Back from the Klondike

by Sam Loyd
from the heart in the center [There is no heart in the HTML implementation, just the number "3" — nsg]. Go three steps in a straight line in any one of the eight directions, north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast, or southwest. When you have gone three steps in a straight line you will reach a square with a number on it, which indicates the second day's journey, as many steps as it tells, in a straight line in any one of the eight directions. From this new point, march on again according to the number indicated, and continue on in this manner until you come upon a square with a number which will carry you just one step beyond the border, thus solving the puzzle.”

Comments

  1. As published originally, the puzzle contained 2 in one of the , which was a source of multiple alternate solutions, discovered by a computer search. As it turns out, replacing it with 1 makes the original solution given by Loyd a unique one. Loyd must have intended 1 to be there, making 2 a publishing typo.
  2. Easiest way to interpret the movement rule is: make n steps in a straight line, if you land on an exit cell (''), you win. However there are several cells, like the with 5 in it (right above lowest left 3). This cell is easy to reach and 5 steps left land you on an exit square. I do not think this is intended, and the movement rule actually means that there should not be exit squares along the way, except, possibly, the last one.

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