home
puzzles
genres
studio
help
about
links
forum


Forums
  [Search] Search   [Recent Topics] Recent Topics   [Members]  Member Listing   [Groups] Back to home page 
Disconnect Four Puzzle #6283 by jama
Forum Index -> Puzzle Feedback
Author Message
ruluhulu



Joined: 26/06/2010 13:37:11
Messages: 41
Offline

Number: Puzzle #6283
Genre: Disconnect Four
Author: jama
Appeared at: April 29, 2020

I liked the puzzle but really fail to see how it is a four star. It is completely straightforward till there are only 26 squares left and then only one bit of logic reasoning solves it completely.
HappyDog



Joined: 11/11/2015 18:26:16
Messages: 165
Offline

Agreed - a very enjoyable puzzle, but only two bits of logic required, the rest being a matter of spotting the fours.

Probably 2* difficulty, unless there is a grid-size restriction at that level.
jama



Joined: 21/03/2014 08:09:09
Messages: 35
Offline

Thanks for your comment! But what is easy for one is difficult for another. Indeed the grid size matters apparently. In fact the total time to solve the puzzle is key in calculating the difficulty. I can't change that fact. This is up to the developers and judges.
As I can see at this moment this puzzle is solved in average in more time than I thought, so it seems the difficulty is correctly calculated.
isfan



Joined: 16/06/2010 21:53:53
Messages: 10
Offline

Full Disclosure: Disconnect-4 puzzles are one of my favorite genres on the site.

After completing this puzzle, I'd say it's worthy of being the first 4-star Disconnect-4 Puzzle on the site. By their very nature, Disconnect-4 puzzles are not that difficult: Every cell is either an X or an O, so the number of scenarios we can consider is always just 2 options.
That said, due to the size, it is sometimes difficult to spot where the next known value is. As you get closer to the end, of course it becomes easier as the number of empty cells to examine decreases as well.

Ruluhulu was exactly correct, I had exactly 26 open squares left when I had to place my first "guess". But the one I chose was able to reveal the rest of the puzzle without further prodding.

Is it as difficult as all 4-star puzzles of other genres? No, and it could be argued that it's on par with some 2-star puzzles of those genres.
But it is more difficult than the 3-star Disconnect-4 puzzles, and I believe this one has well earned its place as the first 4-star puzzle of the genre.

---

Jama, thank you for continuing to contribute new entries to my guilty pleasure. Disconnect-4 puzzles are ones I find especially relaxing to complete, and over the years and gone back through re-solving all the puzzles in the genre more times than I want to admit. The new additions that have been popping up recently have been a welcomed new experience, and I hope you can continue to produce ones with the same quality as this one.
Congratulations on producing the first Disconnect-4 puzzle to be awarded a 4-star difficulty by the judges.
 
Forum Index -> Puzzle Feedback
Go to:   
Powered by JForum 2.1.6 © JForum Team