CardinalsGuards

Thu, 02 May 2013 15:17:05 GMT

Last edit

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< |BGG | http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/33145/cardinals-guards |

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> == Links ==
> BGG page: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/33145/cardinals-guards

Cardinal's Guards

Players	1
Length	20 minutes
Required Bits	single standard piecepack, cup or bag, paper and pencil
Designer	Michael_Schoessow? and Stephen_Schoessow?
Version	1.1
Version Date	2003-12-07
License	custom non-free license

Description

Can you help the four Musketeers escape from the castle of the Cardinal's Guards.

Rules

http://www.piecepack.org/rules/CardinalsGuards.pdf

CardinalsGuardsTextVersion

License

The rules text is under a custom non-free license. This license fails to make the work free culture because:

it fails to grant permission to redistribute for a fee or no fee

it fails to grant permission to distribute derived works

Reviews & Comments

Runner up in the SolitaryConfinement contest.

"Another game I tried was a runner-up in the competition: Cardinal's Guards. The designer had perhaps something do with my selection, as I have enjoyed Michael Schoessow's card game Pond. Cardinal's Guards was a rather interesting game. At first it seemed almost impossible, but in the end I managed to search every chamber and ended up with a score of 44/56. It was quite satisfying and if I'm in a need of solitary puzzling, Cardinal's Guards is a good choice." (./) (./) -- Mikko Saari at Gameblog

Rules Questions

Are castle guards removed in the same ways as perimeter guards -- if they stop a musketeer, they are defeated or taken into the supply? The variant rules "Escape From The Cardinal's Guards" (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/600940/escape-from-the-cardinals-guards) says no, but the Print and Players review (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/348519/cardinals-guards-a-print-and-players-review) says yes.

Does a musketeer on emerging from a tunnel continue in the direction he was moving when he enters it? (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/926513/question-about-the-tunnels)

Links

BGG page: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/33145/cardinals-guards

CategoryGame SolitaireThemedGamesCategory ThemeWarCategory

Fuji-san

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 07:07:14 GMT

Last edit

Changed:

< Check the /LengthOfSolutionOne or see the complete /SolutionOne.

> Check the [[Fuji_2dsan_2fLengthOfSolutionOne|LengthOfSolutionOne]] or see the complete [[Fuji_2dsan_2fSolutionOne|SolutionOne]].

Changed:

< Check the /LengthOfSolutionTwo or see the complete /SolutionTwo.

> Check the [[Fuji_2dsan_2fLengthOfSolutionTwo|LengthOfSolutionTwo]] or see the complete [[Fuji_2dsan_2fSolutionTwo|SolutionTwo]].

Changed:

< Check the /LengthOfSolutionThree or see the complete /SolutionThree.

> Check the [[Fuji_2dsan_2fLengthOfSolutionThree|LengthOfSolutionThree]] or see the complete [[Fuji_2dsan_2fSolutionThree|SolutionThree]].

Changed:

< Check the /LengthOfSolutionFour or see the complete /SolutionFour.

> Check the [[Fuji_2dsan_2fLengthOfSolutionFour|LengthOfSolutionFour]] or see the complete [[Fuji_2dsan_2fSolutionFour|SolutionFour]].

Fujisan

Players	1
Length	10 minutes
Required Bits	single standard piecepack
Designer	James Kyle
Version	1.0.1
Version Date	2004-01-17
License	Copyright 2004 James Kyle

Description

Get all four monks to the top of Mt. Fuji and back.

Rules

http://www.piecepack.org/rules/Fujisan.pdf

Fuji-sanTextVersion

Reviews & Comments

Entry in the SolitaryConfinement contest.

