Frequently Asked Questions
| User Account | iGridd Applet and WebStart | |
| Solving Puzzles | Puzzles Information and Stats | |
| Selecting Puzzles | Creating Puzzles | |
| Puzzle Types | Printing Puzzles | |
| G-Match | Community |
User Account
| Q: | Why do I have to register and login to do puzzles? |
| A: | You have to register in order to know which puzzles you have solved and which you haven't solved yet. You will be able to save incomplete puzzles, score points, and watch your statistics. |
| Q: | I am registered to the site but when I try to save puzzles or open the iGridd Applet, I get a notification that I have to be subscribed. What should I do? |
| A: | Being registered allows you to use the free parts of the site. You can solve puzzles through the web application and save 2 griddlers and 2 triddlers. If you subscribe, you can save 50 griddlers and 50 triddlers and use the iGridd Applet with all its advantages. |
| Q: | What happens to my solved puzzles and points if I am inactive for a long period of time? |
| A: | Your record is kept safe until you return: the puzzles you solved, the details you entered in your profile, and the messages you got from your friends. |
| Saved records that haven't been accessed for more than 6 months are removed. |
| Q: | What if I forget my password and can't login? |
| A: | Use the Password Retrieval service. If you can't retrieve your password - send an email to griddlers_team (in English, please) from the email address that you used to register and we'll send it to you. |
Solving Puzzles
| Q: | Are all the puzzles solvable? |
| A: | Yes. Puzzles are created through the Workshop applet. Before submission, the puzzles are checked by this applet to ensure that they are solvable. |
| Q: | How do I know if I solved a puzzle correctly? |
| A: | If a puzzle was solved correctly, all the clues and the grid lines disappear, leaving you with a finished picture. A small Java window pops up for a few seconds. It registers the puzzle as "solved" by you and records your time of solving. |
| Q: | Does the time length of solving a puzzle affect the score? |
| A: | No. It allows you to compare the time you spent solving the puzzle to others who have also completed it. |
| Q: | What are the green/red lights at the end of the columns/rows? |
| A: | A red light means - you have a mistake in the line: too long a sequence of squares for one clue, incorrect colors, or the like. A green light means - you placed all the necessary clues in the line and they are in the correct sequence. But this is NOT a guarantee you placed them in the right cells. In other words: It MIGHT be the correct solution. |
| Q: | Do I need to fill in all the background squares after placing all the clues? |
| A: | No. If all the non-background colors have been filled in, the system completes the background squares automatically and shows the finished picture. |
| Q: | Can I save an unfinished puzzle and come back later to solve it? |
| A: | Yes. Griddlers: Click on the SAVE button in the puzzle window. A small Java window pops up, alerting: "Sending...". Close the puzzle window and look at the puzzle page. A new line appears: Delete Saved Triddlers: Select SAVE from the File Menu. The next time you open the puzzle page - click on the Solve button. The puzzle will have the result of your last save. If you want to delete your saved record and start fresh - click on Delete Saved. |
| Q: | The puzzle window is too large for my screen. What can I do? | ||||||||||
| A: | Here are some suggestions:
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Selecting Puzzles
| Q: | What do the f and t stand for in the Size column on the Puzzles page? |
| A: | It's a flag designed to tell you whether a puzzle contains triangles: f = false and t = true. In other words, a t means that the puzzle has one or more triangles in it. |
| Q: | How do I know which puzzles I have solved and which I haven't? |
| A: | If you solved a puzzle, the date of solving appears in the column Solved. Subscribers can create a list of all the puzzles they have solved or haven't solved by selecting "Only Solved" or "Only Not Solved". |
| Q: | How do I know which puzzles I have saved and which I haven't? |
| A: | Web application: On the List of Puzzles page the last option is Saved Puzzles. Click that link to get the list of the puzzles you have saved. iGridd/Wesbstart Applets: Open the Saved Puzzles panels. |
| Q: | Can I save my preference of selecting puzzles? |
| A: | Yes. There are three Slots available for three different lists of puzzles. Select a list of puzzles you want to solve -- for example: Only Not Solved, Width/Height 0-30, Color 2-2 -- and click on Show. Click on Slot1 (or Slot2 or Slot3) to save this list. Click on Load1 (or Load2 or Load3) to show the list of the Slot. Click on Clear1 (or Clear2 or Clear3) to remove the list of Slot. |
