Lines

I love simple and beautiful puzzle games, and this one is my favourite at the moment.

Lines by Leo de Sol Apps

In Lines for Android, you must race to 'flood-fill' more of the screen than the computer. The gameplay involves selecting a point on the line for your coloured paint to start filling. The colours then race each other as they run down the lines with apparent minimal viscosity. If you have filled more of the screen than the computer, then you win, and you get 'medals' with which you will be the envy of your friends.

When coloured paint collides there is a piano stab sound effect which adds to the game's ambience. Not only is this puzzle a great way to challenge your brain, but it is beautiful as well. It is what would happen if the gods of geometry had a race. Ok, I don't think that mathematics has gods, but if they did...

There are multiple modes of play which get unlocked as you defeat different levels. The main mode of play involves choosing one or more points on the line to start from. In 'Eraser' mode, you get to remove one or more of your opponents starting points, you meanie! In 'Rope' mode you have to add one or more of your own lines to create short-cuts in your race against the opponent. In 'knife' mode you must cut the rope next to your opponent to strategically and dastardly stop him from filling your own region of the map. I haven't unlocked any more than that, however, there is also a 'paint' mode, and a 'mixed' mode which presumably requires you to do combinations of the other skills, such as cutting ropes as well as adding new lines.

There is a daily challenge to keep you entertained for longer, as well as a series of challenges for the dedicated Line player to test themselves against.

This simple but fun and beautiful game does have a few drawbacks. Some of the levels are rather easy to complete, but then again, I have only just started playing so maybe the challenge ramps up later. Secondly, the advertisements do come fairly thick and fast, which I know many people find annoying.

Overall, a great game to help keep your brain ticking over: +1 Geek Experience Point for Leo de Sol Apps.

If you haven't already left this page in a huff, then you might be interested in some other posts tagged with the word 'puzzle', or something completely different.

Where is the corner of an apple?

I always say that if you want to get good at programming then you should solve puzzles, or play with Lego, or solve the sudoko, or watch the Crystal Maze, or carve a pumpkin, or do something else that makes you think through a problem.  It was for this reason that one of my students gave me an early Christmas present of a 44 piece 3D jigsaw today.

Or maybe it was because he knows how much I love Apple computers - NOT.

The puzzle straight out of the box.

With a traditional jigsaw, you start by finding the corners and then the edges and then work inwards.  I decided to use the same strategy here.  Now, where is the corner of an apple?

Here I am slowly building the Apple in two halves.  I didn't bother to read the instructions.

One hour later - the finished product - and as the box reads: "It is very interesting, challenging to one's mind. Also you can enjoy to display them in your room as a beautiful object." (sic)

Many thanks to Jake for the thoughtful gift.  You can follow Jake's new blog over on his wordpress site.

+1 Geek Experience points awarded to Jake and separately to www.kinato.com

If you are still awake, then you might like to read these other posts:

Castle Grim
The adventures of Wordsworth Spellunker
Lego advent calendar (2014)

Cool things found on The Web today

(or, how I spent my weekend)

Rock-Paper-Scissors

This version of the game Rock-Paper-Scissors (or 'Paper-Scissors-Stone' in my day), is a demonstration of basic artificial intelligence.  Play against a computer opponent who uses the last 200,000 rounds of experience against you.  There are two modes of play: 'Novice' learns from your own tendencies, where 'Veteran' builds knowledge based on thousands of games against people all over the world.  Good luck!

Earth and Moon Viewer

This site from John Walker allows you to view the Earth from Space, or how it looks right now.  You can view from any latitude or longitude; from any preset city; comprehensive list of satellites, or from the sun or moon.  Comprehensive weather data can be superimposed onto the image.  In addition to viewing the earth, you can also view the moon (as the name of the site might suggest).

Morse Code Machine

A simple morse code generator from boyslife.org.  Hit the buttons to generate the morse pattern or play a game to test your morse knowledge. .-.. --- .-..

Questionaut

Questionaut is a beautiful learning game from BBC bitesize games.  Suitable for 7 to 11 year olds, the aim of questionaut is to guide your very cute avatar through a series of animated puzzles.  The first level requires you to build a hot-air balloon so that you can travel up to each new level.  On each level, by interacting with the characters in the various strange worlds you will encounter, you must earn more 'fuel' for your balloon by answer questions correctly.  Once five questions are answered, you can carry on your way.

Curvy in HTML5

A frustrating puzzle that seems simple enough.  Rotate the hexagons to form continuous paths from one to the next.  Just when you think you are doing well, you discover that one path no longer works and the whole pattern needs rearranging.  Various levels of play allow you to create more and more challenging puzzles to fit your needs.

Th...th....th...that's all folks (until next time...)

New version of Spellunker

I am delighted to announce that the new version of my spelling game Spellunker - the adventures of Wordsworth Spellunker - now features even more artwork by the fantastically talented Pob.

Head over to the Downloads page.

Spellunker is a spelling game AND an adventure game.  Follow Worsdworth Spellunker as he tries to find his missing parents.  Each level requires you to defeat the obstacles by casting 'spells' from the magic letters you are provided with.  You need to score an increasing amount of points on each three-minute level in order to proceed to ever more challenging levels.

Cast a 'spell' in Spelluker to defeat each level.

Each of the thirty-or-so levels features new artwork.  Here is a small taste of what is waiting for you...

Spellunking the bridge abridged.

Richard Wightly.  This foul spirit will bamboozle you with puns unless you can Spellunk him back.

Head over to the Downloads page.

Castle Grim

Back in the early nineties, and long before I had a home computer to entertain me, I used to follow the adventures of Sir Eric the Unready and his adventures in Castle Grim to retrieve 'a stolen amulet'.  created by G Harvey, the series appeared in a leading UK broadsheet weekend newspaper (I forget which one) and each week featured a new puzzle.

Presented here are some of the Castle Grims that I have managed to keep for over twenty years.  I hope a new generation of kids can enjoy Sir Eric's adventures.

The first ever Castle Grim.

Apologies for the Tipex-TM on this one.  Thanks to Richard for providing it.