Friday Puzzle #36 - 2010 Masyu
Coming in a tie for first (but reaching first second) in my poll was Masyu, so by popular acclaim I bring you a 2010 Masyu. Masyu just happens to be the topic of the current GAMES Magazine PuzzleCraft article (April 2010) if you want to see some more themed Masyu I've written and read about how to construct them.
As I mentioned last week, GLMathGrant had already posted a 2010 Masyu on the first of the year (when MellowMelon and I were posting Slitherlinks of various sorts) so I wanted to explore the theme a bit differently from the black and white 2010 in the center of the grid idea. My first concept for the puzzle was to try and finally make a grid whose solution revealed the theme. In other words, even though you'd expect a 2010 in the grid somewhere, you'd see nothing in the white/black circles until you solve the puzzle and somehow the loop is like a set of tubes that form a neon light sign for 2010. But this was too hard (in Masyu) to accomplish, as getting large, convincingly number-shaped loop segments is not trivial while leaving a good puzzle. I'll attempt this somewhere down the line where it can appropriately dazzle.
Instead, I started with some white only and black only 2010 theme entries. I selected different, but appropriate, fonts and sizes for the white and black patterns. I particularly like two-apart repeating black patterns, which pop up all over the place with the black 2010, since making a connection in any of these circles tends to instantly inform other connections down the chain. I discovered I needed a single white circle to black circle change in the upper-right to get a valid corner, but otherwise accomplished the theme pretty well I think.
The puzzle has some fairly difficult bits, and at least one really cool discovery in a spot that I really need to set up again and again in another Masyu (juno-style) as its a fun kind of deduction I've never seen before in a Masyu. Anyway, celebrate the year 2010 again with this challenge.
Rules: See here.
(View image directly for a larger version)
As I mentioned last week, GLMathGrant had already posted a 2010 Masyu on the first of the year (when MellowMelon and I were posting Slitherlinks of various sorts) so I wanted to explore the theme a bit differently from the black and white 2010 in the center of the grid idea. My first concept for the puzzle was to try and finally make a grid whose solution revealed the theme. In other words, even though you'd expect a 2010 in the grid somewhere, you'd see nothing in the white/black circles until you solve the puzzle and somehow the loop is like a set of tubes that form a neon light sign for 2010. But this was too hard (in Masyu) to accomplish, as getting large, convincingly number-shaped loop segments is not trivial while leaving a good puzzle. I'll attempt this somewhere down the line where it can appropriately dazzle.
Instead, I started with some white only and black only 2010 theme entries. I selected different, but appropriate, fonts and sizes for the white and black patterns. I particularly like two-apart repeating black patterns, which pop up all over the place with the black 2010, since making a connection in any of these circles tends to instantly inform other connections down the chain. I discovered I needed a single white circle to black circle change in the upper-right to get a valid corner, but otherwise accomplished the theme pretty well I think.
The puzzle has some fairly difficult bits, and at least one really cool discovery in a spot that I really need to set up again and again in another Masyu (juno-style) as its a fun kind of deduction I've never seen before in a Masyu. Anyway, celebrate the year 2010 again with this challenge.
Rules: See here.
(View image directly for a larger version)