(I recommend to read the instructions before starting.)
Almost solved it in the first try. I needed just 3 more moves.
Backward alphabet is too difficult. You should a add a copy of the alphabet to make it easier.
It would be nice to be able to drag a letter a few slots instead of one.
Perhaps if I undo one move, forgive it and cancel the +2 increase of the count. (I don't like the idea of allowing many undos at once. Only one to forgive mistakes.)
One insight is — characters remain the same when they move into a diagonal position. So if you want F, e.g., look for Fs on the diagonal, or Es 1 unit dist. Left/above from the diagonal or Gs 1 unit dist. To the right, etc.
(I recommend to read the instructions before starting.)
Almost solved it in the first try. I needed just 3 more moves.
Backward alphabet is too difficult. You should a add a copy of the alphabet to make it easier.
It would be nice to be able to drag a letter a few slots instead of one.
Perhaps if I undo one move, forgive it and cancel the +2 increase of the count. (I don't like the idea of allowing many undos at once. Only one to forgive mistakes.)
35/50 moves
Got it in 28 moves. It's quite interesting how your brain seemingly goes from "that's impossible" to finding an "algorithm" to it.
One insight is — characters remain the same when they move into a diagonal position. So if you want F, e.g., look for Fs on the diagonal, or Es 1 unit dist. Left/above from the diagonal or Gs 1 unit dist. To the right, etc.
I already want to write some codes to solve this perfect hard-level(LeetCode) algo problem.
Let me know if you find some reasonably fast sub-optimal algorithm, I'd be interested in trying it.
There seems to be some literature on the complexity this kind of sliding puzzles, like https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S03043....