Project Proposal by Martin Stacey
Setting Futoshiki puzzles
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Software |
Java or C++ or Smalltalk or another object oriented language with good GUI facilities |
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Covers |
Interface development, possibly AI search methods |
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Skills Required |
Programming, preferably some interest in artificial intelligence |
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Challenge |
Conceptual Technical Programming |
Brief Description
Futoshiki, also sometimes called Unequal, is a type of numerical puzzle game similar to Sudoku. The board is a square grid with between 4 and 9 rows and columns. The object is to fill in the board with numbers (1 to 4 for a grid with four rows and columns, 1 to 7 for a size seven grid, and so on) so that each number only occurs once in each row or column, in other words, to make a Latin square. This is made harder by the greater than or less than signs between adjacent cells, showing that particular numbers need to be bigger or smaller than their neighbours. Some of the numbers can be given at the beginning. The puzzle should have one and only one solution.
The aim of this project is to develop a Futoshiki puzzle generator. This should be able to generate puzzles of different sizes and different difficulty levels, and should correctly rate the puzzles for difficulty.
Implementing a procedure to do the Futoshiki puzzles should be relatively straightforward. It would be good to see the operation of the procedure, especially if it showed the difference between conjectures and reliable inferences.
The system would be more interesting if it included a way for the users to get appropriate hints if they are struggling.
Variants
The system should enable players to play Futoshiki to their hearts' content. The project would be made stronger by a good user interface, but this probably means committing to a platform.
Alternatively, or as well, you could build a demonstrator for the behaviour of different search procedures applied to Futoshiki puzzles.
Resources
Start by playing with Futoshimi online puzzles at http://www.futoshiki.org/
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