Rotationary
| Rotationary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dave Chalker | ||
| rotate pieces in place | ||
| Players: | 1 | |
| Length: | Medium | |
| Complexity: | Low | |
| Trios per color: | 5 | |
| Number of colors: | 1 | |
| - - - - - - Other equipment - - - - - - | ||
| none | ||
| Setup time: | 1 minute | |
| Playing time: | 1 - 20 min | |
| Strategy depth: | Low | |
| Random chance: | varies | |
| Theme: | none | |
| Status: Not Specified (v1.0), Year released: 2002 | ||
Rotationary is a single-stash, solitaire game by Dave Chalker. The goal is to make order out of chaos in a grid of flat pyramids that move like gears.
It is special among puzzle games in that there are no wrong moves; it is possible to solve a puzzle at any state.
Setup[edit | edit source]
Arrange the pieces of your Icehouse stash in a 4x4 grid (with one empty space) either according to a preset puzzle or randomly, with all the pieces facing in orthogonal directions. Here’s an easy one to start with:
The Goal[edit | edit source]
To have all the pieces pointing in the same direction.
How to Play[edit | edit source]
Pick one piece, and rotate it one 90º turn either clockwise or counterclockwise. Whatever piece it then points to is rotated 90º in the same direction. Then, if the original piece is:
- Small: Stop there.
- Medium: If the piece you just rotated (the “active piece”) is pointing at another piece, then that piece is rotated 90º in the original direction. Stop there.
- Large: Same as medium, but once more.
If at any point a piece is pointing at nothing (either the blank space on the grid or the edge of the board), the process stops. After you stop, you may make another move. Continue until all pieces are pointing in the same direction after all rotations are done. You win!
Advanced[edit | edit source]
The basic game is sadly solvable. To increase the challenge, add this rule: rather than stopping whenever a piece points at nothing, imagine it can “wrap around”, thus allowing a piece to point at the other side of the grid. This enables each piece to carry out all of its rotations. (Be warned, however, that this could leave you with a puzzle that can’t be solved.)
Rotationary was published in Hypothermia #15.
External Links[edit | edit source]
- official WTS page.
- Dave's other rules page.