How does a sudoku solver sound? Interesting? Would you participate? :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudoku
Edit : Contest started : http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=351477
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How does a sudoku solver sound? Interesting? Would you participate? :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudoku
Edit : Contest started : http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=351477
I have no idea what a sudoku solver is
no
- ØØ -
Quote:
Originally Posted by kfcSmitty
Search...;)
http://vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=343163
blasphemer! this is chit chat! I cannot do teh search!
I did put a serious tag :rolleyes:
I'd give it a shot. Although I would probably win, sorry.
You winning isn't a problem however you being the only one competing would be ;)
You should open the contest to C# coders too. What format would the number data be delivered in? I suggest a text file like this...
i would be willing to give it a try..although its highly doubtful I would even be able to complete it. It seems like a pretty tough job
Why not organise a real prize this time? Maybe a check / cheque for $2.56
(2^8 cents). :D
It wouldn't bankrupt Jupitermedia and it would draw a decently geeky crowd.
Would give it a go, just don't expect any entries as Soduku is very hard
Quote:
Originally Posted by manavo11
I was serious...;)
Well Smitty, I managed to make one in under 1 day. Seems to work with a few I tried and I'm sure I could make it better/faster, but I won't be trying :)
Wossy, I'll have to talk to other mods and see if they feel like helping with the marking in some languages. The ones that we can have for sure are VB6 and .Net, maybe Java if Note isn't too bored (:D) and hopefully more. But first we (I) want to see if there is any interest in this or maybe we should try something different (since the last few contests tanked). Also, that's a good idea to give some sudokus for testing ;)
Note, I was talking to smitty that didn't want to search ;)
Valleysboy1978, I personally don't find it that hard, but then again I'm a genius :afrog: It seems that sudoku it gaining popularity rapidly so that's mailny where I'm resting my hopes to get a few entries...
Quote:
Originally Posted by manavo11
I am far away from bored...if I had the time I would compete my self...but beeing a judge will probably take even more time. Depens on what criterias they are going to be judged after...
PS: When you say .NET, do you mean that C# and VB.NET are competing against each other?
Quote:
Originally Posted by manavo11
You should be more carefull when you write...If you can't make me understand, you can't make one of those greak girls to understand..;)
The last few contests only tanked because they weren't great candidates for contests. The first (primes) contest was all about algorithms (like this sudoku one is) and that was a big hit. This should be a good contest. If you haven't already done so, post in the VB6/vb.net and C# forums about this.
Oh well, we'll see if we do go through with this...Quote:
Originally Posted by NoteMe
PS I haven't thought that through, why do you ask?
But you are stupid, they aren't :ehh: :DQuote:
Originally Posted by NoteMe
I haven't, I've just posted here so far since there is the most traffic... I was going to post in the Contests forum but no one would notice :( I'll still have to talk to Pino and see how we'll do this but it looks like this has the most interest.Quote:
Originally Posted by wossname
It depends on the difficulty of the game. I always try the Times (online) as they are reputed to be the most diffiicultQuote:
Originally Posted by manavo11
I asked since you said VB and .NET, and .NET usualy implies a language that writes 100% managed code..:)..and C# and VB.NET both do.Quote:
Originally Posted by manavo11
wossy, have you compared the speed yet? I bet even the compiler you are using counts these days? Or what?
:(Quote:
Originally Posted by manavo11
I was thinking of VB.Net, but maybe we'll have C#. We'll see if we go through with this or not...
If anyone is crazy enough to code it in PHP or Delphi then I don't mind marking it. ;)
BTW Manavo, you can stick this thread where the sun don't shine, that would be at the top of the Chit Chat forum :D
Then try some easier ones :D If you're trying the hard ones I guess you know how to solve them so you could make a program, right? You'll participate? :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Valleysboy1978
I haven't compared the relative speeds of VB.Net and C# but I doubt there's much difference unless you use unsafe code in C#, then C# would just edge forward a bit.
I don't think we should let VB.net compete against C# because its difficult to gauge one language agains another without writing a full program and then porting it line for line into the other language. I for one, can't be bothered with that. Better to have a separate category for C#
Good, so we can add more languages :afrog:Quote:
Originally Posted by visualAd
You already stick it I see, good idea :lol:
Theoretically a computer should be able to solve any sudoku regardless of perceived difficulty it might take a few more iterations or recursions or whatever but I think the amount of time between a hard puzzle and an easy one should be small.
