Back to results
US 9,649,552 B2Granted
System and method for generating and using solvable puzzle forms
AssigneeTMGCL IP Holdings Limited
InventorsShohreh Blank, Manoochehr Azmoodeh, Nathan Frederick Alamo-Pritchard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for solving and generating a mathematical puzzle are presented. A puzzle may comprise areas comprising mystery number regions, pair clue regions interposing pairs of mystery value numbers, and a central clue region located centrally to the mystery number region. Solving a puzzle may comprise deterministic search methods coupled with heuristic approaches. Puzzle generation may comprise adding conforming clues until a puzzle has only one possible solution, the clues chosen based on heuristics for adding clues while minimizing incremental change in puzzle difficulty; or reducing the number of solutions/partial solutions to the puzzle.
Claims58
A computer-implemented method for solving a puzzle, the method comprising:
- identifying, by the computer, a plurality of clues associated with a plurality of clue regions within first areas of a mathematical puzzle and a plurality of mystery number regions within second areas of the mathematical puzzle, wherein the first areas of the mathematical puzzle and the second areas of the mathematical puzzle are in separate locations, wherein the plurality of clue regions include either a pair clue region interposed between a pair of mystery number regions, a central clue region surrounded by three or more mystery number regions, or both the pair clue region and the central clue region, wherein each of the mystery number regions corresponds to a mystery number value with no limitation on an amount of times a single mystery number value between 1-R appears in the mathematical puzzle when the mathematical puzzle is solved except that a same pair of mystery number values corresponding to the pair of mystery number regions interposing any pair clue region can only appear once in the mathematical puzzle unless the pairs of mystery number regions interposing three or more pair clue regions also form the three or more mystery number regions surrounding a single central clue, in which case the same mystery number value is utilized for all mystery number regions among the pairs of mystery number regions, wherein R is a whole number within a range of whole number values, and wherein the mathematical puzzle can only have one solution when each mystery number value associated with each mystery number region among the plurality of mystery numbers regions are solved;
- selecting, by the computer, a first clue region from the plurality of clues regions based at least in part on the clue region being associated with a pair of mystery number regions having a least number of potential number values;
- and
- assigning, by the computer, a pair of candidate number values to the pair of mystery number regions associated with the first clue region;
- determining, by the computer, if the mathematical puzzle can be solved based on the assigned pair of candidate number values;
- and
- assigning candidate number values to a series of additional clue regions among the plurality of clue regions until the mathematical puzzle has been solved.
4 more elements
A system for generating puzzles, the system comprising:
- a computing device comprising one or more processors communicatively coupled to one or more memories and a storage device, the computing device configured at least to:
- receive information indicative of a mathematical puzzle configuration;
- generate a puzzle layout conforming to the information indicative of the puzzle configuration, the puzzle layout including first areas of the puzzle including a plurality of clue regions and second areas of the puzzle including a plurality of mystery number regions, wherein the first areas of the puzzle and the second areas of the puzzle are in separate locations, wherein the plurality of clue regions include either a pair clue region interposed between a pair of mystery number regions, a central clue region surrounded by three or more mystery number regions, or both the pair clue region and the central clue region, wherein each of the mystery number regions corresponds to a mystery number value with no limitation on an amount of times a single mystery number value between 1-R appears in the puzzle when the puzzle is solved except that a same pair of mystery number values corresponding to the pair of mystery number regions interposing any pair clue region can only appear once in the puzzle unless the pairs of mystery number regions interposing three or more pair clue regions also form the three or more mystery number regions surrounding a single central clue, in which case the same mystery number value is utilized for all mystery number regions among the pairs of mystery number regions, wherein R is a whole number within a range of whole number values, wherein the puzzle can only have one solution when each mystery number value associated with each mystery number region among the plurality of mystery numbers regions are solved, wherein the pair clue region corresponds to a pair plus clue representing an arithmetic sum of mystery number values of the mystery number regions interposing the pair clue region or a pair times clue representing an arithmetic product of mystery number values of the mystery number regions interposing the pair clue region, wherein the central clue region corresponds to a central times clue representing an arithmetic product of mystery number values of the mystery number regions surrounding the central clue region or a central plus clue representing an arithmetic sum of mystery number values of the mystery number regions surrounding the central clue regions, and wherein the puzzle layout is initially devoid of pair plus clues, pair times clues, central plus clues, central times clues, and mystery number values;
- generate a set of hidden number values, each hidden number value associated with a mystery number region in the puzzle layout;
- while the puzzle has more than one possible solution, add one or more pair plus clues, pair times clues, central plus clues, or central times clues to one or more selected pair clue regions to create a partial puzzle layout, the one or more pair plus clues, pair times clues, central plus clues, or central times clues conforming to the set of hidden number values;
- for each pair plus clue, pair times clue, central plus clue, or central times clue added to the partial puzzle layout, attempt to solve the puzzle to determine if the puzzle has only one solution;
- and
- store a representation of at least the partial puzzle layout on the storage device.
