2024-12-31
Happy Newyear 2025
Japan Fireworks Expo2024-12-29
A recreational job for the holidays (A little late)
A few years ago (Round about 2014 if you can count on publishing date at Letslogic) Werner Ettinger had some fun with the program xht2xsb making levels from solutions with unused floors and unmoved boxes stoned.
And published the collection “Recreation”.
With no credits at all.
A fewer years ago I had some fun identifying the original levels. Some easy to find. Some more difficult.
But I identified most of the original levels (Not bothering to identify which remodelled level Werner used for the conversion). I used YASC, Letslogic and Sokofind and found every original except for eighteen levels.
And why not? It should be easy to find a level like this:
Or this:
But no. I didn’t find these two levels and sixteen more.
Another problem: The collection at Letslogic.com contains 1104 levels, but the levels are numbered 1-1111.
Seven levels are missing for some unknown reasons. Missing levels are 288, 326, 332, 354,369, 377, 959
Can you identify the 18 levels I missed?
And do somebody have Werners original collection including the seven totally missing levels?
Finally I would like to have a look at xht2xsb.
Files you might find convenient:
Werner Ettinger – Recreation (LetsLogic.com)
Werner Ettinger – Recreation with Credits (Sokoban.dk)
Werner Ettinger – Unfound (Sokoban.dk)
(Beware! I didn’t bother to beautify my files. No – for blanks)
If you can solve some of the mysteries please mail bjertrup58@gmail.com
2024-12-24
Merry Christmas from the staff at Sokoban.dk
Title: Merry Christmas 2024
Author: DrFogh
Date: 2024-12-22
Skin: Beeman
2024-11-29
Title: 4 More Years
Author: DrFogh
Date: 2024-11-29
Skin: Blue by Barbara Chamberlin
2024-09-01
Scorpio (
: Skorpionen / : UK/USA: Scorpius)
The 8th zodiac sign. October 24 to November 21.
Scorpio at Britannica
Title: Scorpio
Author: DrFogh
Date: 2024-09-01
Skin: Beemann
Zodiac: Assets-global.website-files.com
This one is easy. So easy I found the only boxwall myself.
If you get stuck the solvers will not help you.
I knew Gemini was not without flaws but so many ?
Kevin29 and Premyzl Zika found lots of boxwalls (and a single floorwall) in different solutions. It might be possible to finde other solutions with even more boxwalls.
The authors problem is way to many connections between parts of the level (marked with arrows) 🙁
2024-08-07
And Anian found several more boxwalls and floorwalls 🙁 I hadn’t found all the shortcuts. The last screenshot from Anian:
If you played YASC20 Rev2 you will know you need to move Box3 to solve the level. And you need to get out of the Y to do so. You can work your way through the unused areas above. Or you can make the simple moves illustrated and presto…Box3 is free to move left and open up the right side of the level.
So Box1 needs to be blocked from moving right in some way. I found my way. Meanwhile Anian did the same and suggested a more elegant way by simply moving the only box not on goal from one Y to the other Y. Elegant detail implemented in the last version of YASC20:
Title: Yasc20 rev3
Author: DrFogh + Anian
Date: 2024-08-07
I changed the skin. Boxworld is not a beautiful skin. But it simply shows a level better than probably any other skin.
Notice the box not on goal and the goal are just one floor apart. Not much work to do 🙂
I included a few changes to the level upper right and lower left so you need to move a few more boxes.
YSokoban shows you what is not needed to move in my best solution (1311/270). Immovable boxes are normalized in the screenshot below:
You can probably find a shorter solution and find a few more boxes not needed to move.
But can you find more floors not needed to use ?
2024-08-04
Found a boxwall. 1412/320
2024-08-03
My last YASC20 was even crappier than the first one. And I decided to keep it on my harddisk 4 more years before publishing a revised level.
But as in American politics: “4 more years!” are 4 years to many.
So I looked for something better.
Title: YASC20 Rev2
Author: DrFogh
Comment: Remodel of a crappy remodel
Date: 2024-08-03
Below you can study how Anian found several ways to solve the level without using big parts of the level.
These screenshots are actually a great help to find weak spots.
I think I plugged the biggest holes. But I have been proven wrong before.
I am sure you can find more boxes you don’t need to touch than I did.
With a little patience you will probably easily beat my best score: 1444/324.
In the level file you will find the level of course. And the level with immovable boxwalls and deadlocks changed to walls.