"I had seen a picture of Fuji-san (at Rozmiarek Games Page) and I wanted to try it. It was delightful little abstract. I echo Susan's comment on the game being easy - I solved it two times out of three. Last game might've been unsolvable (well, that's my excuse). Still, it's a game I'll probably try again, as it's easy to set up and plays fast. While it's easy, it's still fun to solve." (./) -- Mikko Saari at Gameblog

The rules don't say anything about the ace coins (or I just didn't notice it). Are they treated as 1? I tried treating them as null coins (when treating them as 1-coins the game seemed to be far too easy, but I might be wrong), which worked rather well (solved 4 of 5 games). -- KarlBartel?

Karl, when I judged Fuji-san as an entry in the solitaire contest I used the ace coins as value 1. Mik, there are certainly unsolvable attempts at Fuji-san - usually when it proves impossible to get the preists onto the mountain in the first place. If I can get my priests on the mountain I can usually solve the game, although I haven't played often enough (played around 5 games) to know if I am just lucky or if this is a game feature. -- Phillip Lerche

The Country road variant doesn't work, when a null coin is on the top of the mountain. I'd suggest treating them as value 1 coins when moved to the bottom. I like this game, but it really is too easy when aces are treated as value 1. I'll write down the results of all games I play in order to suggest a slightly modified version. I'm currently thinking about either a ace-as-null version with a slightly easier first move for one of the priests, or an ace-as-six version. Now I'll get back to playing, umm, I mean 'playtesting' (this sounds much more useful ;-) ). Anyway, it's my favorite piecepack solitaire so far. Not extremely challenging, but fun. (./) (./) -- KarlBartel?

A nice solitaire brain burner. It's usually either solvable or there's nowhere you can go from the beginning, but I consider that a feature instead of a bug. The earlier you know that a setup is doomed, the sooner you can start playing again. (./) (./) -- ClarkRodeffer

Puzzles and Challenges

Here are four Fuji-san puzzles of increasing difficulty. Instead of shuffling the coins, lay them out as shown in one of the puzzles. Play according to the regular rules and try to get all four priests to the summit. To really show your expertise, count your moves and check that the length of your solution is as short as the solution posted here.

If you can't solve the puzzle or your solution isn't quite short enough, read the complete solution. There are many possible solutions to each puzzle, but none shorter than the ones posted here. When you've solved all four puzzles, check out the two challenges.

Puzzle One - Easy

554344221335
311400512200

Check the LengthOfSolutionOne or see the complete SolutionOne.

Puzzle Two - Medium

444520240311
125335325100

Check the LengthOfSolutionTwo or see the complete SolutionTwo.

Puzzle Three - Hard

523043220545
301111542403

Check the LengthOfSolutionThree or see the complete SolutionThree.

Puzzle Four - Expert

551102224335
244331001054

Check the LengthOfSolutionFour or see the complete SolutionFour.

If you think you have found a shorter solution, first check that you've followed all the rules. If you still think you have a shorter solution, send it to DonKirkby.

Challenge One

Find a puzzle harder than any of these. Specifically, its shortest solution should be longer than any of the solutions posted here. Such a puzzle does exist. If you find one, send it to DonKirkby and he'll post the current record holder's name on the /ChallengeOne? page.

Challenge Two

Find an upper limit for the length of optimal solutions. Each solvable puzzle has one or more solutions that use the fewest moves. These solutions are called "optimal solutions". In other words, imagine you were to analyse all possible layouts and find an optimal solution to each solvable layout. What can you prove about the length of the longest optimal solutions? The lowest upper limit along with a proof will be posted on the /ChallengeTwo? page. Send your proof to DonKirkby or just post it on the /ChallengeTwo? page.

Links

BGG page: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/35893

CategoryGame SolitairePuzzlesCategory

Piecepack Wiki: RecentChanges

CardinalsGuards

Cardinal's Guards

Description

Rules

License

Reviews & Comments

Rules Questions

Links

Fuji-san

Fujisan

Description

Rules

Reviews & Comments

Puzzles and Challenges

Puzzle One - Easy

Puzzle Two - Medium

Puzzle Three - Hard

Puzzle Four - Expert

Challenge One

Challenge Two

Links