5 more elements
A system for generating puzzles, the system comprising:
- a computing device comprising one or more processors communicatively coupled to one or more memories and a storage device, the computing device configured at least to:
- receive information indicative of a mathematical puzzle configuration;
- generate a puzzle layout conforming to the information indicative of the puzzle configuration, the puzzle layout including first areas of the puzzle including a plurality of clue regions and second areas of the puzzle including a plurality of mystery number regions, wherein the first areas of the puzzle and the second areas of the puzzle are in separate locations, wherein the plurality of clue regions include either a pair clue region interposed between a pair of mystery number regions, a central clue region surrounded by three or more mystery number regions, or both the pair clue region and the central clue region, wherein each of the mystery number regions corresponds to a mystery number value with no limitation on an amount of times a single mystery number value between 1-R appears in the puzzle when the puzzle is solved except that a same pair of mystery number values corresponding to the pair of mystery number regions interposing any pair clue region can only appear once in the puzzle unless the pairs of mystery number regions interposing three or more pair clue regions also form the three or more mystery number regions surrounding a single central clue, in which case the same mystery number value is utilized for all mystery number regions among the pairs of mystery number regions, wherein R is a whole number within a range of whole number values, wherein the puzzle can only have one solution when each mystery number value associated with each mystery number region among the plurality of mystery numbers regions are solved, wherein the pair clue region corresponds to a pair plus clue representing an arithmetic sum of mystery number values of the mystery number regions interposing the pair clue region or a pair times clue representing an arithmetic product of mystery number values of the mystery number regions interposing the pair clue region, wherein the central clue region corresponds to a central plus clue representing an arithmetic sum of mystery number values of the mystery number regions surrounding the central clue region or a central times clue representing an arithmetic product of mystery number values of the mystery number regions surrounding the central clue region, and wherein the puzzle layout is initially devoid of pair plus clues, pair times clues, central plus clues, central times clues, and mystery number values;
- generate a set of hidden number values, each hidden number value associated with a mystery number region in the puzzle layout;
- while the puzzle has more than one possible solution, add one or more central times clues to one or more selected central clue regions to create a partial puzzle layout, the one or more central times clues based at least in part on one or more hidden values of the set of hidden values, or add one or more pair plus clues to one or more pair clue regions to further create the partial puzzle layout, the one or more pair plus clues based at least in part on one or more hidden values of the set of hidden values, or add both one or more central times clues and one or more pair plus clues to create the partial puzzle layout;
- for each pair plus clue added to the partial puzzle layout, or for each central times clue added to the partial puzzle layout, or for each pair plus clue and central times clue added to the partial puzzle layout, attempt to solve the puzzle to determine if the puzzle has only one solution;
- and
- store a representation of at least the partial puzzle layout on the storage device.
5 more elements
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon information indicative of a puzzle, the information indicative of a puzzle generated by a method comprising:
- receiving information indicative of a mathematical puzzle configuration;
- generating a puzzle layout conforming to the information indicative of the puzzle configuration, the puzzle layout first areas of the puzzle including a plurality of clue regions and second areas of the puzzle including a plurality of mystery number regions, wherein the first areas of the puzzle and the second areas of the puzzle are in separate locations, wherein the plurality of clue regions include either a pair clue region interposed between a pair of mystery number regions, a central clue region surrounded by three or more mystery number regions, or both the pair clue region and the central clue region, wherein each of the mystery number regions corresponds to a mystery number value with no limitation on an amount of times a single mystery number value between 1-R appears in the puzzle when the puzzle is solved except that a same pair of mystery number values corresponding to the pair of mystery number regions interposing any pair clue region can only appear once in the puzzle unless the pairs of mystery number regions interposing three or more pair clue regions also form the three or more mystery number regions surrounding a single central clue, in which case the same mystery number value is utilized for all mystery number regions among the pairs of mystery number regions, wherein R is a whole number within a range of whole number values, wherein the puzzle can only have one solution when each mystery number value associated with each mystery number region among the plurality of mystery numbers regions are solved, wherein the pair clue region corresponds to a pair plus clue representing an arithmetic sum of mystery number values of the mystery number regions interposing the pair clue region or a pair times clue representing an arithmetic product of mystery number values of the mystery number regions interposing the pair clue region, wherein the central clue region corresponds to a central plus clue representing an arithmetic sum of mystery number values of the mystery number regions surrounding the central clue region or a central times clue representing an arithmetic product of mystery number values of the mystery number regions surrounding the central clue region, and wherein the puzzle layout is initially devoid of pair plus clues, pair times clues, central plus clues, central times clues, and mystery number values;
- associating a mystery number value with each mystery number region in the puzzle layout;
- adding, while the puzzle has more than one possible solution, one or more pair plus clues or pair times clues to one or more selected pair clue regions to create the puzzle layout, the one or more pair plus clues or pair times clues conforming to the mystery number values associated with the mystery number regions in the puzzle layout;
- for each pair plus clue or pair times clues added to the puzzle layout, attempting to solve the puzzle to determine if the puzzle layout has only one solution;
- repeating adding and attempting to solve the puzzle until the puzzle layout has only one solution;
- and
- storing a representation of the puzzle layout having only one solution on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.
