BUILDING FUTOSHIKI PUZZLES

FUTOSHIKI puzzles are built on square grids of typically 5x5 cells (although puzzles having sizes in the range 4x4 up to 8x8 can also be made). To solve them you must place numbers into the puzzle cells in such a way that each row and column contains each of the digits less than the size of the puzzle. In this respect they are similar to Sudoku puzzles. To give the solver a start, there will normally be several numbers already in the puzzle.

In addition, a few pairs of adjacent cells will have < and > symbols inserted between them to indicate the relative sizes of the numbers within those cells.
Menu Functions
  • File Menu
    • Load a Puzzle
      Use this option to choose your puzzle from the pool of FUTOSHIKI puzzles currently available on your computer.

    • Save
      If you have done some manual editing of the puzzle, this option will save those changes under the existing file name.

    • 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 futoshiki folder along with all of the Futoshiki 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.

    • Test Puzzle Validity
      If you wish to build your FUTOSHIKI puzzles manually, you can do so by typing digits directly into the puzzle. The < and > symbols can be entered by issuing a mouse click when the mouse cursor is pointing to the space between a pair of adjacent cells. You would normally only adopt this strategy if you were wanting to enter an existing puzzle...possibly one which you found published in a magazine or puzzle book. Clicking the Test Puzzle Validity button will tell you the status of your design:-

      • If there is a single unique solution to the puzzle you have entered, the puzzle will be saved automatically, and you will receive a message telling you where it was saved.

      • Otherwise you will receive a message box telling you that The current puzzle is invalid.

  • 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 FUTOSHIKI 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 FUTOSHIKI puzzles from your file system.

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