Simple solver for Vexed levels.

Usage

./b-vexed-solv.pl Levels-Android/classic_levels.txt 5

Solves the 5th level of the Android classic levels.

The output is a graphical representation of the board for each step - in reverse order from the solution to the start.

Description

Solving is done by a simple brute-force search over all moves. For performance reasons some branches are pruned when the level is deemed unsolvable at this point. These cases are:

• single stone of a color left
• last two stones of the same color on the "lowest" floor can't reach each other
  • at least one wall inbetween
  • non-removable stone inbetween

Input format

The solver accepts levels in both Palm and Android format.

Palm format

[Level]
board=10/10/10/5~d~a1/1h~1~~1~2/2~1~2~2/1h~d~d1a2/10
solution=IdbEGdFe
title=Kahlua

Each level is a ini-style block with a heading of [Level]

• The board= line defines the level
  • Each line of the level is delimited by /.
  • ~ is a free space.
  • Letters a-z represent a colored stone.
  • Numbers 1-10are expanded to an equivalent amount of wall pieces.
• The solution= line defines a precomputed solution (see also #1)
  • Each two-character pair indicates which position on the board should be moved (column first, then row).
  • If the first letter is upper case, it's a move left, if the second letter is uppercase it's a move right.
  • Counting starts in the upper left corner of the level.
  • the length of the solution defines the "par" score.
• The title= line sets the level name

Android format

Albuquerque;......../.hf...e./.eab..fh/.XXX..XX/.Xc....X/..b.a.c.;19

three fields separated by ;

• Field 1 is the level name
• Field 2 is the level
  • Each line of the level is delimited by /.
  • . is a free space.
  • Letters a-z represent a colored stone.
  • X is a wall.
• Field 3 is the 'par' score.

Sources

Files in Levels-Palm are copied from the Original Palm version on Sourceforge: http://vexed.cvs.sourceforge.net/vexed

Files in Levels-Android are copied from the free Android version net.vgart.vexedpro. Unfortunately this is no longer available on the play store. Last version can (as of this writing) be found at https://apkpure.co/vexed-pro/