99 Club Studio v1.31.5 — Number Path v2
Why this patch exists
The original Number Path generator always started from the same row-by-row snake and only rotated, mirrored or reversed it. The puzzles were mathematically valid, but their structure had very little variety and could feel arbitrary rather than like a genuine path puzzle.
Number Path v2
- Replaces the transformed-snake generator with seeded winding Hamiltonian paths that visit every square exactly once.
- Uses topology-preserving path mutations, then selects the stronger winding candidates rather than exposing a simple row snake.
- Removes clues progressively while checking that the finished puzzle still has one solution.
- Always keeps
1and the final number visible. - Easy keeps more helpful bend/anchor clues; Standard uses balanced anchors; Challenge relies on fewer, less conveniently placed anchors.
- Instructions now explicitly state that every number is used exactly once and that diagonal touching does not count.
- Keeps the existing preview/PDF data shape, so the established Number Path renderers continue to work without a separate visual fork.
Grid sizes
- Easy Auto: 4 × 4 (
1–16) - Standard Auto: 5 × 5 (
1–25) - Challenge Auto: 7 × 7 (
1–49) - Manual choices:
4 × 4,5 × 5,6 × 6,7 × 7
QA
A dedicated regression test covers:
- path adjacency and complete 1…N coverage;
- one-solution validation;
- mandatory endpoint clues;
- structural diversity across multiple seeds;
- non-trivial path winding;
- automatic 4/5/7 sizing and manual 6/7 sizing;
- updated pupil instructions.
The new implementation is intentionally isolated in games-number-path-v2.js and loaded immediately after the existing numeric-logic engine, reducing regression risk to Kakuro, Futoshiki, Arithmetic Cages and Nonograms.