2024-07-31
I liked my new Yasc20. And then Anian send me this:
Needs 4 more years on my harddisk.
2024-07-28
A few years ago it was YASCs 20th birthday and I made a hastily produced rather crappy level to celebrate.
A few authors thought it could be improved. I agree wholeheartedly. You can find a result at LetsLogic.com. The layout has been broken but the level is funnier to solve.
I intended to make a decent remodel and after lingering on my harddisk for 4 years I think the result is worth publishing.
Title: YASC20 Rev1
Author: DrFogh + DrFogh
Comment: Remodelled a crappy hastily published level.
Date: 2024-07-28
There are a lot of boxwalls and floorwall in the level. Below what YSokoban recognized in my best solution (1073/288).
I stoned boxwalls and floorwalls not possible to use/move.
You find the stoned/normalized version in the levelfile. Convenient if you want to hunt for more boxwalls/floorwalls.
If you find solutions with more boxwalls and/or floorwalls shown above I would like to know.
2024-07-14
Gemini ( : Tvillingerne. / : UK/USA: Twins)
The third zodiac sign. May 21 to June 20.
Gemini at Britannica
Title: Gemini
Author: DrFogh
Date: 2024-07-14
Skin: Beemann
Zodiac: Assets-global.website-files.com
I found 3 boxwalls(boxes not needed to move. No floorwalls(floors not needed to use). If you find more please tell me.
Not solved by any solver.
My best solution 558/154.
Update on Aries: No boxwalls found but Kevin29 found 2 different variations with one floorwall:
The holidays are finished for me so the next zodiac will not be around for a while.
2024-06-30
Aries ( : Vædderen. / : UK/USA: Ram)
The first zodiac sign. March 21 to April 19.
Aries at Britannica
Title: Aries
Author: DrFogh
Date: 2024-06-30
Skin: Beemann
Zodiac: Assets-global.website-files.com
I didn’t find any boxwalls or floorwalls. Can you ?
The solvers didn’t solve Aries.
My best performance 505/110.
Update: Festival solved not only the original Taurus but also Taurus Sharpen BW6FW2.
2024-06-27
Yes. More. YZCS wasn’t finished.
Title: Taurus Sharpen BW5FW3
Author: DrFogh+Kevin29+YZCS
Date: 2024-06-26
A new wall at D7 and F11 had to be kept open.
My best solution for the original Taurus is 414/108. The solution for this sharpened level is close to doubled at 792/128.
2024-06-26
By pushing and moving around a lot more you can solve Taurus in different ways. Moving less boxes and using less floors.
Kevin29 and YZCS helped with making these 3 sharpened levels:
Never figured that out when i constructed the level.
Download the Taurus Sharpen collection here.
Any more?
2024-06-19
Taurus ( : Tyren. / : UK/USA: Bull)
The 2nd zodiac sign. April 20 to May 20.
Taurus at Britannica
Title: Taurus
Author: DrFogh
Date: 2024-06-18
Skin: Beemann
Zodiac: Assets-global.website-files.com
2 Boxwalls (=Boxes not needed to move). Can you find more ?
Good news for cheaters: Festival solved the puzzle.
My best solutions: Moves 414/108. Pushes 474/106
2024-06-18
My levels are often solved in unexpected ways and you can often find floors not needed to use and boxes not needed to move.
The Zodiac Sharpen Collection so far:
Nomenclature:
Sharpen = Unused boxes and floors are changed into walls. Nothing else is allowed.
Only changes that are obviously not just scenery are counted.
BW = A box that can be changed into a wall
FW = A floor that can be changed into a wall
2024-06-08
Aquarius ( : Vandmanden. / : UK/USA: Water Bearer)
The 11th zodiac sign. January 20 to February 18
Aquarius at Britannica
Title: Aquarius
Author: DrFogh
Comment: 3 boxes and 1 floor can be stoned apart from the obvious.
Date: 2024-06-08
Skin: Beemann
The obvious boxes not needed to move and floors not needed to use are marked below:
If you solve the level and let YASC optimize it you will probably find one or two of the boxes not needed to move. But how about the third? I guess there will not be a fourth, but please let me know if you find it.
I’m pleased to announce you need to solve the level yourself. The solvers can’t help you.
By the way: I know two optimizers: YASC and JSoko. Of which the best one is YASC by far. Anybody know other optimizers?
