Wikipedia wrote:The knight's tour is a mathematical problem involving a knight on a chessboard. The knight is placed on the empty board and, moving according to the rules of chess, must visit each square exactly once. A knight's tour is called a closed tour if the knight ends on a square attacking the square from which it began (so that it may tour the board again immediately with the same path). Otherwise the tour is open. Variations of the knight's tour problem involve chessboards of different sizes, as well as irregular (non-rectangular) boards.
The variations can also be extended to include other well known chess & Fairy chess pieces.
In this thread there will be puzzles based on these tours which can be solved by knowing some of the visited squares on the tour.
There should be some knowledge about the chess piece movement in order to solve the puzzles.
terms you may encounter:
nxn: size of the rectangular chessboard, a regular chessboard is 8x8
Hexagon n: The number of hexagonal tiles that constitute the Hexagonal chess board. Currently Hexagon37, Hexagon61, Hexagon91 and Hexagon127 are supported
Tour: all spaces on the board must be visited once starting at space 1. the last visited space has an ordinal equal to the total number of spaces/tiles on the board.
Closed: The 1st space Must be one move away from the last space
Open: The 1st space can be of any distance away from the last space
Obstacle: Each visited space at the end of a move will form an obstacle in the path of future moves
Wazir: A Fairy chess piece that moves exactly 1 space to an adjacent space that shares a common side. On a rectangular board this move is always orthogonal.
Hidato: An open king's tour puzzle where the 1st & last spaces are known at the start.
Numbrix: An open Wazir's tour
Toroidal: On a rectangular Board, the Board top/bottom & Rt/Left edges are attached this wraps the board to make a toroid (doughnut/halo like) structure.
Leaper: A (fairy) chess piece that moves by a single Leap (jump) from one position to another in an (m,n) vector. On a rectangular board, one of the coordinate of the vector 'start space - arrival space' must have an absolute value equal to m and the other one an absolute value equal to n. From trigonometry: The leaper's Jump distance would be equal to Sqr (m^2 + n^2). A Wazir is a leaper that jumps 1 space orthogonally, you may describe the leap as a (0,1) leap. A Ferz leaps 1 space diagonally, a (1,1) leaper while the Knight is (1,2) leaper with an L shape jump ending at a space that is (Root 5) away. You may have also combination leapers that can do a variety of jumps like the King which is a (0,1) or (1,1) leaper.
Rider: A (fairy) chess piece that moves by any number of identical jumps. A Rider's extended range of movement is in reference to a leaper's movement (see above). A Bishop is a Ferz Rider, the Rook is a Wazir Rider and the Queen is a King Rider. A rider in a single move between 2 spaces may pass through several unoccupied squares. In a rider's tour: The space where the move ends is considered as the next part of the tour and therefore has the next ordinal after the square at the start of the move.
Stepper: A chess piece that moves without jumping to its destination one space at at time in a predefined fixed sequence.
It requires an unoccupied pass-through space between start and finish. the Mao is a known chess piece that moves similar to the knight.
It moves one step orthogonally followed by one step diagonally (in that sequence only)
Hopper: A chess piece that moves to destination only by jumping over an obstacle (Hopping) to the unoccupied space immediately after it.
If there are no obstacles in the possible path then the piece can't make that move.
Orthogonally adjacent spaces share a side in common, and diagonally neighbouring spaces are connected at a corner and share no sides in common.
Diagonally neighbouring spaces share a common corner. Diagonally neighbouring hexagons share no corners in common but are connected
by a line that touches a corner of each space
Colourbound piece: This means its movement is limited to spaces of only one colour on a suitably checkered regular chessboard.
The Ferz, Al-Fil and the Bishop are examples of colour bound chess pieces.
