quaziblue
asked on
Random Rearrangement Rocks!
Hi experts!
Random Rearrangement Rocks!
Goal:
Imagine you have a line of rocks. Each rock has been given a specific title. In this case, the rocks are labeled after each letter in the English alphabet and then numbers 1-18. The goal is to get the rocks from the current order to the final order (from A-Z, 1-18) in the FEWEST NUMBER OF STEPS POSSIBLE.
Current Order:
A_D_Y_Z_1_3_C_4_B_F_5_W_X_
Final Order:
A_B_C_D_E_F_G_H_I_J_K_L_M_
Rules:
1. When you pick up a rock and place it into a new location, the rest of the line of rocks shifts down. Imagine a line of people waiting to pay for candy. If one person cuts another person, the entire line moves back one position.
2. You can pick up a rock (or adjacent rocks) and move it at the same time. You cannot move rocks that are separated in one step.
3. If you pick up multiple rocks, you cannot place them down in a different order than what you picked them up as.
Suggestion:
It might be easier to use Microsoft Excel to complete this puzzle as movement of columns follows the rules laid out. For example, using cut and insert. To this end, I've attached an Excel 2003 file that has things prearranged for you.
Award:
500 points, but only if your steps are clearly laid out. (Example: Cut Cols D-F, Insert Before Col G). I will keep the question open until an accurate solution is posted and activity is minimized.
If you have any questions, please ask. Happy solving!
rearrangementpuzzle.xls
Random Rearrangement Rocks!
Goal:
Imagine you have a line of rocks. Each rock has been given a specific title. In this case, the rocks are labeled after each letter in the English alphabet and then numbers 1-18. The goal is to get the rocks from the current order to the final order (from A-Z, 1-18) in the FEWEST NUMBER OF STEPS POSSIBLE.
Current Order:
A_D_Y_Z_1_3_C_4_B_F_5_W_X_
Final Order:
A_B_C_D_E_F_G_H_I_J_K_L_M_
Rules:
1. When you pick up a rock and place it into a new location, the rest of the line of rocks shifts down. Imagine a line of people waiting to pay for candy. If one person cuts another person, the entire line moves back one position.
2. You can pick up a rock (or adjacent rocks) and move it at the same time. You cannot move rocks that are separated in one step.
3. If you pick up multiple rocks, you cannot place them down in a different order than what you picked them up as.
Suggestion:
It might be easier to use Microsoft Excel to complete this puzzle as movement of columns follows the rules laid out. For example, using cut and insert. To this end, I've attached an Excel 2003 file that has things prearranged for you.
Award:
500 points, but only if your steps are clearly laid out. (Example: Cut Cols D-F, Insert Before Col G). I will keep the question open until an accurate solution is posted and activity is minimized.
If you have any questions, please ask. Happy solving!
rearrangementpuzzle.xls
ASKER
Nope. I'm using this to create a macro. I didn't do homework even when I was in school.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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ASKER
Whoa Masquerade. That was intense and cool all at the same time. I like your thinking, but it's a little much for me (and my experience level) to hammer that all out in a Visual Basic v1.0.5x. The rocks/stones represent columns and when I create the macro, I'm simply going to cut column(s) and insert them before a certain column. Rinse, lather, repeat until they are in the correct order.
Thanks for your solution. I'm leaving it open in case someone else has the answer in the
"Step ##: Cut Column @, Insert before Column %" format. Thanks.
Thanks for your solution. I'm leaving it open in case someone else has the answer in the
"Step ##: Cut Column @, Insert before Column %" format. Thanks.
Study and work hard. You will succeed.