14
$\begingroup$

 Well played, Scratchy, you just took 8 shots on Hole 9 of Puzzlington Municipal Ortho-flog Course!

         As presented                         As flogged (solved) by you
 -----------------------------           ------------------------------------

                      Cup                 <pre>
                    (begin)                        7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
                       |                           6               1
                                                   5           4 3 2 1 2
                                                   4           1   3   1
   Hole 9        . . .(0)                          3           2   4 . 1(0)
                 .     .                           2           3   5     .
   3 left        .     .                           1           4   6     .
   5 down        .     .                           6 5 4 3 2 1 5   7     .
                 .     .                                           8     .
                [ ]. . o o                                        [9]. . o o
                                          </pre>

                 |      |                 SCORE = 8 shots
                Tee   Trees
               (end) (avoid)         (periods . are grid marks for reference)

 What the “ortho-flog”?   Just backwards “golf,” of course, on an orthogonal grid.  At each hole:

  • Begin at the (0) cup, end at the [ ] tee.

  • Make a path of consecutive “shots.”  The path may overlap itself but not o trees.

  • The more shots the better.  For equal shot counts, longer shots are favored.

  • Shots alternate between up-or-down (1 step = 1 line) and left-or-right (1 step = 2 character spaces), starting in any of those directions.

  • Each successive shot is longer than the last, but never longer than 9.  (In the order flogged above, shots at Hole 9 are 1 left, 2 up, 4 left, 5 down, 6 left, 7 up, 8 right, 9 down.)

  • Surround your solution with <pre> and </pre> to produce even typewriter-like spacing.

Try for the greatest total shot count over all 9 holes.  Please use , though, as this course is not meant to accommodate byte supremacism.  Here is your scorecard so far.

     ________________________________________________________________________
    |          |       |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |
    |   SCORE  |   8   |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |  8  |
    |          |_______|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|
    |          |       |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |1 2  |
    |   Shot   |       |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |4 5 6|
    |  lengths |   42  |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |7 8 9|
    |          |_______|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|
    |            Total    1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9  |
    |                                                                        |
    |If total scores are equal, the largest total of shot lengths is favored.|
    | If length totals are also equal, square each shot length and re-total. |
    |   Repeat with cubes and so on as long as those totals remain equal.    |
    |________________________________________________________________________|

    E R O F !

                                                                            .
    Hole 8                          . . . . .(0)                            .
                                    .         .                             .
    5 left                        o .         .                             .
    4 down                          .         .                             .
                                   [ ]        .                             .
                                    . . . . . .                             .
                                          o                                 .

                                                                            .
    Hole 7                            . . . .(0)                            .
                                      .       .                             .
    5 left                            . o     .                             .
    4 down                            .       .                             .
                                   [ ].       .                             .
                                      . . . . .                             .
                                              o                             .

                                            o                               .
    Hole 6                            . . . . .                             .
                                      .      (0)                            .
    5 left                            .       .                             .
    4 down                            .       .                             .
                                      .       .                             .
                                   [ ].       .                             .
                                      . . . . .                             .
                                          o                                 .

                          . . . . . o . o . o . o . . . .                   .
    Hole 5                .     o                   o   .                   .
                          .                           o .                   .
    9 left                . o   . . . . o . o . . .     .                   .
    8 down                .     .   o           o .     o                   .
                          o     . o               .     .                   .
                          .     .     . o o .     o     o                   .
                          o     o     .    (0)    .     .                   .
                          .     .     o     . o o .     o                   .
                          o     o     .                 .                   .
                          .     .     o               o .                   .
                          o     o     . . o . o . o . . .                   .
                          .     .                                           .
                          o     . o                                         .
                          .     . . . o . o . o . o . o . o . o             .
                         [ ]                                                .
                                                                            .

                                                                            .
    Hole 4              . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(0)            .
                        .                                     .             .
   19 left              .                                     .             .
    7 down              .                                     .             .
                        .                                     .             .
                        .                                     .             .
                        .                                     .             .
                       [ ]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .             .
                                                                            .

                                                  o                         .
    Hole 3                        . . . . . . . .(0)                        .
                                  .               .                         .
    8 left                        .               .                         .
    5 down                        .               .                         .
                                  .               .                         .
                                 [ ]. . . . . . . .                         .
                                                                            .

