A pretty weird but interesting puzzling game.

http://www.smellybean.com/link.jsp?UniqNumber=6862

Sorry - I can't find the original page source....

The graphics remind me a bit of the TI99 version of Hunt the Wumpus.

A similar game is "Net" which can be found in Simon Tatham's Portable Puzzle Collection. Yet another way to spend the minutes between bursts of productive work...

It actually reminds me of the Puzzle Balls from Mefferts - http://sites.webec.com.hk/meffert/index ... roduct=144

Super cool!!

Love it!

Yeah I'm seriously hooked.

edit -
So far I got up to level 45 - I just can't stop!!

Here's a like without the separate frame. I don't know about you guys, but it fits my computer much better.

http://a.kongregate.com/games/ahnt/loops-of-zen/frame/

love it. but now the important question.

is there more than one solution for any given level?

It seems there is a well thought unique solution for each level.
Simply an excellent "graph theory" related game!




Pantazis

I'm guessing Yes. But, I don't know if this can be applied to every level. There's times where I see two or more ways of connecting them.

However, you may notice that if you go back and forth between levels, that they do tend to change. So, it may be completely random how they generate the level.

I've managed to get up to level 50 so far. Some are really tricky! Like, really limiting you to how you connect pieces.

How far have others gone? Any strategies do you use?
- I usually do a perimeter fix first - make sure that none are sticking out - such as the straight pieces and make sure they connect to something first (as they would only have only solution/orientation).

I start at the corners and check for "Must goes"... like a circle by a line and nothing else... obviously the circle HAS to go to the line.

i got to level 20 and i couldn't take it any more. i wish you could skip to your previous best level.

the music reminds me of donkey kong country water level music for SNES

LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW4h723nKRA

Use the left and right arrow keys to skip to the previous high level.

I'd be crazy if I were to keep repeating to the 50's!!!!

I'm closing in on the 60's....

DOOOOH

It also reminds me of this, in a way - Rubik's Tangle

It looks like it.

This game is addictive.

There are probably dozens of solutions per level. As Noah pointed out, there are at least two solutions to that simplest case of a 2x2 grid. I imaging larger grids = exponentially more solutions. They are randomly generated, then the tiles probably twirled around at random by 90 degrees. If figured out early on that straits and Ts can only be aligned in one orientation on the outskirts of the puzzle. This makes it much easier to work from the outside in. There seems to be a parity of the paths, too. A couple of times, I have nearly solved the entire thing only to find a pesky little end isolated by itself. Its mate was like clear on the other side of the puzzle, so I had to rework a path to connect them. I worked up to level 23 and got bored, so I quit.

By the way, I have that exact same puzzle ball; A couple of times I made all the pieces into one line, broken at each end. By the way, the Puzzle Ball is exactly the same mechanism as a Skewb, so I used the Skewb Ultimate methods listed on Jaap's website to solve it. But the puzzle ball has two sets of seemingly identical triangle pieces that are not truly identical, resulting in two unique solutions - Sometimes you'll end up with a parity situation; to fix it, you need to swap the opposite square tiles that have the Mefferts logo on them. Maybe someone could come up with an extra large 15-puzzle (7x7 would be a good size) with the "Loops of Zen" graphics on the squares. Cheers!

Yes, it's the same as with Tony Fisher's Container.

Watch out Reeeech. I'm on level 49.

Hehehe - you might notice - it stops after 51. I didn't notice until much later. I thought I was near 60 - but the number never changed.

Oh well, I have gone through it multiple times already. Good stuff!

I'm actually on 51 right now, but I haven't beaten it yet.

Having symmetry, is a sufficient, but not a necessary condition
to have more than one solutions. I am still not convinced there
are more than one. I am pretty sure there are some levels with
a unique solution, but am just not sure if this is always the case.




Pantazis

Hi Guys,

I am the one who made the game, thank you that you all liked this one.

To give some clues:
Each level is generated new, which means that first of all you will almost never get the same puzzle twice, only for the very small levels.
And secondly, the solution is generated first, and then it is randomized. I suppose for the very big levels you will find more and more solutions to be unique,
still it is not a prerequisit. There are a couple of examples for small level where I can find multiple solutions, which means that you should find examples in bigger levels
as well,

Cheers Arend

I'm not the biggest fan of this game, not sure why.

There's a game called Zen Bondage though, where you try to cover different shapes with a rope that is connected to them by spinning the shape. It's a pretty neat time waster.

Hi Arend, great to know you. I admit that I spend a lot of time last September
as this puzzle game was too enjoyable.

Thanks for the additional tips!




Pantazis

If anyone else is a fan of such games, here's another:
http://www.planarity.net/

Much more directly related to the underlying mathematics, fun and addicting.

LOL! Thanks, planar graphs disguised as non-planar. Love it!




Pantazis