h3 Puzzles

Watch Towers 9 [2.8]

2007-12-29T23:59:00.000-05:00

A quick Watch Towers puzzle just to prove I'm not on hiatus.

Unsolved

This puzzle has not yet been solved.

Dominos 3 (variation) [4.0]

2007-11-27T00:18:00.000-05:00

This puzzle has a different shape than the standard 8x7 rectangle.

Solved

There is only one way to place a set of double-6 dominoes to recreate the above pattern, find it by tracing the outlines of where the dominoes would go.

Solved by Ruud.

DotA Killer 5 [6.5]

2007-11-25T18:03:00.000-05:00

Barathrum, the Spiritbreaker

Unsolved

There are no diagonal restraints, unlike the last 4 DotA Killers.

Abilities:

Greater Bash (GB)
With each hit, the Spiritbreaker has a 1 in 6 chance of significantly knocking the enemy back. He has pulled this off on all of the cells with grey backgrounds (the center cell of each nonet), knocking their numbers into different cells. The grey cells form an extra group and the number in each appears once and only once a knight's move away.

Charge of Darkness (CD)
The Spiritbreaker charges toward an enemy, increasing speed and becoming more invisible as he moves. He does this here 5 times, starting from the cells with blue backgrounds and charging the exact distance given in the blue numbers. One and only one cell the given distance away represents the end of his charge. Note that the cell at R2C1 cannot be the end of the charge started at R4C3 because the exact distance between these is 2*sqrt[2]. Also note that the distances aren't all necessarily straight. The distance of 5 for example can be a difference of 3 rows and 4 columns. The cell at the end of each charge is equal to the number in the cell from which the charge originated plus the distance (in cells). There is only one cell (the end of the charge) the given distance away that equals this sum. There are no other cells x distance away from any of the blue cells equal to the number in the blue cell plus x, where x is any integer. For example, since 1 is not given in any of the blue cells, none of their neighbors can be 1 more than the blue cells. Also, since 3 is also not given in any blue cells, there are no cells with a distance of 3 away from any blue cell equal to that blue cell + 3.

Empowering Haste (EH)
The Spiritbreaker increases his movement speed and the speed of all allies near him. In this particular game, all of his allies have picked agility heroes faster than him already, so The value in each blue cell is less than that of all orthagonally and diagonally adjacent cells.

Nether Strike (NS)
When the Spiritbreaker uses this, his ultimate ability, he disappears, only to reappear seconds later behind an enemy, delivering a powerful blow that knocks him back, usually placing you between the enemy and his base. From one of the cells in which he initiated a charge (with the blue backgrounds), he has executed this move immediately after he got lucky with Greater Bash. Hence, one of the blue cells is one knight's move away from a Greater Bashed cell (not the one with the grey background). Since this combo has done so much damage, the value of all 3 of these cells is 1. The rest of the puzzle, besides Greater Bash and Nether Strike, is anti-knight. In other words, a sequence of two knight's moves will bring one blue cell to a grey cell. The blue cell and grey cell and the intermediate cell are all 1.

This puzzle has not yet been solved.

Dominos 2 [3.4]

2007-11-16T20:18:00.000-05:00

Applet

Dominos 1 [3.0]

2007-11-14T19:31:00.000-05:00

Applet

Rules:
Trace outlines around pairs of numbers so that all "double-6" dominos (00, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 11, 12 ... 66) are represented once and only once.

In other words, outline how you would reconstruct the above grid using a set of dominos.

Watch Towers 8 [4.1]

2007-11-01T00:21:00.000-04:00

15 x 15 is too large.

