随风而逝 & laizhufu - Dragon Totem

A few days ago, "laizhufu" posted in the Chinese forum MF8 this fantastic "Dragon Totem" (the Dragon is formed by the inner walls: a placed box is the eye...). 

The Dragon is the mythological animal more emblematic of China. Moreover, according to the Chinese Zodiac calendar, 2012 is the Year of the Dragon, which will run from February 4, 2012 to February 9, 2013.

I have struggled to solve it (the great difficulty is at the bottom left!...), but it is a very interesting and original puzzle. My optimized result (moves/pushes): 1699/544.

Enjoy!

      ############     
     ##          ##    
    ## .$.$.$.$.$ ##   
   ## .$.#.#.$.#.$  #  
  #  .$.*### .$# .$ ## 
 ## .$.######$ ## .$ ##
## .$.$.#  ## $ ## .$ ##
# .$.$.$. ###  $ ## .$ #
#.$.$.$ ####  $ $# # . #
#$.$.$ #  #  $ $  # #$ #
#.#.$ #  #  $ $ $ # #. #
# ##.## #  $ $    # #$ #
#. # #  # $ $ #### # . #
#$.$ #  #  $ ##   ##.$ #
#.$.$#   #   #  ## .$. #
# .$.##  ##### ## .$.$ #
## .$.##      ## .$.$ ##
 ## .$.####### #+$.$ ##
  ## .##  $.#. ##.$  # 
   #  .$.$.##$##.$ ##  
    ## .$.$.$.$.$ ##   
     ##           #    
      #############    
 
Author: 随风而逝 (Gone with the Wind) + laizhufu
Title: 龙图腾 (Dragon Totem)
Date: 2012.11.29
URL: bbs.mf8-china.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=92715&extra=page%3D1&page=20

 

随风而逝 - Shen Monkey

       #######      ###
      #       #     # #
     #  ## ##  #### # #
    #  #     #     ## #
####  # * * * ####  # 
#@ # #  .*$*.  #  # ##
# *  #  * * *  ## #* #
## ### * * * * #  #. #
 #   #   * *   ####  #
 ###  # *$ $* #    $ #
   ##  #     #  ### *#
    #   ##*##  ##### #
    # #   $   #   #  #
    # ###   ###     ##
   ## * ###.#  *** ## 
  #   *    .  *  *  # 
  #  * *  ## * * ** # 
  # *   *  #**  *   # 
  # **.** ## # * * #  
  # *   *  # #* * #   
  #  * *  ## #   #    
  # $ *    # # *##    
   ## * #### #  # #   
    ##         #   #  
     ##########       
      ##    ##        

Author: 随风而逝
Title: 睿斗推箱子58关-申猴 (Level 58 Shen Monkey)
Date: 2012.11.6
URL: bbs.mf8-china.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=92715&extra=page%3D1&page=14

申猴 (Shen Monkey)

A few days ago, "laizhufu" post in the Forum MF8 a fantastic "Yin Tiger" (see here: Yin Tiger). Now, 随风而逝 ("Gone with the Wind") has posted an interesting "Shen Monkey". Little by little the Chinese Zodiac with their 12 animals is being completed: several have already been posted.

At the bottom of the Monkey, boxes (and walls) are two Chinese characters 申猴 ("Shen Monkey"). Yang Chao sent me a detailed explanation:

In fact, there are two Chinese characters at the bottom.
The left one is "Shen" 申
The right one is "monkey" 猴
The characters include boxes and walls.

Enjoy!

随风而逝 (SokoWind)

随风而逝 (SokoWind) sent me by email his collection of 47 levels. These are the levels that SokoWind has been built so far, but probably in the future be added other new levels to the collection.

You can download this 47 levels here:

• SokoWind_47

In the Chinese forum MF8 have been posted several excellent remodels of some puzzles of SokoWind. In the file "Riddle_Sokoban_47_arrangements" I have collected some (not all) of these remodels. Enjoy!

gyjgw - "knots of boxes"

    ###### #####
 ####  # ### # #
 #  #### # #####
 #          * #
## **** # # # #
#     *## # # #
#**** * @** # #
#    * *#     #
# * * * ##*$#####
# ***  **       #
#   * **  **  * #
#*  * * *  ** * #
# ** **  **  ** #
#   ** * * *   ##
# ** # * *  * ##
#  * # .*** ###
##   #      #
 ############

Author: 随风而逝 + gyjgw
Title: 《睿斗推箱子》45关：纪念918 (Level 45: Commemoration of 918) a
Date: 2012.9.19
URL: bbs.mf8-china.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=37579&extra=page%3D1&page=99

The most important element of a puzzle is the structure. The structure is formed by the exterior and interior walls of the puzzle. However, observed that the boxes can work as a special kind of "walls", i.e. as "mobile walls" (which become "fixed" walls once placed permanently in the goals).

