Solutions to puzzles

Piet Hein

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Claude Berge

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Bert Enderton

Puzzle 1

The unique winning first move is Red b4. (Blue can easily defend the bridges at e3/e4 and g2/g3. Red d3 is defeated by blue b5, red b5 is defeated by blue d3, and all other red moves are defeated by blue b4).

Notice that the red stone at a6 is already connected south via the ladder escape at e5. Also, red threatens to connect north via a double threat at b3 and d3; each of these would connect to the northern edge via Template IIIa. The two templates overlap at d1, but blue d1 is defeated via the following sequence of forcing moves:

Puzzle 2

A winning move is Red e3. This connects to the top edge via Template IIIa, and to the bottom edge via Template J5. The two templates overlap at one point d3, but if Blue plays there, Red can reply f3 to seal the connection up and down.

Puzzle 3

The unique winning first move is Red c3! (e2 is defeated by e3, d3 is defeated by e1, e3 is defeated by e2, and b4 is defeated by d3).

The following seem like horizontal's (Blue's) best tries from the above position.

1. d2	e2	2. d5	c5	3. d4	b3	4. c4	a5
1. d3	b3	2. b5	e3
1. e1	d2	2. d1	d1	3. c4	b3	4. e3	a5	or	4. b5	e3
........	....	2. c4	b3	3. c5	e3	4. e4	f3	5. e6	d5
1. d5	b3	2. d2	b2	3. c4	a5	4. a6	c5	5. b5	e3	6. d5	f5
........	....	........	....	3. b5	c5	4. c4	e3
........	....	........	....	3. b6	a6	4. b4	c5	5. c4	e3	6. e6	d4
1. c4	e3	2. e2	b3	3. d3	a5
1. b5	d4	2. d3	f2	3. f1	d2	4. c4	e2	5. e4	e3	6. c5	e5
........	....	2. e1	d2	3. d1	f1	4. e2	f2...
1. b4	d2	2. d5	c5	3. c4	e3	4. d4	e5

Puzzle 4

Red 1. c4 is the only way to prevent Blue from connecting immediately by b5, c3 or c4. Red threatens to connect c4 to the top and bottom edges with assistance from the ladder escapes at f2 and f5.

Blue 2. c5 is met by Red 3. a6, which connects to the bottom edge with assistance from the ladder escape at f5 and threatens to connect to c4 or climb to a4 and then connect to the top edge with assistance from the ladder escape at f2.

Blue may attempt a ladder escape fork by playing in the edge template between c4 and the top edge, but 2. c3 is met by 3. b4 and 2. c2 is met by 3. b3, which maintain the connection to the top edge and block Blue's ladder escape.

Other authors

Puzzle 1

Not posted yet...

Puzzle 2

Note that Red is connected upwards by Template J5. The only way to prevent Red from connecting downwards is to play in the cell marked *.

Therefore, the only possible move for Blue is 1.b6. Perhaps surprisingly, it is also a winning move. If Red responds as expected at 2.c5, Blue's response is to intrude Red's upward connection at 3.b4. This leaves Blue in a strong position.

If Red instead plays 2.g4, Blue can respond with 3.d5, again leaving Blue in a strong position.

,

Other possible moves by Red also have a strong response, for example 2.c6 3.c4, or 2.d4 3.d5, or 2.d5 3.c4, or 2.e4 3.e5.

Puzzle 3

Puzzle 4

Blue 1. c4 threatens to connect to the left edge by b5 or c3 and to the group of 4 Blue pieces by d5, d4 or e3. If Red replies in the region a2-c2-c4-a6, other than at c3 to threaten c4's connection to the left edge, then Blue 3. c3 connects to the left edge, and to the group of 4 pieces via e2 or d5. The only reply outside the region a2-c2-c4-a6 that prevents the group of 4 Blue pieces connecting immediately to the left edge by d5, d4 or e3 is Red 2. d4. However, Red 2. d4 and 2. c3 can be answered by 3. e2.

Blue also threatens to connect the group of 4 pieces to the right edge by 3. g5, connecting via Edge template IV1d and by the ladder escape fork 3. i1 4. j1 5. i3 6. i2 7. g4. Red can only meet both these threats by playing in overlap of these templates, in the marked cells. However these replies can be met by:

2. i3 3. i2 4. h2 5. g4 6. h3 7. h5

2. j3 3. i2 4. h2 5. g4 6. h3 7. h4 8. i3 9. i5

2. g4 3. i1 4. j1 5. i2 6. j2 7. i3 8. j3 9. i5 10. i4 11. h5 12. h4 13. f6

2. h4 then either 3. g4 threatening 5. i2 and 5. g6 - or simply 3. i2 4. h2 5. g4 6. h3 7. g6 - forming a crescent and connecting with the assistance of the second row ladder escape at i2

2. j2 3. h2 4. i2 (capture dominates the alternatives i1 & j1) 5. h5 - a double Ziggurat connection

Puzzle 5

part 1:

part 2:

part 3:

See Also

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