The Grey Labyrinth is a collection of puzzles, riddles, mind games, paradoxes and other intellectually challenging diversions. Related topics: puzzle games, logic puzzles, lateral thinking puzzles, philosophy, mind benders, brain teasers, word problems, conundrums, 3d puzzles, spatial reasoning, intelligence tests, mathematical diversions, paradoxes, physics problems, reasoning, math, science.

MatthewV · Daedalian Member :_

Foggy · In the clouds

I think eswneswnwsenwsenwnenw might be the fastest path

Tony Gardner · Daedalian Member

I've got (so far) enws.wsen.wnen.w (periods added to make it easier to follow) as the quickest way

Tony Gardner · Daedalian Member

Actually, I'm pretty sure that's the quickest way. It is quickly seen that e is the only possible first step. Furthermore, with some more work, the ending of the sequence can be traced back as far as enwn.enw, coming off the horizontal wall in row 13, column 9. There appears to be no quicker way to connect those points than the one I mentioned in my previous post. So, my solution:

enws.wsen.wnen.w (13 moves)

El Camino · Daedalian Member

I get enws.wsen.wnen.wn (13 moves).

The image can be seen at http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/elcaminogl/detail?.dir=/3103&.dnm=fd44.jpg&.src=ph

edited to add image and to note that I have the same answer as Tony Gardner

Hand-E-Food · Icarian Member

Agreed. That's the only way I can find without doubling back.

MatthewV · Daedalian Member :_

There is a longer route also. Actually, there was supposed to be one more wall that didn't get copied down.

I challenge people to show where that wall could be and why the correct solution above is not what was intended.

Tony Gardner · Daedalian Member

Well, the solution given by Foggy in his post is of course also correct. Is this the longer route you refer to, Matthew? In that case, the missing wall could for instance be the south wall in row 2, column 12. A wall there would prohibit the 4th move of my solution.

However, if you say, 'I challenge people to show why this wasn't the intended solution', I'm thinking you're suggesting the intended path shows some marvelous characteristic, like spelling GL or something. For that, I'll need some more time Extreme Delectation

kevinatilusa* · Guest

If you enjoy this sort of thing, you might want to try the daily puzzles at www.ricochetrobot.com.

The mazes are less complicated in structure and there are four moving pieces instead of one, but the concept (move piece A to location B by bouncing off obstacles in as few moves as possible) is the same.

Tony Gardner · Daedalian Member

Nice kevinatilusa! The other robots are a particularly nice addition, adding the option of bouncing off them.

Zotmeister · Daedalian Member