Solved

Click here for the rules.
Here is a great program by Ruud
Here is the data for that program:

W=15
H=15
T(0,3)=W,S
T(0,4)=E,S
T(0,8)=SE
T(0,12)=E
T(3,0)=E,S,SE
T(3,11)=W,S,SE
T(4,5)=NE,E,SE
T(4,14)=W,S
T(5,1)=E
T(5,10)=SW,S,SE
T(6,6)=SE
T(6,10)=W,S
T(7,0)=NE,SE
T(7,7)=NW,N,NE,W,E,SW,S,SE
T(7,14)=NW,SW
T(9,4)=NW,N,NE
T(9,8)=E
T(9,13)=N
T(10,0)=N,S
T(10,9)=NW,W,SW
T(11,3)=NE
T(12,1)=NE,SE
T(14,2)=NE,E
T(14,10)=NW
T(14,8)=NE

Solved by udosuk.

Watch Towers 6 [3.4]

2007-10-29T00:14:00.001-04:00

New image format!

Solved

Click here for the rules.
The new image format comes from a great program by Ruud that renders puzzles and creates a great solving environment for them.
Here is this puzzle in the program's format:

W=9
H=9
T(1,1)=E,S,SE
T(1,7)=W,SW,S
T(3,3)=SE
T(3,4)=E
T(3,5)=S
T(4,3)=S
T(4,5)=E
T(5,3)=E
T(5,4)=S
T(5,5)=NE
T(7,1)=N,NE,E
T(7,7)=NW,N,W

All you need to do is copy this and paste while in the program window.
This puzzle was actually made after WT7. The name swap was due to an error on my part.

Solved by udosuk.

Watch Towers 7 [3.8]

2007-10-28T23:53:00.000-04:00

Solved

Click here for the rules.

Solved by udosuk.

DotA Killer 4 [5.6]

2007-10-20T22:38:00.000-04:00

Lion, the Demon Witch

Solved

Note that I have a tendency to refer to the group of available numbers (usually 123456789) as a number curve.

The number curve in this puzzle is not 1-9!

Lion, the Demon Witch

Abilities:

Finger of Death
Lion's ultimate ability does an incredible amount of damage to a single target. The cell targeted (R6C8) has an orange background. The number in this cell, as well as that same number in all corresponding cells, has been reduced by 5. This produces a different number curve. For example, if the number would normally be 7, the curve would be 122345689. Cage sums reflect the modified number curve.

Impale
Lion sends a trail of spikes out that evenly damages and stuns all enemies in its path. This has been done in the areas of all the cages, bringing them to their current values. Hence, every number in every cage could be incremented by 1 and still produce a valid cage compatible with the number curve.

Mana Drain
Lion drains the spell points of an enemy, increasing his own. However, he was not able to keep each drain going for long. He did 3 quick drains on 3 different cells a total of 3 times. If x1, x2, and x3 are cells with squares of a certain color and y is the cell with a circle of that same color and max is the maximum value on the number curve:

(max-x1)+(max-x2)+(max-x3)=y

or

3*max-x1-x2-x3=y

Hex
Two heroes can have the same ability, such as this one. Hex is the same as Rhasta's Voodoo ability. The number in the cell with the sheep (R5C6) appears in an adjacent cell. Note that it is not necessarily diagonally adjacent because of the number curve. The number in R5C6 (with the sheep) is in a diagonally or orthagonally adjacent cell.

This puzzle also has groups on the main diagonals.

365|487|421
472|641|385
418|352|647
---+---+---
684|235|714
127|844|536
534|716|248
---+---+---
843|574|162
746|128|453
251|463|874
Solved by JCBonsai

Watch Towers 5 [4.0]

2007-10-13T22:57:00.000-04:00

Solved

Click here for the rules.

Solved by udosuk. Here's his solution image.

Watch Towers - Rules and Example

2007-10-13T02:13:00.001-04:00

Rules and graphic example for Watch Towers.

Watch Towers is a Japanese-style logic puzzle that I invented in which you start with an empty grid with a few cells pointing in various directions, as in this example:

The object is to place numbers (greater than 0) in the tower cells (those with marks in them and yellow backgrounds) so that a black cell can be placed x distance away from each respective tower in each indicated direction.

