As I expore the logic of this game in detail it gets fascinating,
but I would like to get the terminology straight in order to avoid
mixups when communicating. On the Wiki Freecell page some basic terms
of the game are introduced: cascade, top card, tableau, foundation,
cell card, empty cell, empty cascade, compete tableau, and partial
tableau. I am not sure these are the best terms to use when designing
a solver program.
It seems simpler to say 'column' instead of 'cascade'. A 'column'
could refer to the position (if empty) or to all the cards there (if
there are some).
Pulling up a random position from a game, there is a column with
the following cards: 9d, 7s, 2s, Ks, 8d, 4c, 8c (which were originally
dealt there), then cards that have been added: 7d, 6c, 5d, 4s, 3h.
Would you call the 8c-3h, a 'tableau'? What do you call the 8c card?
If you move, say 5h-4s-3h to another column, is that group of cards
called a 'partial tableau'? That seems a bit cumbersome; perhaps
'block' and 'full block' would be better terms.
Suppose you move the 3h to a freecell. The place the 3h is located
is no longer a freecell, so what is it called, a 'cell'? This might
be confused with an empty column.
Some plays are reversible and some are not. Given a particular
'position' (or state) of the game, there is a maximal set of positions
reachable from it by reversible moves. Does that set have a name?
My philosophy is: good terminology leads to clear thinking.
Received on Sun Jan 18 2009 - 19:10:15 IST