njvrzm, I've been enjoying the discussion here, and I've just written a little solver for this puzzle. Now I'm curious if you consider this updated puzzle broken as well:
I've forgotten my 4 digit passcode!
Fortunately, I saved some hints on my phone. All the hints have a yes/no answer. I remember that if you know all the answers then you can determine the passcode.
The hints are:
Is the first digit smaller than the second digit?
Is the second digit smaller than the third digit?
Is the third digit smaller than 4?
Is the first digit even?
Is the fourth digit smaller than the sum of the first two digits?
Unfortunately, to access the answers to the hints, I need to log in to my phone with my passcode :(
(Notes: There's no information about redundancy of the hints. Also, this puzzle has a unique solution)
>Just from considering hint 5, we know that the sum of the first three digits must be 8: any other value leaves either no solution or multiple solutions. Knowing that, we can answer hints 2 and 3 any way except "no, no" and get a single solution each way.
I think this is where both our reasonings are "the other way round": With this being a Constraint Satisfaction Problem without an a priori fixed set of constraints, you're instead treating this more like an iterative deduction based problem?
Also sorry if you've already stated that elsewhere and I didn't catch that, but what exactly is your actual problem with this puzzle? I mean it clearly has a single unique solution (ie. exactly 1 set of answers that results in exactly 1 pin) which you can proof by just bruteforcing all permutations of pin numbers and answers.
Here's my absolutely rigorous, fiercely logical and not at all intuive walkthrough for those that need a hint (rot13):
Jr arrq gb svaq n frg bs nafjref gb gur svir dhrfgvbaf fb gung gurer rkvfgf rknpgyl bar 4-qvtvg qrpvzny ahzore gung fngvfsvrf gur nafjre frg, juvyr gurer zhfg or ab erqhaqnag dhrfgvbaf.
Jr pna vzzrqvngryl frr gung gur nafjre gb dhrfgvba 1 vf Ab orpnhfr bgurejvfr dhrfgvba 4 jbhyq or erqhaqnag.
Sebz urer, yrg'f vaghvgviryl znxr rqhpngrq nffhzcgvbaf naq gel gb nffvta nafjref fb gung rnpu nafjre unf znkvzhz "vzcnpg" naq guhf gvtugraf gur fbyhgvba fcnpr sbe gur qvtvgf gur zbfg:
Yrg'f svk gur frpbaq naq guveq qvtvg naq nffhzr gur nafjref gb dhrfgvbaf 2 naq 3 ner obgu "lrf".
Jr gura xabj gung gur fhz bs gur 2aq naq 3eq qvtvg vf 5. Sebz urer, jr nffhzr gung nafjre 5 vf nyfb "lrf", fb jr gura xabj gung qvtvg 4 arrqf gb or "ovt".
Fb gur dhrfgvba vf: pna jr svaq n qvtvg 1 gung jr nqq gb 5 naq fgvyy svaq n qvtvg 4 gung'f ovttre?
Gurer ner frireny, ohg vs jr nyfb nffhzr nafjre 4 vf "ab", gura qvtvg 1 zhfg ng yrnfg or 3 (vg pnaabg or rira, naq vg pnaabg or 1). Gura jr trg 3+2+3 < qvtvg 4, fb qvtvg 4 pna bayl or 9.
Fb abj jr'ir svkrq na nafjre frg (ab,lrf,lrf,ab,lrf) gung yrnirf hf jvgu rknpgyl bar cva ahzore: guerr gjb guerr avar
This is a really nice and challenging mechanic. Instantly understandable but with lots of intricate possibilities. Just make sure you have a smooth difficulty curve! And keep the levels small, because otherwise the solution space is just too big (imho). I'm looking very forward to the whole game, this looks really nice!
Wow. This is really cool, doesn't even feel like puzzlescript anymore with the smooth map scrolling and the music etc...Great job!! Can't wait to really dive into this.