                                              o                             .
    Hole 2                        . . . . . . . . .                         .
                                  .              (0)                        .
    8 left                        .               . o                       .
    3 down                        .               .                         .
                                 [ ]. . . . . . . .                         .
                                                                            .

                                                  o                         .
    Hole 1                        o o . . . . . . .                         .
                                    .             .                         .
    1 down                          .  (0)        .                         .
                                    .  [ ]  o o   .                         .
                                  o . . . . . . . .                         .
                                    o                                       .

Any solution should begin with a summary scorecard, copied from above. As always, some analysis is expected.

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
13
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ A tee in one is only possible on Hole 1, though it would be the worst possible score $\endgroup$
    – humn
    Commented Sep 21, 2017 at 21:30
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @GarethMcCaughan Underneath the solved hole: "(periods . are grid marks for reference)" $\endgroup$
    – DqwertyC
    Commented Sep 21, 2017 at 22:31
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ At most one shot of length 9, and none is okay too, @DqwertyC, the puzzle statement has been revised. Thank you for pointing out an ambiguity. $\endgroup$
    – humn
    Commented Sep 21, 2017 at 22:45
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ When your path crosses itself, does it have to be on the same number? $\endgroup$
    – boboquack
    Commented Nov 4, 2017 at 1:11
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Doesn't have to be the same number on crossings, @boboquack, sorry about the false artifact. $\endgroup$
    – humn
    Commented Nov 4, 2017 at 1:13

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
3
+50
$\begingroup$

Warning: I have answers for everything, without spoilers blocks

After much pen-and-paper case bashing (like, 10 pages worth - I am not going to reproduce it here) this is what I came up with:

     ________________________________________________________________________
    |          |       |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |
    |   SCORE  |  60   |  1  |  5  |  8  |  8  |  2  |  8  |  9  |  9  |  8  |
    |          |_______|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|
    |          |       |1    |1   3|1 2 3|1 2  |     |1   3|1 2 3|1 2 3|1 2  |
    |   Shot   |       |     |4 5  |4 5 6|4 5 6|     |4 5 6|4 5 6|4 5 6|4 5 6|
    |  lengths |   ??  |     |  8  |7   9|7 8 9|  8 9|7 8 9|7 8 9|7 8 9|7 8 9|
    |          |_______|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|
    |            Total    1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9  |
    |                                                                        |
    |If total scores are equal, the largest total of shot lengths is favored.|
    | If length totals are also equal, square each shot length and re-total. |
    |   Repeat with cubes and so on as long as those totals remain equal.    |
    |________________________________________________________________________|

 

                                         6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7                     .
                                         5             1                     .
                                         4   2 1 2 3   2                     .
                                         3   1     1   3                     .
     Hole 8                          . . 2 . 1(0)  2   4                     .
                                     .   1     .   3   5                     .
     5 left                        o .   5 4 3 2 1 4   6                     .
     4 down                          .         .       7                     .
                                    [9]8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 8                     .
                                     . . . . . .                             .
                                           o                                 .

                                                                            .
    Hole 7                            . . . .(0)1                           .
                                      .       . 1                           .
    5 left                            . o 3 2 1 2                           .
    4 down                            .   1   .                             .
                  8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8[9].   2   .                             .
                  7                   . . 3 . .                             .
                  6             5 4 3 2 1 4   o                             .
                  5             1                                           .
                  4             2                                           .
                  3             3                                           .
                  2             4                                           .
                  1             5                                           .
                  7 6 5 4 3 2 1 6                                           .

                                    8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 7                       .
                                    1               6                       .
                                    2   4 3 2 1 3   5                       .
                                    3   1   o   2   4                       .
    Hole 6                          4 . 2 . . . 1   3                       .
                                    5 . 3    (0)1   2                       .
    5 left                          6 . 4     .     1                       .
    4 down                          7 . 5 1 2 3 4 5 6                       .
                                    8 .       .                             .
                                   [9].       .                             .
                                      . . . . .                             .
                                          o                                 .

