C# program for solving puzzle needed

Question

Hello I'm searching for a program that can solve me a tetris-like puzzle game. U certainly know this type of game where u have a screen filled with tiles of different colors and when u click one tile it and the adjacent tiles of the same color disappear. The goal is to clear the screen. What I need is a program (or a hint how to code it) that solves a specific set of tiles (in particular a 16x10 matrix u could say with 5 different colors) and then shows the solution to it that means which tiles u have to click. The rules are that same-colored tiles horizontally and vertically disappear diagonal is not considered. u can click anywhere tiles on top of the disappeared fall down if a column is cleared the remaining columns move together so clearing the gap. Does anyone know if such a program exists or did anybody write something similar? Any help is highly appreciated. Thanks

Mykonine · Answer

If you can think of a way to iterate through all possible and valid clicks in a countable manner a backtracking algorithm should solve this nicely.

alobiuc · Answer

Indeed it's obvious you need a 2-dimensional array for the tiles. I would suggest using an puzzle-solving algorithm (like the ones that solve the chess queens' problem: given 8 chess queens on a 8x8 grid place all of the queens so that they won't attack each other; or the Hanoi towers problem). I think even basic algorithms like Divide-et-impera or the backpack algorithm could solve the problem. For more info on these algorithms just google. And yes programs like this exists and are highly appreciated by the puzzle gamers. As examples (no commercial intention): JewelQuest PuzzleInlay etc. Yet I don't know where could you get the source code. Good luck.

bilnaad · Answer

I made a little sample for you. If you mail me I can send it to you. It solves the problem of my previous post.

bilnaad · Answer

Maybe I know something to solve finding it's neighbours. I suggest you have an two dimensional array wich holds the blocks. When the blocks are placed. They compare the color or whatever with it's neighbours. When they are the same both blocks store it's neighbour in the array. When a click accures on a block The clicked block calls a Find() method on themselves and the neightbours.