Downloads: ShapeShifter Solver V1.0

Shapeshifter Solver
by ShapeshifterIsMyDrug

Version 1.0

Description:
This program solves Shapeshifter puzzles, plain and simple.

How to use:
1) Using your favorite browser, surf to the Shapeshifter puzzle page, then...
Using Internet Explorer-
From the menu, select 'File->Save As...' to save the puzzle to a file.
Using Firefox-
Press ctrl-u then ctrl-s to save the puzzle to a file.
Others-
Do whatever is needed to save the html version of the puzzle page.
2) Load the saved puzzle into the Shapeshifter Solver (using the 'File' button)
3) Select the desired method of attack (Divergence checkbox)
4) Pre-place any puzzle pieces (optional)
5) Click 'Solve'
6) Once the puzzle is solved, step through the placement of the puzzle pieces with the left and right buttons
under the 'Solve' button.

Features:
You can pre-place puzzle pieces by dragging them from the bottom of the screen onto the puzzle. To remove
a pre-placed puzzle piece from the puzzle, just click on the same puzzle piece at the bottom of the screen.
Puzzle solution time is displayed in the Statistics box.
Solution progress can be displayed in the Statistics box. When enabled, progress will be displayed as a
percentage. A solution to the puzzle will be found somewhere between 0% and 100%. This is useful for
determing how fast a puzzle may take to solve. However, enabling the percentage slightly increases the
time it takes to solve a puzzle. Disable this feature for best performance.
The 'Divergence' checkbox tells the Solver how to go about solving the puzzle. Checking the box tells the
Sovler to place the puzzle pieces in
the most unlikely positons that will lead to a solution. Unchecking the box commands the Solver to pick the
most likely positions that will solve the puzzle. More often than not, a puzzle solution is found quicker by trying
to not solve the puzzle.

Suggestions:
If you have at least a dual core computer, you can run two copies of the Solver. Configure one with
'Divergence' checked and one with 'Divergence' unchecked. Then see which one finds the quickest solution!
On the bigger base 2 puzzles (41-45 and 51), uncheck 'Divergence' and try pre-placing a few of the big puzzle
pieces. You can usually find a solution in just a few seconds.
Some of the harder Shapeshifter levels are even hard for this program. In particular levels 48-50, 53-54,
63-64, 73-75, 84-85 and 100 can take a very long time to solve. Run two Solvers, one with and one without
'Divergence' checked. Watch the solution percentage. If it is not making measureable progress after a few
minutes, give up and get a new puzzle. Some puzzles are just easier to solve than others.

History
1.0 Inital public release