5 more elements
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, upon execution by a computing device, cause the computing device at least to:
- receive information indicative of a mathematical puzzle configuration for generating a puzzle layout, the puzzle layout including first areas of the puzzle including a plurality of clue regions and second areas of the puzzle including a plurality of mystery number regions, wherein the first areas of the puzzle and the second areas of the puzzle are in separate locations, wherein the plurality of clue regions include either a pair clue region interposed between a pair of mystery number regions, a central clue region surrounded by three or more mystery number regions, or both the pair clue region and the central clue region, wherein each of the mystery number regions corresponds to a mystery number value with no limitation on an amount of times a single mystery number value between 1-R appears in the puzzle when the puzzle is solved except that a same pair of mystery number values corresponding to the pair of mystery number regions interposing any pair clue region can only appear once in the puzzle unless the pairs of mystery number regions interposing three or more pair clue regions also form the three or more mystery number regions surrounding a single central clue, in which case the same mystery number value is utilized for all mystery number regions among the pairs of mystery number regions, wherein R is a whole number within a range of whole number values, wherein the puzzle can only have one solution when each mystery number value associated with each mystery number region among the plurality of mystery numbers regions are solved, wherein the pair clue region corresponds to a pair plus clue representing an arithmetic sum of mystery number values of the mystery number regions interposing the pair clue region or a pair times clue representing an arithmetic product of mystery number values of the mystery number regions interposing the pair clue region, wherein the central clue region corresponds to a central plus clue representing an arithmetic sum of mystery number values of the mystery number regions surrounding the central clue region or a central times clue representing an arithmetic product of mystery number values of the mystery number regions surrounding the central clue region, and wherein the puzzle layout is initially devoid of pair plus clues, pair times clues, central plus clues, central times clues, and mystery number values, the information indicative of a puzzle configuration comprising information indicative of a desired number of pair plus clues or pair times clues;
- generate the puzzle layout conforming to the information indicative of the puzzle configuration;
- perform a set of operations that cause the computing device at least to add a plurality of pair plus clues or pair times clues to the puzzle layout, wherein a number of pair plus clues or pair times clues added is based at least in part on the information indicative of a desired number of pair plus clues or pair times clues;
- attempt to solve the puzzle to determine if the puzzle only has one solution;
- and
- perform the set of operations again upon determining that there is more than one possible solution for the puzzle layout until the puzzle layout has only one solution.
3 more elements
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, upon executing by a computing device, cause the computing device to:
- generate a graphical user interface on a display of the computing device, the graphical user interface comprising a mathematical puzzle layout including first areas of the puzzle layout having a plurality of clue regions and second areas of the puzzle layout having a plurality of mystery number regions, wherein the first areas of the puzzle layout and the second areas of the puzzle layout are in separate locations, wherein the plurality of clue regions include a pair clue region interposed between a pair of mystery number regions, wherein each of the mystery number regions corresponds to a mystery number value with no limitation on an amount of times a single mystery number value between 1-R appears in the puzzle layout when the puzzle layout is solved except that a same pair of mystery number values corresponding to the pair of mystery number regions interposing any pair clue region can only appear once in the puzzle layout, wherein R is a whole number within a range of whole number values, wherein the puzzle layout can only have one solution when each mystery number value associated with each mystery number region among the plurality of mystery numbers regions are solved, wherein the pair clue region corresponds to a pair plus clue representing an arithmetic sum of mystery number values of the mystery number regions interposing the pair clue region or a pair times clue representing an arithmetic product of mystery number values of the mystery number regions interposing the pair clue region, and wherein the puzzle layout is initially devoid of pair plus clues, pair times clues, and mystery number values,
- receive missing mystery number values from a user via the graphical user interface based on the pair plus clues or the pair times clues.
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed on a system, cause the system to at least:
- cause generation of a graphical user interface operative to display an interactive mathematical puzzle having only one solution, the interactive puzzle including first areas of the puzzle having a plurality of clue regions and second areas of the puzzle having a plurality of mystery number regions, wherein the first areas of the puzzle and the second areas of the puzzle are in separate locations, wherein the plurality of clue regions include a pair clue region interposed between a pair of mystery number regions, wherein each of the mystery number regions corresponds to a mystery number value with no limitation on an amount of times a single mystery number value between 1-R appears in the puzzle when the puzzle is solved except that a same pair of mystery number values corresponding to the pair of mystery number regions interposing any pair clue region can only appear once in the puzzle, wherein R is a whole number within a range of whole number values, wherein the puzzle can only have one solution when each mystery number value associated with each mystery number region among the plurality of mystery numbers regions are solved, wherein the pair clue region corresponds to a pair plus clue representing an arithmetic sum of mystery number values of the mystery number regions interposing the pair clue region or a pair times clue representing an arithmetic product of mystery number values of the mystery number regions interposing the pair clue region, and wherein the puzzle layout is initially devoid of pair plus clues, pair times clues, and mystery number values;
- reveal at least one pair plus clue or one pair times clue within at least one pair clue region among the plurality of pair clue regions;
- enable a user to enter an integer value in place of each mystery number region through a number entry system;
- and
- indicate to the user whether the integer value entered by the user in each of the mystery number regions is correct.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.