Prepositional Propositions: <i>About, Of, On, Under,</i> and <i>In</i>—Psammeticus Press SpecGram Vol CLIII, No 3 Contents Classified Ads

Masyu Ortograpiu II—Linguistic Boogaloo

Trey Jones
l’École de SpecGram, Tokyo

   
Alphabets:
    Abur
    Asomtavruli
    Bassa
    Deseret
    Dhives Akuru
    Elbasan
    Glagolitic
    Kayah Li
    Meroïtic
    Mkhedruli
    Osmanya
    Tifinagh
    Todo Bichig

Abjads,
Abugidas,
& Syllabaries:

    Kpelle
    Loma
    Ndjuká
    Oriya
    Phoenician
    Róng
    Ugaritic
    Vai
    Yi

Ideographs,
Logographs,
& Pictographs:

    Dongba
    Khitan
    Mayan
 

The SpecGram Puzzle Elves™ are back with another installment of Masyu Ortograpiuan orthography-based variant of the popular yet challenging Masyu puzzle form. In fact, Masyu Ortograpiu is apparently so challenging that no one could do itso, for Masyu Ortograpiu II, we’ve made things several smidgens easier by providing copious hints about the various orthographies used in the puzzle.

First, the rules. Masyu Ortograpiu is played on a grid, with several squares that contain symbols from various writing systems. The goal is to draw a single continuous non-intersecting line that properly passes through all squares containing writing symbols, forming a single closed loop.

The different varieties of written symbols have different requirements for how the line must pass through them:

Solution to the HitoriGuistiku II from last time.
 
  

Next, the hints. Above and to the right is a list of all and only the writing systems used in the puzzle, and their classifications for the purposes of the puzzle (you will not score points with the Puzzle Elves™ if you challenge the classifications). Each writing system is used only once in the puzzle.

Penultimately, HitoriGuistiku II was apparently not quite hard enough, as several people, listed below, submitted correct solutions. A plausibly correct solution is presented at left.

  • Marlene Böhm of Wien, Austria
  • Erik Gedeborg of Södertälje, Sweden
  • Emerson Knapp of Pittsburg, California
  • Jackie Schmitt of Carbondale, Illinois
Each of these fine PuzzleMeisters will receive a SpecGram magnet of their choosing as a reward for their puzzling prowess. Congratulations!

Finally, the Masyu Ortograpiu II puzzle, belowif you dare. If you think you (and your reference library) are up to this most challenging challenge that is Masyu Ortograpiu II, email your solution to SpecGram. At least one random winner chosen from among those who send in correctly completed puzzles by February 15th, 2008 will be awarded a SpecGram magnet.

A solution (quite likely the correct one, but how would you even know?) and the name of the prize winners (not that there will be any!) will appear in the upcoming March 2008 issue.

Good luckyou’ll need it.

Prepositional Propositions: About, Of, On, Under, and In—Psammeticus Press
Classified Ads
SpecGram Vol CLIII, No 3 Contents