                          . . . . . o . o . o . o . . . .                   .
    Hole 5                .     o                   o   .                   .
                          .                           o .                   .
    9 left                . o   . . . . o . o . . .     .                   .
    8 down                .     .   o           o .     o                   .
                          o     . o               .     .                   .
                          .     .     . o o .     o     o                   .
                          o     o     .    (0)    .     .                   .
                          .     .     o     1 o o .     o                   .
                          o     o     .     2           .                   .
                          .     .     o     3         o .                   .
                          o     o     . . o 4 o . o . . .                   .
                          .     .           5                               .
                          o     . o         6                               .
                          .     . . . o . o 7 o . o . o . o . o             .
                         [9]8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 8                               .
                                                                            .

                                                                            .
                                          7 6 5 4 3 2 1 6                   .
    Hole 4              . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . 5 . .(0)            .
                        .                 2             4     1 1 2         .
   19 left              .                 3             3     .   1         .
    7 down              .                 4             2     .   2         .
                        .                 5             1     .   3         .
                        .                 6             5 4 3 2 1 4         .
                        .                 7                   .             .
                       [9]8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 8 . . . . . . . . . .             .
                                                                            .

                                  7 6 5 4 3 2 1 6                           .
                                  1             5                           .
                                  2             4   2 1 2 3                 .
                                  3             3 o 1     1                 .
    Hole 3                        4 . . . . . . 2(0)1     2                 .
                                  5             1 .       3                 .
    8 left                        6             5 4 3 2 1 4                 .
    5 down                        7               .                         .
                                  8               .                         .
                                 [9]. . . . . . . .                         .
                                                                            .

                                  5 4 3 2 1 4                               .
                                  1         3                               .
                                  2         2                               .
                                  3         1 o                             .
    Hole 2                        4 . . . . 3 2 1 1                         .
                                  5              (0)                        .
    8 left                        6               . o                       .
    3 down                        7               .                         .
                                 [8]. . . . . . . .                         .
                                                                            .

                                                  o                         .
    Hole 1                        o o . . . . . . .                         .
                                    .             .                         .
    1 down                          .  (0)        .                         .
                                    .  [1]  o o   .                         .
                                  o . . . . . . . .                         .
                                    o                                       .

I believe I have proved uniqueness for most of the holes, but am not sure about that.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
3
$\begingroup$

Partial Answer

Hole 8, Score 9

                                         6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7                      .
                                         5             1                     .
                                         4   2 1 2 3   2                     .
                                         3   1     1   3                     .
     Hole 8                          . . 2 . 1(0)  2   4                     .
                                     .   1     .   3   5                     .
     5 left                        o .   5 4 3 2 1 4   6                     .
     4 down                          .         .       7                     .
                                    [9]8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 8                     .
                                     . . . . . .                             .
                                           o                                 .
LEFT | +1  -3  +5  -7  +9 | +5
DOWN |   -2  +4  -6  +8   | +4

I think this is the only possible answer for hole 8 with score 9.

Hole 7 and hole 6 are also 5 steps left and 4 steps down, but the same route is blocked by a tree. So some numbers should be skipped.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
0
2
$\begingroup$

Partial answer - Holes 7, 6 and 3

Hole 7 - score 9

                                                                            .
    Hole 7                            . . . .(0)1                           .
                                      .       . 1                           .
    5 left                            . o 3 2 1 2                           .
    4 down                            .   1   .                             .
                  8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8[9].   2   .                             .
                  7                   . . 3 . .                             .
                  6             5 4 3 2 1 4   o                             .
                  5             1
                  4             2
                  3             3
                  2             4
                  1             5
                  7 6 5 4 3 2 1 6

Hole 6 - score 8

                                    8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 7
                                    1               6
                                    2   4 3 2 1 3   5
                                    3   1   o   2   4                       .
    Hole 6                          4 . 2 . . . 1   3                       .
                                    5 . 3    (0)1   2                       .
    5 left                          6 . 4     .     1                       .
    4 down                          7 . 5 1 2 3 4 5 6                       .
                                    8 .       .                             .
                                   [9].       .                             .
                                      . . . . .                             .
                                          o                                 .

Hole 3 - score 7

                                      6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
                                      5             1
                                      4           o 2                       .
    Hole 3                        . . 3 . . . 2 1(0)3                       .
                                  .   2       1   . 4                       .
    8 left                        .   1       2   . 5                       .
    5 down                        .   4 3 2 1 3   . 6                       .
                                  .               . 7                       .
                                 [9]8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 8                       .
                                                                            .

NB: I believe these are optimal but I might have missed something.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.