BUILDING TATAMI PUZZLES

About TATAMI puzzles.
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.


Menu Functions
  • File Menu
    • Load a Puzzle
      Use this option to choose your puzzle from the pool of TATAMI 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 tatami folder along with all of the Tatami 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 TATAMI 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 TATAMI puzzles from your file system.

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