BUILDING SLITHERLINK PUZZLES

Magnum Opus SLITHERLINK puzzles are normally built on a rectangular grid (although other shapes are possible). The grid is defined by an array of dots which represent the corners of the cells within the grid. Some of the cells in this grid contain a single digit number between 0 and 3 inclusive. The remaining cells are blank.

To solve such a puzzle, the solver must join selected dots with horizontal and vertical lines so that a single loop is formed which does not cross over itself. If a cell contains a number, then that number of sides of the cell must be included within the loop.

The puzzles have unique solutions, and no guessing is required to complete the solution.


To make a SlitherLink puzzle, proceed as follows:-

Menu Functions
  • File Menu
    • Load a Puzzle
      Use this option to choose your puzzle from the pool of SLITHERLINK puzzles currently available on your computer.

    • SaveAs
      This option allows you to make an exact copy of the current puzzle using a different file name. The copy will be saved in the slitherlink folder along with all of the Slitherlink puzzles you have made. Alternatively, if you don't enter a new name for the puzzle, you can change the Puzzle Description, or any of the other descriptive items without changing the puzzle name.

    • Quit Construction
      Returns you to the Magnum Opus opening screen.

  • Build Menu
    • Start a New Puzzle
      This option presents you with a dialog into which you can enter a file name for your new puzzle. You can also enter several other pieces of information such as a Puzzle Title, Author and Copyright information.

    • Build Options
      Use this option to access a Build Options dialog where you can set some rules to be followed by the puzzle building function as it builds your puzzle.

    • Start / Stop Building
      Construction of the puzzle will commence when you select the Start / Stop Building option. If puzzle building is successful you will receive a message containing the name of the puzzle file, and the location where it was saved. If it becomes necessary, you can interrupt the building process by selecting this option a second time.

  • View Menu
    • Display Options
      This leads you to a dialog box in which you can change the colors of various elements within the puzzle, and control the fonts which will be used for the puzzle's text components. You can also decide if printing of the puzzle will be done in black and white or in color.

  • Tasks Menu
    • Print this Puzzle
      This will take you to a custom print screen where you can control the details involved with printing your puzzle.

    • Solve this Puzzle
      This will take you to a Solve screen which provides a fully interactive environment for solving the puzzle.

    • Export as Applet
      This option will export a set of files which implement a fully working interactive SLITHERLINK puzzle as a Java Applet. These files can be uploaded to your web server to enable you to publish interactive puzzles in your own web pages. Read the topic  Exporting an Applet  for more details.

    • Delete this Puzzle
      Use this option to eliminate unwanted SLITHERLINK puzzles from your file system.

  • Help Menu
    • Slitherlink Help
      Displays the Help screen which you are now reading.