Masyu

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example
Solution to the example

Masyu ( Japanese ま し ゅ mashu , German 'bad influence' ) is a puzzle published by Nikoli . It is also known as the pearl necklace or boy scout .

regulate

Masyu is played on a rectangular grid. Some squares contain a white or black circle.

The aim of the game is to draw a closed path through all the circles, the following rules apply:

  • The path always enters and leaves a square via an edge
  • The path must not cut itself
  • White circles are traversed in a straight line, but the path must turn 90 degrees before or after the white circle
  • Black circles lie on a curve that turns 90 degrees. The fields next to the black circles are traversed in a straight line.

history

Masyu first appeared in Puzzle Communications Nikoli 84 under the title Shinju no Kubikazari ( 真珠 の 首飾 り 'pearl necklace' ); back then without black circles. The version with additional black circles first appeared in issue 90 under the name Shiroshinju Kuroshinju ( 白 真珠 黒 真珠 'black and white pearls' ). The name Masyu is based on an inside joke published by Nikoli.

variants

  • Instead of a closed path, a path from a starting point to a destination can also be sought.
  • There are also or only gray points and the solver has to find out whether these are white or black
  • The diagram is a torus , i.e. H. the left and right margins as well as the upper and lower margins are stapled together.
  • The diagram is divided into areas; the circular route must turn at least once in each area.

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