Atsumari facts for kids
Atsumari (pronounced "ah-tsoo-mah-ree") is a cool logic puzzle. Its name comes from a Japanese word meaning "collection" or "cluster." It was first made by Quadratic Games for the iPhone.
You play Atsumari on a board made of hexagon shapes. Think of it like a honeycomb! Most boards are rectangle-shaped, but some can be different.
When you start, some hexagons have numbers in them (like 0, 1, 2, etc.). Your job is to figure out which hexagons should be black and which should be white. There's only one correct way to solve each puzzle!
Contents
Atsumari: How to Play
Atsumari puzzles have a few simple rules. You need to follow all of them to find the unique solution.
Understanding the Cells
- Numbered White Cells: If a hexagon has a number that is NOT zero (like 1, 2, 3, etc.), it must be a white cell.
- White Clusters: Each white cell with a number must be part of a group (or "cluster") of white cells. This group must have exactly the same number of white cells as the number in the hexagon.
- For example, if a cell has a '3', it needs to be connected to two other white cells. Together, they form a group of three white cells.
- Connected Cells: Cells in a cluster must be "edge-connected." This means they touch each other along a full side, not just at a corner.
- One Number Per Cluster: A group of white cells can only have one numbered cell inside it.
- Black Borders: White clusters must be surrounded by black cells or the edge of the puzzle board.
Understanding the Black Cells
- Zero Cells are Black: If a hexagon has the number '0', it must be a black cell.
- All Black Cells Connect: All the black cells on the board must form one big, connected group. They should all be able to reach each other by moving from one black cell to an edge-connected black cell.
- No Black "Islands": A black cell cannot be completely surrounded by other black cells. Imagine a single black cell with six black cells all around it – this is not allowed!
Similar Puzzles
Atsumari is a bit like another puzzle called Nurikabe. Nurikabe uses a square grid instead of hexagons, but it has similar ideas about connecting cells and forming groups.
