Software

We will be using SageMath in this course to do computations. However, there are lots of other software packages available ranging from virtual puzzles (Rubik's cubes, slide puzzles, oval track puzzles, etc.) to cube solvers (enter a configuration of the cube, and it will tell you how to solve it). Below is a list of software we will find useful in this course.

Swap puzzle variations

• Tri-Trick Puzzle: A neat variation of the Swap puzzle.

15-puzzle and other slide puzzles

• 15-Puzzle: Play the puzzle online.

• Get My Goat: Play the puzzle online.

• Rate Your Mind Pal: Play the puzzle online.

• Panama Canal: Play the puzzle online.

• 15 puzzle app for ipod/iphone/ipad (free download from the App Store). I use this one by Gandreas: 15-puzzle.

• Jaap's puzzle page - 15 puzzle: Play an online version of the puzzle.

• Nick Baxter's Sliding Block Puzzle Page (online play)

• ... or just search for "15 puzzle" or "fifteen puzzle" in your favorite search engine.

• Leapin' Lizards: A neat variation of the 15-puzzle by Binary Arts.

Oval Track (TopSpin)

• Jaap's puzzle page - TopSpin: Click the JavaScript link in the middle of the page to play an online version of the puzzle.

• John O. Kiltinen's Permutation puzzle software: Kiltinen is author of the wonderful little book Oval Track and other Permutation Puzzles. He also created software to accompany the book. Software includes the 15-puzzle, Oval Track and Hungarian Rings puzzle. A demo version of the software is available for free from his website.

Hungarian Rings

• Jaap's Puzzle Page - Hungarian Rings: Play with Hungarian Rings online, link in middle of page.

Rubik's Cube

• Rubik's Cube app for ipod/iphone/ipad (free lite version, or full version available from the App Store), by Magmic Inc. Comes with a built-in solver.

• CubeTwister. Werner Randelshofer's CubeTwister program is a number of things all rolled up into one nice package. Play with virtual cubes of all sorts (2x2x2 up to 7x7x7, etc.), create manouvers and watch videos of them being performed, it also has Kociemba's two-phase algorthim for solving the 3x3x3 cube. (Mac or Java version for all OS's)

• Kociemba's Cube Explorer. Herbert Kociemba's software package for exploring the cube. Kociemba's two phase algorithm for solving the cube is implemented in the package. (Win)

• Alg.Cubing.Net. Virtual cube that you can play around with, explore move sequences and learn about OLLs and PLLs.

Lights Out

• Lights Off app for ipod/iphone/ipad ($1.39 from the App Store), by Steven Troughton-Smith.

• Jaap's puzzle page (lights out): The link to this lights out applet is part way down page.

• Ken Barr's Lights Out page has various information and links to solvers and applets.

Online Applets & Mobile Apps

• Jaap's puzzle page: An extensive list of puzzles, solutions, and applets.

• Magic Tile: Geometrical and Topological Analogues of Rubik's Cube