SOLVING A TATAMI PUZZLE

A TATAMI puzzle consists of a square grid which has been covered with rectangular tiles which are either 3, 4 or 5 cells in area. Any given puzzle will be fully covered using tiles of only one of these sizes. To solve such a puzzle, the solver must place numbers from 1 up to the numerical size of the tile into the puzzle cells so that the following three rules are met:-
  • The numbers within a tile must all be different.
  • Horizontally or Vertically adjacent puzzle cells must not contain the same number.
  • Each row and column of the puzzle must contain the same number of appearances of each number.
Some of the puzzle cells will have a number already inserted to get you started.

Solving a TATAMI puzzle is controlled by means of a cursor cell which can be moved around the puzzle using the arrow buttons, or by clicking with the mouse. Any legal digit typed on the keyboard will be placed into the cursor cell. You can also complete the solution by removing candidate numbers from the cells by pointing and clicking with the mouse. When the last one is removed from a cell, it becomes the solution for that cell.

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

    • Quit Solving
      Returns you to either the TATAMI Build screen or the Magnum Opus opening screen.

  • 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.

    • Toggle Assist Mode
      If you prefer to solve these puzzles without the assistance of the candidate symbols, they can be turned on and off using this option.

  • Tasks Menu
    • Reveal Errors
      If you think you may have made errors, this option will show you where they are by highlighting them for a period of 1.5 seconds.

    • Reveal Solution
      The entire solution can be seen by selecting this option.

    • Begin Again
      You can restart the entire solution process at any time by selecting this option.

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