ZIP puzzle help
download ZIP program
The ZIP puzzle was introduced by Linked-In who daily provides a new puzzle.
Below is shown a ZIP puzzle: left in the original- , right in the solved state.
The goal is to draw a path starting at the cell with number 1 which runs
through all cells and passes the numbered cells in sequential order.
Some cells may have solid borders prohibiting a path to their neighbour cell.

This article describes my zip program which provides:
    - storage and retrieval of zip puzzles
    - drawing a path by hand, searching for a solution

    - solving zip puzzles

This is what the program looks:



Top menu buttons:
    - open : open puzzle from disk.
    - save : save a puzzel to disc.
    - new : modify number of columns/rows, enter numbers and borders.
    - play : draw path or let computer solve the puzzle.
    - help : opens this page.
Right edge buttons:
    - horizontal and vertical dimension selection (new mode).
    - clear : remove old puzzle including borders and numbers (new mode).
    - precheck : when entering play mode check for insolvable puzzle.
    - original : remove solution (play mode).
    - solve : have computer solve the puzzle (play mode).
    - stop : end computer search (play mode).
    - clock indicator : rotates during very long computer searches.
    - button1 : for debug purposes. Removed in final version.

Entering a new game

Press new button.
Select number of columns and rows.
Left Mouseclick in middle of cell to place first number (1)
Left Mouseclick on cell to place next number (2)…..etc.
A right mouseclick removes the cell number.
A left mouseclick places the first unused number.
Leftmousedown and mousemove on edge of a cell places a border.
Rightmousedown and mousemove over edges removes borders.

Solving a ZIP puzzle

Press play button.
MouseDown on middle of cell with number 1.
Hold mousebutton down while moving over the centers of cells to draw the path.
Move backward to remove old path.
When reaching the last cell, release mouse button.
A check for a solution is now performed.

Extra

When the mousebutton is released while drawing a path the puzzle may not be solved.
A new mousedown on a cell center truncates the path from that cell.
The path may now be extended from the selected cell.

Opening or saving a ZIP puzzle

The zip files do not have an extension.
Instead, a zip file is automatically prefixed by Z_

Installation of the ZIP program

There is no installation procedure.
Simply copy the zip.exe file to a folder of choice.

Enjoy !

Need some ZIP puzzles to exercise? Click [here]

Interested in the ZIP program code?
Click [here] for the source code and a description.