Tag Archives: Train Tracks puzzle

Alien Creatures on Train Tracks Puzzle Continuous Line.

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Alien Creature continuous line from Train Tracks Puzzle.    Puzzle Madness, Large, 1.5.2022.  Mick Burton.

This is an update from my post of 24 December 2020 when I explained how I had started Train Tracks Puzzles during Covid lockdowns.    Red Alert, Continuous Line Detected on Train Tracks Puzzle.

When I try to solve a Train Tracks Puzzle, I draw out the grid freehand and copy in the cross references of number of tracks in vertical or horizontal rows as well as the given pieces of track.  A big part of the process is marking the squares, which will not have track pieces, with a circle or cloud shape.  I draw in the track I have decided upon with a line between given pieces of track.

Most people will complete the puzzle on their phone or laptop from start to finish, but I just like drawing things, rather than hitting wrong buttons on keypads most of the time.  Here is my initial drawing.

Initial drawing of Train Tracks Puzzle 1.5.2022. Mick Burton, continuous line artist.

I coloured all “given pieces of track” yellow and the interior of the Alien red in Sharpie pen and did lighter background with coloured pencils, leaving the cloud shapes white.

Here is another Alien from two days later.

Green Alien based upon Train Tracks Puzzle.    Large 3.5.2022 Puzzle Madness.   Mick Burton, continuous line artist.

I mentioned in my post of 24.12.2020 that I was at position 272 out of the 863 people listed.  Also that I had scored 17.925 points compared to the top rated Stirlingkincaid with 2,766,965. This was nearly twice the points of anyone else and I wondered if he ever slept.

I got to about position 130 and for a time just tried to keep treading water at that level.  The number of participants had more than doubled since I started.  Here is the summary a few months ago, at about the time I ceased to do the puzzles.  You can find the Train Tracks puzzles on     https://puzzlemadness.co.uk      .

All time Train Tracks table on Puzzle Madness in June 2022. Top three all over 4 million points and Mick Burton on 240 thousand.

GA had drawn level with Stirlingkincaid on 4,221,000 but both trailed Stevo by 665.  Fourth place Antique was only on 2,708,990.  Do any of them ever sleep?

I have kept quite a lot of my initial drawings and may do some more Aliens.

 

 

Red Alert, Continuous Line Detected on Train Tracks Puzzle.

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I started doing Train Tracks puzzles in the Daily Mail a few months ago and then moved onto Medium puzzles (dimensions up to 10 x10) on puzzlemadness.co.uk and a month ago tried Large difficulty (dimensions up to 12 x 12).

You start off with a grid which states the number of cells which occur vertically or horizontally and they give you some bits of track initially, including start and end track at the edge.

Train tracks from puzzlemadness.co.uk Large difficulty 12.12.2020. Mick Burton, continuous line artist.

There are many attractive elements to this sort of puzzle, including the possibility of solving them totally without trial and error.  The first thing to do is to add initial offshoots for all these start tracks.  Next look for any rows which already meet the number of cells containing track, such as the right hand vertical which has the required two including the offshoot.  This allows you to allocate spaces to the remaining 10 cells. 

Being an artist, I know the value of space in a picture and it is particularly important here.  Then you have to consider the various types of track and on you go.  Constantly checking and rechecking is the key as you add pieces.  Bear in mind that the aim is to end up with one route from start to finish, avoiding dead ends, and use that to your advantage.  Finding dead ends is also useful as you can allocate spaces.

It is best to start off with smaller easier Train Tracks puzzles to get used to the process.

I attempt my puzzles on paper where I draw the grid and enter the numbers and given track pieces.  My fingers are too wide and clumsy to do much prodding on my mobile phone and if I complete the puzzle I then tap in the answer.  Here is my initial drawing of the above puzzle.

Initial attempt at the rail track puzzle (large difficulty) of 12.12.2020. Mick Burton, continuous line artist.

When I loaded this on my phone, I expected that as I tapped in the last piece the completed puzzle would disappear to be replaced by congratulations across the screen, for completing a route from start to finish.  Instead I saw the Red Alert.  It is not normally an offence to produce a continuous line in this blog.

I am good at mending this sort of thing of course and here is the final result – there is a X (space indicator) so that you see the complete shape before the last piece goes in causing the whole thing to disappear.

Correct completion of Train Tracks puzzle, with just the last bit to go in. Mick Burton, continuous line artist.

I am interested in various stand alone structures which have an environmental feel to them, where all the different elements can produce a surprising result.  

As it has been Lockdown etc,  I have completed 94 in about 10 weeks scoring 17,925 points, which put me at position 272 out of 863 listed.  Top is Stirlingkincaid with 2,766,965 !

On the monthly list I am 91st with 7,650 points.  Stirlingkincaid has 228,640 – does this person ever sleep?

Personally, I will probably move on now, looking for more structures which I can unlock with my continuous line knowledge.  Also, I need to finish my current work about Drawing Prime Numbers.