Thanks for clarifying.

For the third optimizer (counting names), the words have to form a single connected component, isn't it? The rules don't mention it explicitly.

You need to get a single connect crossword in which each word intersects with at least one other. That's right.

For the second optimizer, Easy as Opti; do circles between the two grids have to conform to both grids, even if it is left empty? i.e. is a row allowed to have something like (1) --1234 ( ) 1234-- (3) where the (x) represents a circled cell? Or should something like this always hold: --abcX (y) --dXef where the relative of X is fixed even if there is no digit in circle y? I hope my question makes sense. So if both grids have to conform (the second case), a solver can use this information in the way we could use it in puzzle 6 Easy as First and Second in the sense that if an empty circle is deducted to contain digit X if it was not empty, then the other grid should also conform to that digit X being in the first or second position, right?

Cheers :)

Edited by Leonardo024 2024-04-20 1:23 AM

The same as in puzzle 6. In the circle between the grids, the digit is common to both grids. If the circle between the grids is empty, you can find a digit from one grid and use it for the second.

%F0%9F%8C%88

Thanks for the answer to problem 10 (By compass). And for problem 12 (Counting names), if we can choose the value of a letter in certain cases (D which can be 10 or 19, for example) I suppose that the choice made for a certain letter in a certain place must be the same depending on whether we consider the letter horizontally or vertically, right?

Ah, I didn't understand we were taking those rules from puzzle 6. Good question Leonardo.
To clarify, is this statement correct Riad?:
"There must be a unique solution, which has a digit in every circle and both square grids filled according to the rules."

Edited by kiwijam 2024-04-20 10:42 AM

Thanks for the info! I updated my grid. In that case, for clarification one can think of placing the digits in the circles in the example solution, as they were also part of the solving process.

It is not necessary for each circle to have given digits. You need to create a puzzle with a unique solution within the rules of puzzle 6.

The translator gives a sentence that I cannot understand.
When you solved puzzle 6 letters appeared in the common circles that were correct for both grids. The same should be true here. When checking, I will write the digits only in the circles common to both grids. These digits should work for both grids.
To achieve a unique solution you can additionally enter numbers in the squares.

For the answer format for optimization problems, what exactly is meant by "Type one answer key per line"? Compared to the 'Answer format' examples in the booklet, you have to go to the line after each comma, right?

Last+year+I+answered+with+commas+and+it+went+through%2C+so+I+did+it+again+this+year%2E+Maybe+Riad+can+confirm+whether+both+of+them+are+allowed+%F0%9F%98%8A

Edited by Leonardo024 2024-04-20 5:04 PM

In puzzle 12 - Counting Names, are you allowed to submit an empty grid, or is it required to have at least one word in it?

%5BQUOTE%5DLeonardo024+%2D+2024%2D04%2D20++5%3A04+PM%0D%0A%0D%0ALast+year+I+answered+with+commas+and+it+went+through%2C+so+I+did+it+again+this+year%2E+Maybe+Riad+can+confirm+whether+both+of+them+are+allowed+%F0%9F%98%8A%5B%2FQUOTE%5D%0D%0AI+think+this+is+a+question+for+the+administrators%2E

You need to enter a word and cross it with at least one other word, so as not to break the rules.

Hello Riad,
I gave my answer for problem 12 (Counting names) before your answer saying it must be a single connect crossword. My answer has three non connected groups and in each group each word intersects at least one other word. Could you confirm that it is not a valid answer ?
Another question : If in a row or a column all the cells are blackened, this row or column has the score 0 in the corresponding oval. Is this right ?

Hello Christian,
You've got three crosswords, which is unacceptable.
In an empty row or column the score is 0, this is right.

1. 638417529, 527963418.
2. A40D10E30C20B50, E50C40B10A30D20.
3. W, NE, N, -, NW, -, E, N, -. -, S, W, -, -, N, E, N.
4. 15.
5. 6, 9, 11, 16.
6. -HIA-M-SM-SH-IA-, -AH-I-SMHM--SA-I.
7. B---B-B-B-B. PP--Z----X--, NN---U-U--F-.
8. LIANE----L-Q-M-, -HUDAK-O-JIAQI.
9. 63S439S524S63127, 49782S6S3S9871.
10. 49, E/S 7645312, SW/S 2417635, NW/SW 4753261, N/E 5136724, E/SE 6324157, N/W 3271546, W/NE 1562473, 11: CH-E-S-SW-N-SW-E-SE-W-N-E-N, 11: CH-E-S-SW-N-SW-SE-W-NE-N-E-N,
10: CH-E-S-NW-SW-SE-W-NE-N-E-N, 10: CH-E-S-NW-SW-E-SE-W-N-E-N, 4: FI-SW-E-SE-N, 3: GI-S-W-W-NE.
11. 29, --2-2-3-2--2, -------1-------, 3--------------, ---------------, ---------------, -------1------2, -------1-------, ---4-4----11.
12. -21224, ----------, ----------, ----------, ----L-----, ---TIM----, ----N-----, ----------, ----------, ----------, ----------, -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/0/, -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/0/, -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/0/, -/-/-/-/1/-/-/-/-/-/1/, -/-/-/1/1/11/-/-/-/-/13/,
-/-/-/-/14/-/-/-/-/-/14/, -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/0/, -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/0/, -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/0/, -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/0, 0/0/0/1/16/11/0/0/0/0.

Hello,
No news since the end of the competition; what's going on? In any case, like every year, I really enjoyed it!
My only regret is that I ran out of time to come up with a proper solution to problem 10 - By Compass ...

For those that are new to Riad's contest, the next step is that a PDF containing all the optimiser solutions will be shared, so the community can check they're valid. I imagine the By Compass submissions might be very slow to produce.
Also the first 9 puzzles will be scored normally by LMI, there is just some test data on that page for now.

Apologies for the delay. I have lost some of the software I use for creating the images. You are right that generating images for By Compass was indeed difficult. I have just produced the the submission entries as-is. It is going to be lot of work for Riad to cross-check.

Wow+the+optimizers+are+of+such+high+quality%21+It%27s+amazing+how+witty+people+get+with+their+route+planning+in+By+Compass++and+how+much+people+can+do+with+just+a+few+numbers+in+Easy+as+Opti+%F0%9F%A4%AF+%28and+I+can%27t+even+manage+to+solve+all+of+the+right+grids+%F0%9F%98%86%29%0D%0AVery+happy+with+my+Counting+Names+submission+tho%2C+my+goal+was+to+beat+the+Tim%2DLin+combo+%F0%9F%98%89%0D%0ABig+congrats+to+all+the+great+submissions%2C+with+kiwijam+being+a+standout+%F0%9F%98%8E%0D%0AThanks+for+organizing+again+Riad+%26+co+%F0%9F%91%8F

Oops I posted a few times as the submission button seemed not to work but probably just slow internet.

Edited by Leonardo024 2024-04-23 1:46 PM