Blocked spaces: These are pre-defined board spaces that are blocked with obstacles. Theses would prevent the movement of some chess pieces. On the other hand, Hoppers may not be able to move without them. They would appear as the symbol X but occasionally depending on the theme of the puzzle, they could be a jar, rocky shore or even an acorn
Symbols used in this thread:
Links:
http://forum.enjoysudoku.com/hidato-t6404.html : Here evert (dyitto) & udosuk discussed several solving techniques for Hidato which can be used in other variations.
http://www.scrybqj.com/downloads/hidatordownload/ : dyitto's excellent solver generator, covers open Wazir/King/Knight puzzles with several solving techniques
http://forum.enjoysudoku.com/queen-s-tour-hidato-variant-t30307.html : Here dyitto demonstrates a Queen's tour with obstacles puzzle
https://www.chessvariants.com/: Contains a glossary of terms and chess pieces. Many of the terms are quoted from here.
The following is how the original thread started.
I have been made aware of the Numbrix puzzle which is an open Wazir's tour (orthogonal 1 square move) on a 9x9 grid
The Hidato puzzle is a King's tour (Any neighbouring 1 square move) on a variety of grids.
These 8x8 (Chess board) puzzles have been verified to be minimal and to have a unique solution by my solver, I couldn't find an independent solver to verify this.
here is a sample open King's tour puzzle & solution
- Code: Select all
22 21 00 00 27 00 63 00
00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00
38 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 11 00 00 00 00
49 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 13 58 00
45 00 00 00 00 33 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
22 21 25 26 27 03 63 64
23 24 20 01 02 28 04 62
38 09 10 19 18 05 29 61
39 37 08 11 06 17 30 60
49 40 36 07 12 31 16 59
48 50 41 35 32 13 58 15
45 47 51 42 34 33 14 57
46 44 43 52 53 54 55 56
Here are some open King's tour puzzle puzzles of untested difficulty
- Code: Select all
18 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 01 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 40 00 00 00
47 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
50 00 00 00 00 00 07 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 11 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 12 00
57 00 00 00 34 00 00 30
00 00 61 00 00 00 00 27
39 00 00 00 00 00 28 00
00 00 00 00 00 07 04 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 14 33 00 09
49 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 12 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 45 00 00 00
00 00 30 00 00 00 00 64
00 00 00 04 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 07 13
01 00 26 00 00 00 08 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 37 00 00 00 10 00
42 00 00 00 00 00 00 21
00 00 00 39 00 00 00 00
63 00 00 22 00 06 00 30
00 00 09 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
11 00 00 01 44 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
52 00 00 00 00 38 00 00
00 00 00 00 15 00 00 00
55 00 00 20 00 00 00 39
00 17 00 00 00 00 00 24
00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 26 00
50 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 13 00 00 00 00 00 06
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 64
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 51 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 08 00
14 00 00 00 00 00 00 24
00 40 00 00 10 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 02 00
00 00 19 00 00 01 00 34
00 18 09 10 00 00 13 28
00 00 00 00 11 12 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 01 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 49
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 44 04 51 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
64 00 00 42 00 00 00 00
00 22 00 00 00 16 30 00
00 00 00 00 10 00 28 00
01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 03 00 37 00 00 00
43 00 00 00 49 00 00 52
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 19 00 26 00 00 63
00 00 00 00 00 07 05 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 02 00
43 00 00 00 00 00 34 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 39 52 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
29 00 00 44 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
61 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 49 00 00
00 00 00 03 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 13 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 21 00 36 00
00 00 06 07 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 12 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 07 00 00 00 54 00
00 03 00 00 00 00 38 00
00 00 00 35 25 00 00 00
17 00 00 00 00 00 00 46
32 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 28 00 00 00 00 00
22 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
57 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 48 06 00 00 00 00
40 00 00 00 00 17 00 29
00 00 51 00 00 00 01 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
63 00 19 00 00 00 00 09
00 00 00 21 00 03 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 40 07 00
00 00 00 58 00 00 00 00
00 28 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 46 00 00 00 00
00 31 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 51 00 00 27 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 12 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 43 00 00 00 03 00
41 00 00 00 00 00 00 17
40 00 00 00 34 00 00 08