2024-05-31
Astrology is a highly questionable topic but here are some facts:
Cancer ( : Krebsen. / : UK/USA: Crab)
The 4th zodiac sign. June 22 to July 22.
Cancer at Britannica
Title: Cancer
Author: DrFogh
Comment: You might easily find 7 boxes not needed to touch. Can you find one more?
Date: 2024-05-31
You can spot 4 boxes not needed to move and two floors not needed to solve the level right away.
If you solve Cancer in YASC and use the optimizer YASC will probably finde 3 boxes more not needed to touch. And two unneeded floors.
The two boxes upper left are easy to find:
And YASC will probably find the third for you.
Can you spot the fourth ?
Please let me know if you find a fifth box not needed to touch.
You need to solve the level yourself. The solvers can’t help you.
2024-05-17
Making “It’s All Greek” i didn’t bother to make most of the capital letters since they are the same as the normal latin letters. Maybe catching up I present to you….. (Drums) ….. Big Alpha !
Title: BigAlpha
Author: DrFogh
Date: 2024-05-17
Skin: YSokoban Decorated C
Any dead boxes and/or unused floors? It is obvious H10, H11 and I11 are only for decorative purposes. Less obvious is that you don’t need to move the boxes at H7 and J10.
This is how the solved levels look in YSokoban:
Only Sokolution found a solution with J10 movable (Left image).
With J10 stoned (Right image) no solver found a solution.
My best with J10 movable 397/70
My best with J10 stoned 407/74
You can probably beat that but I don’t think (often proven wrong before) you will find more boxes not needed to move.
2024-05-01
Title: Easter 2024-6wall2
Author: DrFogh, 油纸成伞
Best moves: 447/153
Best pushes: 459/149
3 sokoban entusiast on the other side of The World had a look at my Easter level and came up with 6 boxes not needed to move. One more than me. And more surprising two floors not needed to use.
I didn’t find the box at D9. And certainly didn’t fint the unneeded floors at J3 and K3.
Fascinating. Solutions are more than 100 moves longer just by adding walls at J3 and K3.
You find three more unneeded floors in the level above. Not hard to find. Really not part of the challenge.
Thanks for the interest and thanks for the file with 6 modifications with solutions for everything.
I think it is OK to share the file here. Without solutions of course 🙂
2024-03-28
Happy Easter
All eggs hatched except one. Can you help The Easter Bunny?
Title: Easter 2024
Author: DrFogh
Comment: 5 dead boxes. Can you find them?
Date: 2024-03-08
My best solution with everything movable 335/15. With 5 dead boxes 335/19.
2024-02-18
Remodelling AC2024/level3 I didn’t notice I made a gaping hole between the north and the west wing so you can solve the level going partly clockwise and partly anticlockwise.
I remodelled the level once more and now the level can only be solved going anticlockwise.
And the level got a little bit harder. At least for the solvers. Not even Festival can solve the new remodel.
No extra floors. Just moved two as illustrated below.
Title: AC2024/Level3 Remodel 2
Author: AC and DrFogh
Date: 2024-02-18
Skin: Boxworld Red
2024-01-26
Andrej Cerjac just made a nice circular level:
Title: AC2024/Level 3
Author: (DrFogh) + AC
Date: 2024-01-25
Titulated me as coauthor (Thank you) but the level is completely new. Only with a design slightly similar to my circular level “Club”.
2024-01-21
I made some circular levels before, but started seriously making these for a collection april 2019.
I decided I needed 50+ levels for the collection and this obviously took some time.
But now the collection “Circular Challenge” is finished nearly 4 years later.
The levels in the collection are not in chronological order, but arranged with small but not necessarily easiest levels first. And then growing in size and probably mostly also in difficulty. For that purpose I renumbered the levels so the level numbers do not correspond with the original numbering. Sorry, but I guess you will manage.
Quite a few sokoban entusiasts have suggested changes and improvements. I am very thankful for that. Some flaws has been corrected and better levels are the result. Thanks a lot.
Most of the levels have been published at sokoban.dk
Title: CC39 Flacon 6
Author: DrFogh
Comment: The last addition to the collection.
Date: 2024-01-06
Skin: Boxworld 29×10 2016 by Jeng Jong Liang and Tyge Fogh
Download Circular Challenge here
Download and play as you wish.
Don’t publish uninteresting variations.
You are the judge.
Give proper credit.