| Q: | I found duplicate puzzles, how do I inform you about it? |
| A: | Post a message in the forum with the ID numbers of the similar puzzles, or send a message to griddlers_team. |
Puzzle Types
| Q: | What are Kiddlers? |
| A: | Easy and kid-friendly griddlers. The puzzles in this section are neither too big in size nor too difficult to solve. A welcoming place for beginners. |
| Q: | What are MultiGriddlers? |
| A: | Large puzzles that are formed from several parts of "common" griddlers. A MultiGriddler can have 2 to 100 parts. The parts are bundled and, once completed, create a bigger picture. |
| Q: | What are Triddlers? |
| A: | Logic puzzles, similar to Griddlers, with the same basic rules of solving. In Triddlers the clues encircle the entire grid. The direction of the clues is horizontal, vertical, or diagonal. |
| Q: | What is the G-Match? |
| A: | A weekly tournament that includes 24 matches. Every match takes place in a different hour of the day, until we complete 24 rounds around-the-clock. |
G-Match
| Q: | My time of solving a G-Match puzzle is 2:30 but in the Top Solvers list of the G-Match it reads 4:30. Why? |
| A: | The time in the Top Solvers list is counted from the moment the puzzle was released to the moment you solved the puzzle. If you started to solve a puzzle 2:00 minutes after the release, and if it took you 2:30 minutes to solve - the time is: 2:00+2:30 = 4:30 minutes. |
| Q: | I solved a G-Match puzzle but I can't see my name in the Top Solvers list. Why? |
| A: | When there are a lot of solving records in a certain moment it may take a few seconds to register them all. Just be patient and refresh the Top Solvers page. Your name will appear shortly. |
| Q: | How are the points calculated? |
| A: | The 1st user who solved the puzzle gets 200 points. The 2nd user - 199 points. ... The 199th user - 2 points. The 200th user - 1 point. The sum of each user’s points in all rounds of a certain tournament appears in the Table of Score and Position which is produced during the tournament. |
| Q: | What happens if I solve a G-Match puzzle again? |
| A: | The date-stamp of your solving record is changed, therefore your position amongst all other solvers will change as well. In fact, you should not try to solve a G-Match puzzle again until the tournament is over. |
iGridd Applet and WebStart
| Q: | I paid for my subscription but I still get the notification "iGridd Applet requires subscription". Why does it happen? |
| A: | You need to visit the Subscription Options page to activate your account. If your account is still not active - contact griddlers_team. |
| Q: | How do I resubscribe? |
| A: | Use the same buttons in the Subscription page. You don't need to wait until your existing subscription ends. Subscription renewal can be done in any time. The system remembers the last valid date of your subscription and adds the new period of time to it. |
| Q: | If I click on the link to open the iGridd Applet, I get the notification: "Do you want to install this software?" Why is this? |
| A: | This happens because you don't have the correct Java version installed. The system helps you to download it, either automatically or via the Java website. |
| Q: | What's the difference between WebStart and iGridd Applet? |
| A: | WebStart and iGridd Applet are basically the same with a few differences: WebStart doesn't need a browser to start. It stands by itself. With WebStart you can save an unlimited number of puzzles and play offline. |
| Q: | Can I use both iGridd Applet and WebStart? |
| A: | Yes. The system continuously stores and updates your records as well as the general data in both. |
| Q: | When I use the applet I don't see all my solved puzzles. What should I do? |
| A: | Go to the Reset All panel and answer YES to "Do you want to clear the Solving Record Cache?" question. Please wait patiently while the system updates your record. |
| Q: | I used WebStart before but now it works very slowly and sometimes I get an error message. How can I fix it? |
| A: | If you use Windows XP (or a previous OS) - delete the following directory from your computer: "C:\Documents and Settings\ < user > \Application Data\Sun\Java\Deployment" (< user > is your name on the computer). Restart your computer and download WebStart. |
| Q: | How do I remove WebStart Desktop shortcut? |
| A: | You need to locate the file "javaws.exe".You may find several files with the same name. The one required is either in: Program Files\Java\jer1.5.0_xx\bin\javaws.exe or in: Program Files\Java Web Start\javaws.exe Once you find the file, double-click it. Click on "iGridd" in the main window. Select the tab "Application" --> "Uninstall Shortcut" and close the window. If you want the have the shortcut back, select the tab "Application" --> "Install Shortcut" and close the window. |
