're not the only one), as the puzzle is clearly solved correctly.

[ronald]

Alan - I made a typo in Puzzle #4, so that the answer key is correct but for one missing letter that I didn't see (detail in e-mail). I hope you can accept the answer as correct!

Thanks,
Ronald

[anurag]

The answer keys are disastrous.I cant understand why the good neighbours require all cells to be described.A set of diagonals would be more than enough.
Still, the puzzles are great!
And,the answer key for masyu should have been a little more clear ,like "lengths of all horizonta segments in the order they appear"

[drsteve]

The answer keys are disastrous.I cant understand why the good neighbours require all cells to be described.A set of diagonals would be more than enough.
Still, the puzzles are great!
And,the answer key for masyu should have been a little more clear ,like "lengths of all horizonta segments in the order they appear"

How clear does the Masyu need to be? We've been pretty harsh on improving these this week, but surely specifying that the answers need to be put in the correct order of appearing is pushing it a bit. Common sense would indicate this one and anyway, the example in the booklet would confirm it.

[PuzzleScot]

@Anurag - I presume you haven't read the latest IB, or the list in the first post of this topic? I'd welcome any criticism after you have done this, and maybe after you've competed too.

[PuzzleScot]

Answer key appeals. I've had a long think about this...

Firstly, any answer keys that conform to earlier IB versions of the answer key format, and are correct in that respect, will receive full marks with no deduction.

I will also give points where I am convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the puzzle was solved correctly.
However, anyone entering the correct answer key should always get more points.
Therefore, in these cases I will award points, but no more than 1 point less than the total available for that puzzle.

I am regularly going through all 0 point answers, checking for formatting errors etc. Therefore the total you see on your individual results page is, as is clearly stated on that page, only a provisional score.

[euklid]

Could you please check my answers? For me they seem ok, seems to me that lowercase answers are not accepted automatically.

Hopefully this is the reason. All but one of my answers should turn from red to green I hope...

Thanks for the test,
Stefan

[PuzzleScot]

Could you please check my answers? For me they seem ok, seems to me that lowercase answers are not accepted automatically.
Hopefully this is the reason. All but one of my answers should turn from red to green I hope...

The points column shows you have the credit, and that was given automatically. I'll fix the case-sensitive display issue shortly. [edit: fixed. try again now]

[euklid]

Thanks, PuzzleScot

Two red answers now.

At one puzzle I missed something. Only a minor mistake, but surely a mistake at solving the puzzle.
The other puzzle I have solved correctly but misinterpreted the answer string. I believe I might not be the only one with this mistake...

Two costly mistakes but otherwise the contest ran smoothly for me.

[kiwijam]

Thanks Alan, a great set of puzzles, it gave my grey matter a good work-out tonight.
I'll resist going into further details until after it's all finished!

[RobertBe]

The answer keys are disastrous.I cant understand why the good neighbours require all cells to be described.A set of diagonals would be more than enough.
Still, the puzzles are great!
And,the answer key for masyu should have been a little more clear ,like "lengths of all horizonta segments in the order they appear"

How clear does the Masyu need to be? We've been pretty harsh on improving these this week, but surely specifying that the answers need to be put in the correct order of appearing is pushing it a bit. Common sense would indicate this one and anyway, the example in the booklet would confirm it.

Well, apparently it wasn't clear enough for me. I counted the number of horizontal segments in the marked rows And to add insult to injury, a counting error in the UKPA Fences puzzle caused another red answer. So I can completely concur with anurag, the answer keys for both puzzles are really disastrous.

Otherwise, I enjoyed this championship very much. Thanks to all involved!

[alberto]

Hi Alan, great set, great fun.
But why the system gives me wrong puzzles 2 and 12?
(OK, number 6 too, I forgot the column...

Alberto