It would be very interesting to see the different approaches that people take to this problem. Maybe we could ask the top 3 people from each category to write a brief description of how their code works, or include it in the //comments.
I'm confused. You mean compare VB.Net with C# and have 1 winner from both? I was thinking seperately for each language, not mixed up...Quote:
Originally Posted by wossname
Boy you really seem to like the idea ;) Hopefully we'll get some more people expressing their interest in the contest and we can run it :)Quote:
Originally Posted by wossname
I don't think Sudoku would be an 'algorithmic' contest like the prime numbers one was, but it is an interesting one nevertheless. Of course, there are levels of difficulties, and you have to keep in mind that this would be a generic sudoku solver. In other words, any sudoku puzzle could be solved with this program.
My doubts are something along these lines: A lot of the solving that we do in sudoku is based upon deduction and some techniques (such as matching the numbers required in a line with those required in a 3*3 box). To what extent can we go?
This sounds difficult to me (at least for now) but very interesting.
Then again it could be algorithmic, that is how we humans work, don't we?
I think its algorithmic because the constraints are so simple and can all be entirely represented in a computer. Its a matter of how well we can represent them. I'd appreciate a fairly long time limit on this contest because I'm really busy, but i want to have a go at this. How about 3 or 4 weeks?
A contest sounds fun. I have allready made a simple solver in VB6, posted in the games forum.
Guess I have to start reading about the different strategies for solving sudoku :bigyello:
I think it sounds like a great idea. Especially if a lot of people get into it.
I'm definitly in, but I know I have no chance of winning just because I would barely be able to make it function and I wouldn't have much of an idea of how to make it fast. But I'll participate either way.
Agreed... same here, might need a little more time than the prime numbers contest did.Quote:
Originally Posted by wossname
I'll have a go but yes the long time limit would be good.
I PM'd Pino last week about this but so far he hasn't replied.
Maybe he just doesn't like me :cry:
Who can blame him :DQuote:
Originally Posted by agmorgan
Im in.
Hardly a hard contest, try something harder tbh
You're too scared to try it aren't you?Quote:
Originally Posted by chenko
Alright, I'm happy so far with the interest so as soon as I get a hold of Pino I guess we'll start it up :)
Thanks :)
Im in for the C# part if any one will look at i?
Yeah, there should be separate sections for VB6, VB.NET, C# and for NoteMe & CornedBee, Java. Maybe J# for some of the lurkers on the forums ;)
What? Am I in my own section...or in a section with CornedBee? I don't get it...why can't I be in the C# section...:(...or the I don't care section..:(
"Look at" what?Quote:
Originally Posted by john tindell
Quote:
Originally Posted by mendhak
Look at "i"...so since he said it I guess he ment "me", so that means him. Someone should look at John T...I hope you will volunteer Mendhak...
I've been looking at him for years now, he hasn't done a damn thing!
I stopped looking at him when he started to smell...:(
I dont know yet i havent seen it. :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by mendhak
If you haven't seen it then you've gone too far, turn around.
So much for the serious title.
I hope this starts soon. I'm excited just to know the rules so I can get started.
Its too late Ive already put my shoes on.Quote:
Originally Posted by wossname
Is there any progress on this contest?
We're working on it. Should be up in the next couple of days :)
Great to hear :)
The languages will be VB 6, VB.NET, C# since you have asked to include more than just VB. Anyone want something different/more? :)
I have just started my new job so doubt I'll have time to enter as well. But if there are any PHP entries I can mark them too.
Thanks :thumb:
Nice avatar manavo,
How long until more details are in?
Contests are all well and good, but perhaps we could also start up some quarterly, mano on mano tournaments?
Battleship, squares, Checkers, Chinese checkers, poker, pong...{pong...don't ask me how, but with some constraints on movements, I'm sure we could make it strategic}
We can create programs to directly compete against each other, as "controlled" by specific triggers per specs passed down from the judges, as has been already done in the contests so far.
AND, with a little effort, perhaps animations of the individual competitions could be generated.
3 tournies a year, plus a yearly olympics.
:wave:
Sounds great, try posting it in Contest forum where the people in charge of that stuff can see it.