| Q: | Can I use the new applet if I'm using a Mac? |
| A: | You can solve Griddlers and Multis, but you need to have OSX 10.4 to be able to install Java1.5, which is required for using the applet. |
| Q: | I saved puzzles in the iGridd Applet and I want to continue solving them in the old one. Can I? |
| A: | Puzzles you saved in the iGridd Applet can't be converted and will not be available as saved puzzles in the old one. |
Puzzles Information and Stats
| Q: | How are the points calculated? |
| A: | After creating a puzzle in the workshop the system checks if it is solvable. The "time" it takes to solve the puzzle is the main factor. "Time" = number of times the system needs to go through the puzzle vertically and horizontally in order to find the clues and solve the puzzle. Other factors are: number of colors, and triangles, which are counted as an extra color. The system then translates these factors into a numerical score. |
| Q: | Why do some puzzles get high point ratings yet are relatively easy to solve, while other puzzles are much harder to solve but have much lower point ratings? |
| A: | The system that checks the puzzle and gives it the score uses the SLS (Single Line Solving) method - it works on one line at a time. The human brain is able to use the MLS (Multi Line Solving) method - it is capable of capturing clues in more than just one row or column. Therefore, what might be easy for humans (symmetrical puzzles, for example) is tough for the system, and what is easy for the system (finding ONE square that fits the vertical and horizontal clues) is tough for humans. |
| Q: | How is the Popularity calculated? |
| A: | Popularity is the total sum of the votes divided by the number of votes. For example - if we have 1 vote of 100%, 1 vote of 50%, 2 votes of 25% - The sum of the votes (1x100 + 1x50 + 2x25) is 200. The number of votes is 4. The Popularity is 200/4 = 50%. |
| Q: | How does a puzzle get into the Most Popular table? |
| A: | The minimum of 12 votes is required to get into the list of Most Popular of Last Month. The minimum of 30 votes is required to get into the list of Most Popular of Last Year. The minimum of 200 votes is required to get into the list of Most Popular Ever. |
Creating Puzzles
| Q: | How much time does it take from submitting a puzzle to seeing it in the site? |
| A: | The time of waiting can be 1-7 days. Puzzles that are to be in a G-Match may wait several weeks. |
| Q: | I submitted a puzzle, but it was not published in the site. Why? |
| A: | Visit the Guidelines page and go through the instructions and examples of Do's and Don't's for creating puzzles. The puzzle was not published most probably because you missed one of the guidelines. |
Printing Puzzles
| Q: | Can I print these puzzles? |
| A: | Yes. There are two ways to have puzzles on paper: iGridd Books: eBooks formatted for Adobe Acrobat Reader. There is a large variety of ready-to-download books, with collections of puzzles of all kinds: Black and White or Color; Griddlers, MultiGriddlers, Triddlers, and Riddles; for beginners or advanced solvers. iGridd Applet: Through the applet you can select puzzles yourself and print them directly to your printer. |
| Q: | What if I open an iGridd Book and get an empty document? |
| A: | You need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader version 6 or higher. |
Community
| Q: | Do I have to fill in my details in the Profile page? |
| A: | No, you don't have to, but if you share some of your details people can get to know you better. We share a worldwide community with one certain interest: we love to solve these puzzles. If you are curious to know who else likes to solve those puzzles, where they are from, what age or gender, please fill in some details too. |
| Q: | Do I need to fill in my email address? |
| A: | It is recommended to fill in a valid email address in order to use the services provided by the site, like: retrieving your password in case you forget it, forwarding messages sent to you by other solvers or comments written in your puzzles. |
| Q: | If I fill in my email address, how can I be sure I won't be spammed? |
| A: | Your email address is hidden by default. Even if you mark "Yes" in Show my Email, only registered users can view it. |
| Q: | Can I solve puzzles and chat simultaneously? |
| A: | Yes. You can have two windows open: A browser window for solving puzzles and the chat window for chatting. |
| Q: | What do I do if I find an improper or abusive comment written for a puzzle? |
| A: | Send a message to griddlers_team, and write the puzzle ID number. Inappropriate comments are removed constantly. |