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From: ebert@parc.xerox.com (Robert Ebert)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
Subject: Re: 3 in three clue? (CLUE, SEMI-SPOILER)
Message-ID: <1991Feb13.015916.21973@parc.xerox.com>
Date: 13 Feb 91 01:59:16 GMT
References: <24220@neptune.inf.ethz.ch> <Ebh5FuG00WBKM1cW8S@andrew.cmu.edu> <11032@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU>
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In article <11032@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU> gousha@cory.Berkeley.EDUIn article <Ebh5FuG00WBKM1cW8S@andrew.cmu.edu> hm0i+@andrew.cmu.edu (H. Scott Matthews) writes: writes:
>>    I'm having a few problems with the "Outside In" puzzle.  Actually,
>>I'm having a lot of problems because I can't solve it!
>
>This is a tricky one.  One of the keys is that ALL of the windows have
>to be closed, including the ones along the outside edge.  Notice that 
>there are twelve inside windows, and twelve ouside windows.
>Beyond that, there's no real advice.

Well, also observe that each inside window affects ONLY ONE outside window,
and also only one transition of each inside window (open->closed, closed->open)
changes the state of the outside window.  This means that you have to click
on each inside window EXACTLY ONCE, and that there are additional constraints
on when you can click on the inside window.

Even after observing this, I couldn't come up with a solution, so I wrote a 
computer program to simulate the doors and hack out all the solutions.  It
turns out there are something like 65000 (!) sequences that will solve this
puzzle.  (Out of something like 250,000,000 possible sequences...).

Before spending the time to write the computer program, I tried a methodical
search of the path space, taking doors as close to the 1st (upper left) as
possible each time.  It turned out I got within two 'attempts' of the solution
before I gave up and wrote the computer program.

In any case, this puzzle *is* solvable.  To save you the trouble of coming
up with your own program, though, I'll post mine.  You probably don't need
to run it, but just in case.  Also included here is the program I wrote to
solve the second round of the "safety in numbers" puzzle.  (For some reason,
I had a really tough time with that one.)  Note that /usr/dict/words (on SunOS)
wasn't nearly complete enough to solve all of these.  People who want my
larger word list are welcome to mail me.

			--Bob

P.S.  Hmm, I seem to have left the OutsideIn program at home.  (It's a Think C
program)  Here's the SafetyInNumbers part-2 program...  I'll post the OutsideIn program later tonight.

#include <stdio.h>

char table[9][3] = {
        {'a','j','s'},
        {'b','k','t'},
        {'c','l','u'},
        {'d','m','v'},
        {'e','n','w'},
        {'f','o','x'},
        {'g','p','y'},
        {'h','q','z'},
        {'i','r','r'}};

int clues[9][11] = {
        {1,5,1,3,7,2,9,3,1,3,0},
        {1,5,9,4,9,3,5,0,0,0,0},
        {1,3,6,5,5,0,0,0,0,0,0},
        {9,5,4,5,1,2,0,0,0,0,0},
        {1,9,2,9,1,2,9,3,0,0,0},
        {4,9,4,9,5,5,0,0,0,0,0},
        {3,5,9,6,7,0,0,0,0,0,0},
        {5,6,7,3,6,9,2,0,0,0,0},
        {6,5,3,3,6,5,1,8,9,7,0}};

char solution[11];
char word[256];
FILE *dict;


void
match (clue, level)
        int clue;
        int level;
{
        int i, m;

        if (clues[clue][level] == 0)
        {
                solution[level] = '\0';
                if (strcmp(word, solution) == 0) 
                        printf("%s\n",solution);
                return;
        };
        for (i=0; i<3; i++)
        {
                solution[level] = table[ clues[clue][level]-1 ][i];
                while ((m = strncmp(word, solution, level+1)) < 0)
                        fscanf(dict, "%s\n",word);
                if (m == 0)
                        match(clue, level+1);
        };
};


int 
main(argc, argv)
        int argc;
        char *argv[];
{
        int i;

        dict = fopen("/usr/dict/words","r");
        for (i=0; i < 9; i++)
        {
                fscanf(dict, "%s\n", word);
                match(i,0);
                printf("---------------\n");
                rewind(dict);
        };
        fclose(dict);
};

  You *could* map out what each
>and every window does, but it gets tiring and too analytical very quickly.
>Probably the best idea is just to poke away at it for an hour or two
>(like I did), and hope memory serves you right and gets you lucky.
>
>>    Also, I can't seem to grasp the "this,that,and the other" puzzle...
>
>This one slips my memory.  If you could give a basic description, I could
>probably give you some pointers on it.
>
>>    Anybody with clues would be thanked dearly....
>
>Always glad to help.
>
>>thanks,
>>H. Scott Matthews     | Carnegie Mellon University |
>
>By the way, I there are any of you out there who haven't purchased
>3 in Three, and liked The Fool's Errand, GET IT!  It is definiely the
>greatest and most entertaining puzzle game since the Fool showed his
>face.  Just as many puzzles, a unifying storyline, and in GLORIOUS
>256 COLORS! for those that support it.  There is a demo version
>available from Miles Computing (I have a copy), and does make for
>some good, solid hours of fun puzzle solving.
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Charles Gousha                 |    "Yes, Star Trek IS a way of life"
>gousha@cory.berkeley.edu       |               (my own philosophy)
>All normal disclaimers apply, as well as some abnormal ones.