The placement of black cells is subject to the same restrictions as Heyawake or Hitori puzzles, namely:

1. Black cells cannot touch orthagonally, but they can touch diagonally.

2. All white cells are connected orthagonally to a network, so that one could move from any white cell to another without crossing a black cell or moving diagonally. Tower cells count as white cells.

Additionally:

3. Black cells cannot be placed on tower cells.

4. Only one tower has "spotted" any black cell.

5. Any cell that has not been spotted by a tower is white.

Here is a walkthrough to help you better understand the rules and techniques:

This tower cell cannot be a 1, because black cells cannot touch orthagonally.

It cannot be a 2 either because tower cells cannot be black cells.

It cannot be 4 for the same reason.

The only possible number left is 3.

The tower cell at R4C1 (Row 4, Column 1) must be a 3, because otherwise black cells would be touching or they would be off the grid.

This tower cell cannot be a 2 because the three grey cells would be isolated from the rest of the white cells.

If the tower cell were 4, the same thing would happen and if it were 3, there would be two adjacent black cells, so the only possible number for this cell is 1.

This cell cannot be a 3 because it would result in isolated cells.

It must therefore be 1, finishing the solution.

Hi

Watch Towers 4 (Unspotted) [1.8]

2007-10-12T16:53:00.000-04:00

Unspotted variation

Solved

The rules are the same as normal, but with one small difference.

Instead of Para's suggested rule (unspotted cells are clear), there are 2 black cells which haven't been spotted by a tower.

This puzzle was originally going to be used for a graphic explanation of rules and techniques, but I decided I don't want this variation to be a permanent rule.

Solved by udosuk. This is his solution pic because he has mad Excel skillz and I'm lazy.

Watch Towers V1.1 [3.8]

2007-10-09T00:29:00.000-04:00

I invented this puzzle in late April of this year and just today revisited it with a new rule.

Solved

Here are the current rules:

1. Cells with pointing marks on them (and yellow backgrounds) are watch towers which spot rubble (black cells) in the orthagonal and diagonal directions they are pointing.
2. The tower cells must have a number which indicates the distance of the rubble from the tower in all indicated directions.
3. Two black cells cannot touch orthagonally, but they can diagonally.
4. All white cells (including tower cells) are in an orthagonally connected network. There are no isolated white cells or groups of white cells.
5. All towers aren't necessarily pointing to all rubble at a certain distance. There can be rubble that a tower missed.
6. All cells that have not been spotted by a tower are clear. (Para's suggestion)
7. Only one tower is pointing to any black cell. (new rule)

Here is a graphic example of how to solve this puzzle.

Here is the old version.

First solved by udosuk, whose solution pic identifies which rubble (black) cells correspond to which towers.

DotA Killer 3 [6.2]

2007-10-08T01:24:00.000-04:00

Razor, the Lightning Revenant

Solved

png version

Abilities:

Chain Lightning
Razor casts a bolt of lightning that jumps across multiple targets. Each jump does less damage than the jump before it, so each cell has more remaining value than the one before it. The cells with a lightning symbol and a number are in increasing order with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest (R9C9 < R4C1 < R5C2 < R7C6 < R7C2).

Frenzy
Razor becomes considerably faster, but becomes more vulnerable. When this spell is active, he is able to do 40 hits to the cells with red dots on them. The (complex, meaning digits can repeat) sum of all of the cells with large red dots on them (R1C3,R1C5,R3C4,R4C2,R6C4) is 40.

Unholy Fervor
This passive ability increases Razor's health regeneration. When Razor executed 'Frenzy', he was standing on the cell with the brown square (R4C4). Since he was more vulnerable, he lost a considerable amount of health and healed by retreating to the cells with the green squares (R6C5 and R5C6). He passed each cell, in some order, having gained 2 additional health from when he was in the previous square. One of the cells with the green squares (R6C5 or R5C6) is equal to the value in the red square (R4C4) + 2. The other green square is equal to the red square + 4.

