24.06.2009, 00:53
I support your sentiment, because I see that publication of logic puzzles in the Netherlands is getting less, and an increasing number of puzzles is more or less computer generated. We definitely need to keep in touch with less experienced puzzlers, who hopefully will grow into future cracks.
Having said that, I have taken a look at the toughest problems, and their "Bewertung". Richard's Knapp daneben Twin Killer scores 94%, Roland's Riesenhochhäuser an impressive 96%, but my Knapp daneben ABC-tje only 83% (I'm not complaining btw). The next two have very high scores indeed (96% and 98%), but the next two have scores lower than 80%.
So if I look at the Top 10 most difficult puzzles, we have the following statistics regarding the "Bewertung":
>95%: 4
>90-95%: 2
>85-90%: 1
>80-85%: 1
75-80%: 2
The conclusion must be that the statistics do not seem to corroborate your perception.
So what does constitute a beautiful puzzle? For me an important factor is that the solution code is not apparent from the start. We all know the price puzzle sudoku's from the newspapers in which you are asked to phone or SMS the number in a particular cell, and just by looking at that cell you already know the answer because all other 8 numbers are given in the row, column and 3x3 grid of that cell. That is not a puzzle in my perspective. A puzzle should force the solver to go through all the motions, fill out (almost) all of the puzzle before the solution code becomes apparent. The puzzle itself can be extremely easy, that is something completely different. (And yes, I have to admit that I'm more drawn to the more difficult puzzles, but if it doesn't satisfy the criterium I mentioned above, it still isn't a beautiful puzzle for me).
Well, that's my two cents for now.
Having said that, I have taken a look at the toughest problems, and their "Bewertung". Richard's Knapp daneben Twin Killer scores 94%, Roland's Riesenhochhäuser an impressive 96%, but my Knapp daneben ABC-tje only 83% (I'm not complaining btw). The next two have very high scores indeed (96% and 98%), but the next two have scores lower than 80%.
So if I look at the Top 10 most difficult puzzles, we have the following statistics regarding the "Bewertung":
>95%: 4
>90-95%: 2
>85-90%: 1
>80-85%: 1
75-80%: 2
The conclusion must be that the statistics do not seem to corroborate your perception.
So what does constitute a beautiful puzzle? For me an important factor is that the solution code is not apparent from the start. We all know the price puzzle sudoku's from the newspapers in which you are asked to phone or SMS the number in a particular cell, and just by looking at that cell you already know the answer because all other 8 numbers are given in the row, column and 3x3 grid of that cell. That is not a puzzle in my perspective. A puzzle should force the solver to go through all the motions, fill out (almost) all of the puzzle before the solution code becomes apparent. The puzzle itself can be extremely easy, that is something completely different. (And yes, I have to admit that I'm more drawn to the more difficult puzzles, but if it doesn't satisfy the criterium I mentioned above, it still isn't a beautiful puzzle for me).
Well, that's my two cents for now.