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#1: Tom O'Connell (sensei69) on Jun 29, 2013

that's a matter of opinion

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This is not controlled by an AI, but by a simple if/then. It says this because most newbie puzzles are full-color pictures, and so the vast majority of overly simple puzzles created here need more white.

IMHO the most important role of a checking motor could be that none of us may not publish multiple solutioned puzzles. That is exact question, altough "what is easy, which is boring" aren't exact ones. I don't understand when after a "unique" checking someone can give a ? sign. Why it can be? It's LOGICALLY unique, there aren't alternative (other) solutions, no one can find those (cause those aren't). What does it mean "massive" guessing?
About 15 years ago we've elaborated (in Bratislava, Slovakia) that in PBN there aren't more types of logic but only ONE PURE LOGIC.
F.e.: Edge logic is the same than two or more serial line logic steps. No difference...

Logically unique does not mean it can be solved by a human without making any mark other than a correct one. That is the definition of "moderate" or "deep lookahead" used at this website.

If you are not 100% sure that every mark you place is correct, then you have guessed. Coming back and erasing it and starting over in another place does not make it "not guessing".



As to different types of logic - it depends on definitions. Defining your terms are the very basis of logic.

The definition of line logic is to be able to place one or more pixels using the clues in only one line at a time. Edge logic cannot be done using the clues from only one line, therefore edge logic is not line logic.

The only way to say all the logic is one logic is to broaden the definition of "logic" until it is no longer useful.

Each kind of logic we use has specific ways of being used. It's important to be able to specify what kind was used when giving hints. Otherwise, it would be like telling a beginning driver to "drive" rather than teaching them *how* to drive.

but joe, it's ALL driving...if we know the car is drive-able, we just punch, pull and twist things until we get where we are going. just drive and if you have and questions or trouble just "drive better".

I've had teachers like that...

Guessing can be part of a logical solution method - guess something, keep going, if you hit a contradiction, backtrack. Arguably, there isn't any other way to solve these puzzles - "this can't be white because if it was...". That doesn't mean that all puzzles are the same. I think it makes a difference how far you have to go beyond the guess before you find a contradiction. We allow all puzzles here, but we distinguish those that are line solvable (very little look-ahead), those that require slightly more complex reasoning (moderate look-ahead) and those that require more. None of these categories is banned, but some people may prefer to avoid puzzles in some categories.

Thomas, for example, wants to avoid puzzles with multiple solutions. Fine with me. They are all marked for him. There is even a setting you can set that makes them appear to disappear from the site. But lots of other people like at least some of them. If he doesn't like the solvability categorization, he is free to ignore it. I don't see why he wants to argue with it.

If I recall correctly, the checker marks a puzzle "trivial" if it can be solved without looking at any row or column twice. The web site offers some advice to people who create trivial puzzles, which, as Thomas pointed out, does not apply to all trivial puzzles. I suppose I could try to make it more clever about offering appropriate advice, but it doesn't seem like a very high priority.

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