SolverConfig

Automatic Number Place Generator Version 2.0

Solver Config

Use this function to adjust the strategies used by the puzzle solver during the puzzle generation process. The Number Place Puzzle Generator works through each selected strategy after creating a puzzle to determine its viability.

The program relies on the intelligence of these "Solvers" to create puzzles. You may therefore create more difficult puzzles by having the generator use more difficult solvers. Thus, this function is used to affect the difficulty of the puzzles you will make.

Remove as many solvers as possible to create an easy problem or add as many as possible to create a difficult problem.

Usage

Press the "Solver Config" button to open the "Specify Using Procedure" window.

This window includes the name of each solver next to a check box. Add checks to the boxes of solvers you'd like to use for your puzzle.
The DP number indicates the breadth of difficulty for the puzzle. Here you can specify the lower and upper limits of difficulty.
Once you have finished steps 1 and 2, press the "OK" button to register your selections. If you'd like to cancel your selections press "Cancel."

Strategies

The following strategies are available in Number Place Generator V2.0. View the Number Place Strategy Guide for detailed information on each strategy. Links to the guide have been included below for each strategy.

On startup the generator defaults to include only VH Unique, Cell Unique, and Block Unique.

Strategies and Difficulty

By selecting the strategies used during generation you can put an upper limit on the difficulty of strategies people will need to use to solve your puzzle. Though there is no guarantee that a strategy will be used during generation, the solvers you select will determine which strategies the generator is allowed to use to automatically create the puzzle.

By indicating a solver, and particularly a difficult solver, you may cause the program to create an extremely difficult puzzle. Please note that the difficulty of the puzzles you create will change drastically with each puzzle, even if you have selected the same solvers. Therefore, we suggest you confirm the difficulty point rating of each puzzle you create.

Solver Config Ex. 1 - All Settings Off

What happens when you remove the checks from all options and then attempt make a puzzle?

Since the generator is unable to use any strategies, it will continue running indefinitely without ever being able to create a puzzle. Push the "Stop" button to cease generation.

Solver Config Ex. 2 - Only Block Unique

With only the "Block Unique" solver selected the program will generate a puzzle that can be solved using only the Block Unique strategy. To recap, this strategy states that "when a number can only be inserted into one square in a given 3 x 3 block, the number most go into that square."

If you were to make a puzzle using this setting, you would make a simple puzzle. Please note that if you have only included a small number of hint squares, the program will have difficulty generating a puzzle.

Solver Config Ex. 3 (Standard Easy Mode) - Only VH Unique and Block Unique

By selecting only the "VH Unique" and "Block Unique" solvers, you ensure that the puzzle is solvable by only checking within blocks, columns, and lines.

Please note that, while Cell Unique seems simple in theory, it may be difficult to spot locations for the Cell Unique strategy in practice. Since Cell Unique is considered at least an intermediate level strategy, we've removed the Cell Unique solver for this example.

Using only the VH and Block Unique solvers you can create an easily solved puzzle suitable for standard Number Place beginners.

Solver Config Ex. 4 (Intermediate) - Using Localization

Use the "Localization" solver to create an intermediate level problem. If you'd like to make a slightly more difficult intermediate problem, try also checking Naked Pair and Hidden Pair.

Now try creating a puzzle with a small number of hints. You may find that using this setting creates puzzles that require a bit of effort.

Solver Config Ex. 5 (Hard) - Naked Triple and Hidden Triple

Of course, some people would like to create difficult problems, and for them we recommend selecting harder solvers like "Naked Triple" and "Hidden Triple." Please note that even when you turn off the easier solvers, you may find that the puzzle you've worked hard to make difficult is actually solvable using simple strategies. Therefore, we suggest that you always keep the easier solvers on.

X-Wing and Swordfish represent extremely advanced strategies. If you alrady know your way around Number Place, try including these solvers to try your skills against an extremely challenging puzzle.

After you've selected these solvers, continue pressing the "Generate" button until you have created a puzzle with a high difficulty point rating.

Chance is as much a factor as the number of hint squares, hint square locations, and solver level in determining the difficulty of puzzles generated with the Number Place Puzzle Generator V2.0. You may find it difficult at first to find the correct balance of each element for your puzzles, but keep trying!

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Number Place Generator Version 2.0