Puzzle Description:

Zigzag logic.

#1: Joe (infrapinklizzard) on May 23, 2011 [HINT]

More fuel for the zigzag fire.

When you see a bunch of 2s that cross, you have a choice of 2x2 blocks or zigzags. If there's a 1 at the end, the chances are pretty good that it's a zigzag.

Here, you can see that no matter where you put the 1 in c3, it will extend sideways into c4 and start a zigzag. So it's just a matter of following each to its end to see if it will conflict with the clues there. If it conflicts (remember to try both directions), then mark your starting point as white and move on to the next.

Note that if it does not conflict, you can't assume that that's the correct one since we are starting by assumption, not logic. If it works, leave that spot blank and try ruling out other spots using the above method.

While most of these tests surpass the 3-step guideline, since each step is forced by the previous, there really isn't much to remember and thus fit the spirit of the "keep it in your head" rule.

I love it!

Obvious!

interesting take on the diagonal based logic

i got it first try

as did I, but only because I guessed right the first time. :-)

z is for:
zorro
zebra
zig-zag
zipper

any others people can think of?

Zero idea!

I like zigzag logic.

So I marked completely solvable by logic alone if you count zigzag logic (and the fact the title said it was a Z). I knew by the twos it had to do what it does and because it was a Z I knew for sure where to start. :)

Found to be solvable with deep lookahead by jan.

I'm not entirely sure that "deep lookahead" is the right ruling, but I think it's the best fit. It just happens to be deep lookahead that is fairly easy.

This is a bit of a definition buster puzzle, which, I suspect, is what Joe had in mind.

I like it.

Thanks, Jan. Obviously we need another category: zippy lookahead. ;)

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