Storm Seeker
Razor's ultimate spell passively strikes enemies with lightning from a storm overhead every few seconds. The cells being struck, which have a light blue background (R2C9,R3C7,R4C2,R6C4,R8C6,R8C8) all have different values.

This puzzle also restrains the two main diagonals (grey lines) to 1-9 exclusive.

This is a very difficult puzzle, and probably not a good one to start a blog with.
If you're unfamiliar with the lingo I've used, RxCy means Row x, Column y.
If unsure about any other puzzle lingo, check out this page.

519|384|726
267|159|384
834|627|519
---+---+---
986|213|475
143|576|298
752|948|163
---+---+---
371|865|942
625|491|837
498|732|651
Solved by Para.

DotA Killer 2 [5.7]

2007-09-27T22:25:00.000-04:00

Yurnero, the Juggernaut

Solved

Abilities:

Healing Ward
The juggernaut can summon a moveable ward that heals nearby allies. Each yellow square represents a waypoint in a healing ward's path. The minimum value for any cell is the number of waypoints (yellow squares) on or adjacent (orthagonally and diagonally) to that cell. For example, the minimum value of R8C5 is 3 and the minimum value of R9C5 is 2.

Blade Fury
Yurnero spins rapidly, slicing through enemies over time. He can move while doing this. The X's on the grid represent waypoints in his path as he uses this ability. This has the opposite effect of the healing ward: The maximum value of any cell is 10 minus the number of waypoints (X's) on or adjacent (orthagonally and diagonally) to that cell. For example, the maximum value for R2C3 is 6 and the maximum value of R2C1 is 8. The color of the X's doesn't matter, the white ones are just easier to see against the red background. Healing and Blade waypoints do not cancel each other; both apply. So that would mean that the possible values for R7C1 are between 3 and 8.

Blade Dance
There is a percent chance (which increases as the spell is leveled up) that each attack will do double damage. The cells with red backgrounds are divisible by two.

Omnislash
The Juggernaut's ultimate spell is very dangerous if you have no allies nearby. He becomes invulnerable and very quickly teleports and slashes random enemies up to 8 times. The three cells affected by this spell (with light blue dots on them) can all be reduced to 0 using exactly 8 slashes. Each slash for the cell affected by blade dance (R3C8) counts as 2, whereas for other cells it counts as one. Therefore, (R3C8)/2 + R3C9 + R4C7 = 8.

This puzzle also restrains the two main diagonals (grey lines) to 1-9 exclusive.

347|259|186
821|467|935
965|813|724
---+---+---
258|674|319
416|398|572
793|521|468
---+---+---
572|146|893
689|735|241
134|982|657
First solved by Para.

DotA Killer 1 [6.0]

2007-09-14T17:03:00.000-04:00

Rhasta, the Shadow Shaman

Solved

Abilities:

Forked Lightning
Rhasta forth lightning that strikes multiple targets. All cells being struck (with blue circles) add up to the values to the cells with squares (R3C1 and R9C9).

Voodoo
Rhasta turns an enemy into a sheep for a vital few seconds. This has happened to R4C5; but in the midst of the confusion, Rhasta has lost sight of where the sheep moved! Since sheep move very slowly, it can't have gotten far. The value in R4C5 is in a diagonally adjacent cell.

Shackle
Rhasta binds an enemy in place. Rhasta can't move while he's doing this, so he's pretty much in the same situation (in the absense of any allies). The two cells bound by a shackle (R2C5 and R3C9) have the same value.

Mass Serpent Ward
Rhasta's ultimate spell creates a cluster of serpent wards, which look like snakes coming out of the ground to spit poison at nearby enemies. All of the cells with serpent wards on them (with a grey background) have different values. Since there are 9, this forms an extra group.

This puzzle also restrains the two main diagonals (grey lines) to 1-9 exclusive.

216|345|798
874|629|315
935|817|462
---+---+---
659|472|183
481|963|527
327|581|946
---+---+---
563|294|871
198|756|234
742|138|659
First solved by HATMAN and/or Para.