Puzzle board and a set of accompanying puzzle pieces and blocking pieces

Abstract

Puzzle board having regular positions forming a two-dimensional field and a set of accompanying puzzle pieces, comprising a number of spheres connected to each other in a mono-axial, biaxial-orthogonal or hexaxial pattern, wherein each position is provided with a circular opening in the puzzle board, wherein the spheres correspond to the openings in the puzzle board, and wherein it is intended as a puzzle to cover all positions with the available set of puzzle pieces wherein the puzzle board has one or more blocking grooves, wherein the blocking grooves connect the openings of multiple adjacent positions of the puzzle board, and wherein each blocking groove comprises a blocking piece, movable through the blocking groove and intended for blocking a position of the puzzle board in the blocking groove, and wherein the location of the blocking grooves on the puzzle board is determined such that the puzzle always has at least one solution for each blocking arrangement.

1 . A puzzle board and a set of accompanying puzzle pieces and blocking pieces, the puzzle board comprising regular positions forming a two-dimensional field, wherein it is intended as a puzzle to cover all positions with the set of accompanying puzzle pieces and blocking pieces, the puzzle pieces comprising a number of spheres, connected to each other in a mono-axial, biaxial-orthogonal or hexaxial pattern, wherein each position is provided with a circular opening in the puzzle board, wherein the spheres correspond to the openings in the puzzle board, wherein the puzzle board has one or more blocking grooves,
 wherein the blocking grooves connect the openings of multiple adjacent positions of the puzzle board, and   wherein each blocking groove comprises a blocking piece, movable through the blocking groove and intended for blocking a position of the puzzle board in the blocking groove, and   wherein the number and/or location of the blocking grooves on the puzzle board is determined such that the puzzle always has at least one solution for each blocking arrangement.   
     
     
         2 . The puzzle board and a set of accompanying puzzle pieces and blocking pieces according to  claim 1 , wherein the location of the blocking grooves on the puzzle board is determined by an iterative process performed based on a defined set of puzzle pieces and defined dimensions of the puzzle board. 
     
     
         3 . The puzzle board and a set of accompanying puzzle pieces and blocking pieces according to  claim 1 , wherein the puzzle board has one or more dead positions, which are not part of a blocking groove. 
     
     
         4 . The puzzle board and a set of accompanying puzzle pieces and blocking pieces according to  claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the circular openings is smaller than the diameter of the spheres in the puzzle pieces. 
     
     
         5 . The puzzle and a set of accompanying puzzle pieces and blocking pieces according to  claim 1 , wherein the spheres of mono-axial puzzle pieces are planed. 
     
     
         6 . The puzzle board and a set of accompanying puzzle pieces and blocking pieces according to  claim 1 , wherein the blocking pieces are not removable from the blocking grooves of the puzzle board. 
     
     
         7 . The puzzle board and a set of accompanying puzzle pieces and blocking pieces according to  claim 1 , wherein the blocking pieces are suitable to be pushed in by a player into an opening on a position of the puzzle board. 
     
     
         8 . The puzzle board and a set of accompanying puzzle pieces and blocking pieces according to  claim 1 , wherein the blocking pieces are suitable to be pushed by a player into an opening at a position of the puzzle board by means of an elastic deformation of the material from which the blocking piece is constructed. 
     
     
         9 . The puzzle board and a set of accompanying puzzle pieces and blocking pieces according to  claim 7 , wherein a blocking piece is composed of two discs having a diameter larger than the diameter of the openings in the puzzle board, connected at their centers by a cylinder having a diameter smaller than the width of the blocking grooves wherein the cylinder widens towards the top of the blocking piece to a diameter equal to the diameter of the openings in the puzzle board, such that the blocking piece is suitable for being pushed by a player into an opening at a position of the puzzle board. 
     
     
         10 . The puzzle board and a set of accompanying puzzle pieces and blocking pieces according to  claim 7 , wherein the blocking pieces can be pushed back out of the opening by a player from the bottom of the puzzle board. 
     
     
         11 . The puzzle board and a set of accompanying puzzle pieces and blocking pieces according to  claim 1 , wherein the width of the blocking grooves is smaller than the diameter of the openings in the puzzle board. 
     
     
         12 . The puzzle board and a set of accompanying puzzle pieces and blocking pieces according to  claim 1 , wherein the puzzle board has a lid. 
     
     
         13 . The puzzle board and a set of accompanying puzzle pieces and blocking pieces according to  claim 1 , wherein a puzzle piece consists of at least 2 and at most 5 spheres, preferably at least 3 and at most 4 spheres. 
     
     
         14 . A process for designing a puzzle board having regular positions forming a two-dimensional field, wherein it is intended as a puzzle to cover all positions of the puzzle board with a set of accompanying puzzle pieces and blocking pieces, wherein the puzzle board has one or more blocking grooves wherein the blocking grooves connect the openings of multiple adjacent positions of the puzzle board with each other, and wherein each blocking groove comprises a blocking piece, movable through the blocking groove and intended for blocking a position of the puzzle board in the blocking groove, the process comprising the following steps:
 defining the dimensions of the puzzle board;   defining a set of puzzle pieces; and,   iteratively minimizing the number of dead positions on the puzzle board with the precondition that the puzzle has at least one solution for each possible position of the blocking pieces in the blocking grooves.   
     
     
         15 . The process according to  claim 14  for designing a puzzle board and a set of accompanying puzzle pieces and blocking pieces, the puzzle board comprising regular positions forming a two-dimensional field, wherein it is intended as a puzzle to cover all position with the set of accompanying puzzle pieces and blocking pieces, the puzzle pieces comprising a number of spheres, connected to each other in a mono-axial, biaxial-orthogonal or hexaxial pattern, wherein each position is provided with a circular opening in the puzzle board, wherein the spheres correspond to the openings in the puzzle board, wherein the puzzle board has one or more blocking grooves,
 wherein the blocking grooves connect the openings of multiple adjacent positions of the puzzle board, and 
 wherein each blocking groove comprises a blocking piece, movable through the blocking groove and intended for blocking a position of the puzzle board in the blocking groove, and 
 wherein the number and/or location of the blocking grooves on the puzzle board is determined such that the puzzle always has at least one solution for each blocking arrangement.