Related papers: Peg Jumping for Fun and Profit

Given $n$ piles of tokens and a positive integer $k \leq n$, we study the following two impartial combinatorial games Nim$^1_{n, \leq k}$ and Nim$^1_{n, =k}$. In the first (resp. second) game, a player, by one move, chooses at least $1$ and…

In this paper, our aim is to prove that our recursive algorithm to solve the "Reve's puzzle" (four- peg Tower of Hanoi) is the optimal solution according to minimum number of moves. Here we used Frame's five step algorithm to solve the…

A pebbling move on a graph consists of taking two pebbles off from one vertex and add one pebble on an adjacent vertex, the $t$-pebbling number of a graph $G$ is the minimum number of pebbles so that we can move $t$ pebbles on any vertex on…

We introduce a class of normal play partizan games, called Complementary Subtraction. Let $A$ denote your favorite set of positive integers. This is Left's subtraction set, whereas Right subtracts numbers not in $A$. The Golden Nugget…

The Frame-Stewart conjecture states the least number of moves to solve a generalized Tower of Hanoi problem, of n disks and p pegs. In this paper, we prove a weaker version of the Frame-Stewart conjecture.

The Monty Hall puzzle has been solved and dissected in many ways, but always using probabilistic arguments, so it is considered a probability puzzle. In this paper the puzzle is set up as an orthodox statistical problem involving an unknown…

A pebbling move on a graph consists of removing $2$ pebbles from a vertex and adding $1$ pebble to one of the neighbouring vertices. A vertex is called reachable if we can put $1$ pebble on it after a sequence of moves. The optimal pebbling…

We improve the solution of the classical prisoners and drawers riddle, where all prisoners can find their number using the pointer-following strategy, provided that the prisoners can send a spy to inspect all drawers and swap one pair of…

We investigate the game of peg solitaire on different board shapes, and find those of diamond or rhombus shape have interesting properties. When one peg captures many pegs consecutively, this is called a sweep. Rhombus boards of side 6 have…

We introduce a computational origami problem which we call the segment folding problem: given a set of $n$ line-segments in the plane the aim is to make creases along all segments in the minimum number of folding steps. Note that a folding…

We consider a set of challenging sequential manipulation puzzles, where an agent has to interact with multiple movable objects and navigate narrow passages. Such settings are notoriously difficult for Task-and-Motion Planners, as they…

Optimizing data movements during program executions is essential for achieving high performance in modern computing systems. This has been classically modeled with the Red-Blue Pebble Game and its variants. In existing models, it is…

We report on progress in modelling and solving Puzznic, a video game requiring the player to plan sequences of moves to clear a grid by matching blocks. We focus here on levels with no moving blocks. We compare a planning approach and three…

We analyze the computational complexity of several new variants of edge-matching puzzles. First we analyze inequality (instead of equality) constraints between adjacent tiles, proving the problem NP-complete for strict inequalities but…

A mobile agent, modeled as a deterministic finite automaton, navigates in the infinite anonymous oriented grid $\mathbb{Z} \times \mathbb{Z}$. It has to explore a given infinite subgraph of the grid by visiting all of its nodes. We focus on…

We study pursuit-evasion in a polygonal environment with polygonal obstacles. In this turn based game, an evader $e$ is chased by pursuers $p_1, p_2, ..., p_{\ell}$. The players have full information about the environment and the location…

We introduce higher-dimensional cubical sliding puzzles that are inspired by the classical 15 Puzzle from the 1880s. In our puzzles, on a $d$-dimensional cube, a labeled token can be slid from one vertex to another if it is topologically…

A generalized `$15$ puzzle' consists of an $n \times n$ numbered grid, with one missing number. A move in the game switches the position of the empty square with the position of one of its neighbors. We solve Diaconis' `15 puzzle problem'…

A configuration of pebbles on the vertices of a graph is solvable if one can place a pebble on any given root vertex via a sequence of pebbling steps. The pebbling number of a graph G is the minimum number pi(G) so that every configuration…

This paper proves that push-pull block puzzles in 3D are PSPACE-complete to solve, and push-pull block puzzles in 2D with thin walls are NP-hard to solve, settling an open question by Zubaran and Ritt. Push-pull block puzzles are a type of…