On the Subject of Identifying Mazes

Easy.

There will be 4 shapes, some of which are illuminated, four numbered buttons and a submit button (button with a ‘!’ on it). Submit the seed of the maze you’re in to solve the module.

When not in submit mode, each button may:

• Moves you forwards one cell
• Moves you backwards one cell
• Rotates you clockwise by 90 degrees
• Rotates you counter-clockwise by 90 degrees

If you hit a wall, your position will not change, you will not get a strike.

The lit shapes tell you what walls are surrounding you, according to the list below:

• Triangle - In front of you
• Square - On your right
• Hexagon - Behind you
• Octagon - On your left

Seeds

Every maze is constructed from 4 quadrants, the value of which can be found below. Note that a quadrant may have some of its walls missing in order to connect the quadrants together. The square that’s connected to the center will never be missing, though.

Value	1	2	3	4
Quadrant	╔═╦═╗ ║x║x║ ║⠀║⠀║ ║x⠀x║ ╚═══╝	╔═══╗ ║x⠀x║ ║⠀══╣ ║x⠀x║ ╚═══╝	╔═══╗ ║x⠀x║ ║⠀║⠀║ ║x║x║ ╚═╩═╝	╔═══╗ ║x⠀x║ ╠══⠀║ ║x⠀x║ ╚═══╝

To find the seed, take the values of each quadrant in reading order and concatenate them into a four-digit string.

Below is a maze with the seed 1234.

╔═╦═════╗ ║x║x x x║ ║⠀║⠀║⠀══╣ ║x x║x x║ ╠═══╬══⠀║ ║x x║x x║ ║⠀║⠀╚══⠀║ ║x║x x x║ ╚═╩═════╝

NOTE: Your maze may be rotated. The correct orientation will always, in the middle, have 3 straight segments, followed by a space. For a visual example, look at the red segments in the maze above.

Solving method

• Mash every button. If mashing a button causes the illuminative shapes to continuously change endlessly, that’s a rotating button. Otherwise, that’s a movement button.
• Using the rotating buttons, rotate yourself to a position that causes the triangle to illuminate, but not the hexagon. Then, press one of the movement buttons. If the shapes change, that’s the backwards button. Otherwise, that’s the forwards button.
• Using the movement buttons, move to a corner position. Then, press a rotating button. If the corner rotates clockwise, that’s the ‘rotate CCW’ button. Otherwise, that’s the ‘rotate CW’ button.

Example: There are walls to your left and in front of you (top-left corner). Pressing a rotating button, there are walls to your left and to your back (bottom-left corner). Therefore, the maze has rotated counter-clockwise relative to you, or, to word it differently, you have rotated clockwise relative to the maze.

Equipped with the knowledge of which buttons do what, you should be able to navigate and map out the maze.

To submit the seed, press the ‘!’ button. The shapes will un-illuminate, and you can press the number keys to submit your answer. It’ll automatically submit upon the 4th press.