Message #87

From: Jay Berkenbilt <ejb@ql.org>
Subject: first solution of 2^4
Date: Fri, 02 Jul 2004 20:43:30 -0400

I realized the other day that I had a way out of being number 2 (the
second solver with macros, the second solver without macros, the
second solver of 4^4): I could be the first person to solve the 2^4
version of the puzzle. Upon realizing this, I couldn’t resist, so I
spent a few hours and solved the 2^4 for the first time.

My solution isn’t particularly elegant or short (588 twists), but it
was done with no macros and without writing down intermediate steps,
and it was done without the aid of anyone else’s solution (as was also
true with my 3^4 and 4^4 solutions). I’m attaching my log file which,
for now, can only be viewed with the UNIX version. One of the reasons
that my solution was so long was that I used the same rather long
sequence repeatedly to get all the green corner pieces properly
oriented once they were all in the right place. Since shortest can
always be usurped but first never can be, I decided to focus my energy
on getting the puzzle solved first rather than on having the solution
be short and elegant. :-)

Melinda, hopefully you’ll get a chance to update the hall of fame with
this (no hurry!). I think this is more worthy of an entry than my
only other first (and only?): solving the 3^4 both with and without
macros. (I don’t consider that to be very important because I believe
that there aren’t any fundamental differences between using macros and
not using macros.)

This is the first time I’ve really played with MC4D for a while. It
was fun to get back to it. It is really a great piece of work.

–
Jay Berkenbilt <ejb@ql.org>
http://www.ql.org/q/