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 64
00 00 00 00 20 00 00 00
63 00 00 00 08 00 56 00
00 00 00 00 00 15 00 00
00 00 12 00 00 00 00 00
00 01 02 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 30 00 00 00 34
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 22 41 00 00 37
25 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 22 00 48 00 00
00 63 00 00 00 00 00 00
58 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
59 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 33 00
00 09 00 06 00 00 29 00
41 00 00 00 00 14 31 00
00 53 00 00 44 45 26 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
50 00 00 00 30 00 05 00
00 00 00 00 00 15 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 03
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 17
64 00 00 00 35 01 00 00
19 00 00 00 36 00 42 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 39
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 14 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 26 12 00
53 00 00 00 10 00 64 00
00 00 00 01 00 26 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 31 00
21 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
56 00 00 00 00 11 00 00
00 00 00 00 41 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 36
49 00 00 00 08 00 00 00
16 00 00 38 00 45 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 23 13 00 00 00 55
00 24 00 00 00 00 00 00
05 00 00 00 00 00 00 61
00 00 00 51 00 00 00 00
30 00 00 00 00 00 63 00
00 00 00 00 44 00 41 00
30 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 27 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 10 00 00 00 00
20 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
02 01 00 00 07 12 00 54
00 00 00 00 06 00 00 00
19 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 36 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
57 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 01 00 46 00 12 00 27
51 00 00 00 00 00 28 00
00 00 00 00 00 44 30 00
00 00 00 57 00 21 00 13
01 00 00 00 00 00 00 64
52 00 00 00 00 00 11 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 04 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 37 00 00 40
00 32 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 49 53 52 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 12 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 04 00 00 01
10 00 00 00 00 00 60 00
17 00 00 06 00 00 00 00
00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 40 00 00 00 36
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
48 00 00 00 00 00 00 37
49 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
46 00 00 00 17 00 00 34
00 44 00 00 26 00 00 00
05 00 00 00 11 00 00 14
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 23 00 00 00 00 00 00
48 00 61 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 39
23 00 01 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 57 00
27 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
28 00 00 00 00 00 05 00
00 00 00 00 12 00 00 15
21 00 00 03 34 00 00 00
00 06 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 28 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 14
00 00 00 00 00 50 00 00
00 00 00 00 11 00 00 00
63 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 05 00 00 56 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
03 18 00 00 00 00 62 00
00 00 00 39 00 00 53 00
00 09 00 00 00 00 00 00
30 00 00 00 12 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 45 00
00 26 00 00 00 43 00 00
00 00 00 00 12 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
30 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 06 00 00 00 00 00 15
07 36 00 00 00 00 00 00
01 00 00 00 00 00 55 57
00 00 00 52 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
20 00 00 00 00 33 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 02 00 00
00 00 07 00 00 00 00 00
09 08 00 00 00 00 00 40
00 00 00 00 45 43 00 00
25 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 12 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 33 00 00 21 00 63
00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 58 00
00 00 29 27 00 11 57 00
00 00 40 00 00 00 56 00
00 00 00 00 48 01 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 52 00
00 00 00 16 00 00 53 57
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 04 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
20 00 00 00 35 00 00 00
10 00 00 38 00 00 00 44
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
35 00 00 00 57 00 00 17
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
63 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 06 00 00 00 00 00 14
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
24 00 00 10 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 46
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 45 46 00 42 00 00 22
00 00 00 00 03 00 00 21
50 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
37 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 12 00 06
34 00 00 00 00 00 61 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 29 00 00 00 09 00 00
Enjoy,
Tarek
[Edit1: The title was modified to reflect that Numbrix is an open Wair's tour]
[Edit2: Corrected a small mix-up]
[Edit3: Added relationship with Hidato]
[Edit4: Removed Extra row from one of the puzzles]
[Edit5: Added an intro]
[EDIT6: Updated broken links & added the Leaper, Rider terms]
[EDIT7: Added the symbols chart]
[EDIT8: Updated the symbols chart & the "Leaper" definition]
[EDIT9: Updated the symbols chart & added new terms]