This is a simple example of puzzle which the boxes operate as "mobile walls" (David Holland described this type of structures such as "dynamic topology": see "The two styles of Sokoban"):

########
#  #   #
# *  . #
# * *  #
# ** ###
# * *  #
# *$ * #
# @ #  #
########

Author: Jordi Domenech
Title: Magic Sokoban 1 #95 K

This peculiar property of the boxes allows the creation of puzzles with internal structure consisting of authentic "knots of boxes", which give rise to puzzles of great difficulty. In the Chinese forum MF8 are very appreciated this kind of puzzles, and of course "gyigw" is an expert one: a good example is this nightmare of "knot of boxes" (Level 45 a) that I only recommend to experienced players.

Top 10 remodels, January-July 2012

Throughout this year 2012, in the Chinese forum MF8 have posted some excellent remodels. I have selected 10, which I think are the most beautiful. All 10 remodels are *very difficult*, and are only recommended for experienced and advanced players.

In each remodel, I provide the best results for now (by moves and by pushes). If you can improve any of the results, please send me it by email.

You can download the all 10 remodels here:
 

• Top 10 remodels, January-July 2012

Author: Herbert Kyrian + gyjgw + zhenying + stopheart
Title: #7 re d
Date: 2012.1.14
URL: bbs.mf8-china.com/viewthread.php?tid=37579&extra=page%3D1&page=66
 

Best results:
by moves 1630/384
by pushes 1670/378

Author: David W. Skinner + unknown + stopheart
Title: Sasquatch VIII #37
Date: 2012.1.24
URL: bbs.mf8-china.com/viewthread.php?tid=37579&extra=page%3D1&page=67
 

Best results:  
by moves 919/174 
by pushes 967/162

Author: Hidemitsu Kobayashi + York Shen + stopheart + Tian Lang
Title: Sokoban Revenge #134 c
Date: 2012.2.20
URL: bbs.mf8-china.com/viewthread.php?tid=37579&extra=page%3D1&page=69
 

Best results:  
by moves 943/250 
by pushes 1055/228

Author: Eric F Tchong + stopheart + anian
Title: Arubian rattlesnake eric var 2x(a)
Date: 2012.3.4
URL: bbs.mf8-china.com/viewthread.php?tid=37579&extra=page%3D1&page=71
 

Best results:  
by moves 1155/256 
by pushes 1345/228

Author: anian + Jordi Doménech + zhenying
Title: Sokoban 30th anniversary 1982-2012
Date: 2012.3.28
URL: blog.163.com/changkai_8428/blog/static/7745191820123643317569/
 

Best results:  
by moves 520/184 
by pushes 548/172

Author: chzhy + gyjgw + lzy
Title: 年年有鱼 (b)
Date: 2012.5.22
URL: bbs.mf8-china.com/viewthread.php?tid=89549&extra=page%3D1&page=3
 

Best results:  
by moves 440/132 
by pushes 476/122

Author: gyjgw + Tian Lang
Title: 20051109g4
Date: 2012.7.8
URL: bbs.mf8-china.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=90724&extra=page%3D1&page=11
 

Best results:  
by moves 1304/213 
by pushes 1536/177

Author: 随风而逝 + stopheart + gyjgw
Title: 睿斗推箱子第二十六关 (e)
Date: 2012.7.18
URL: bbs.mf8-china.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=37579&extra=page%3D1&page=84
 

Best results:  
by moves 597/165 
by pushes 671/135

Author: 随风而逝 + gyjgw + stopheart + anian
Title: 睿斗推箱子第三十一关(A面B面) b2
Date: 2012.7.19
URL: bbs.mf8-china.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=37579&extra=page%3D1&page=85
 

Best results:  
by moves 478/111 
by pushes 526/105

Author: 随风而逝 + anian + stopheart + Tian Lang + gyjgw
Title: 睿斗推箱子第二十九关(混乱越狱) j
Date: 2012.7.25
URL: bbs.mf8-china.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=90724&extra=page%3D1&page=14
 

Best results:  
by moves 2393/419 
by pushes 2561/383