Dad's Puzzler - Exchange Version




"Infants' Hospital Puzzle", Chad Valley Co. Ltd., Harborne, England, 1920;
made for the Infants Hospital in Vincent Square, London, founded by R. Mond.

(cardboard box and 9 cardboard pieces, 6.2 by 5.2 by 1/2 inches;
see also Infants' Hospital Puzzle, Infants' Hospital - The Magic Line, A Ward Oin The Infants' Hospital, Infants' Hospital Jigsaw Puzzle)

This is an example of a version of "Dad's Puzzler". where the directions give additional constraints on the final position; see the following pages.

Further Reading
Infants Hospital History, from: http://ezitis.myzen.co.uk/westminsterchildrens.html
Robert Mond Wikipedia Page, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Mond

Dad's Puzzler - Exchange Versions
The directions to the puzzle on the preceding page say one must not merely move the 2x2 piece to the lower left as with the standard Dad's Puzzler, but it must be exchanged with the two pieces there. Here are a number of interpretations of what this means:

Dad's Puzzler
2x2 Piece must be moved to the lower left corner; no other requirements.

Dad's Puzzler Exchange
2x2 Piece must be moved to the lower left corner; pieces 7 and 8 must move to the upper left corner and may be exchanged.

Dad's Puzzler Exchange-Strict
Exchange upper left 2x2 with lower left pair; the two lower left pieces must remain in same relative order; other pieces do not matter.

Dad's Puzzler Exchange-Full
Exchange upper left 2x2 with lower left pair; the two lower left pieces may be exchanged; other pieces must stay the same or be equivalent.

Dad's Puzzler Exchange-Full-Strict
Exchange upper left 2x2 with lower left pair; the two lower left pieces must remain in same relative order; other pieces must stay the same or be equivalent.

Dad's Puzzler Exchange-Full-Strict-All
Exchange upper left 2x2 with lower left pair; the two lower left pieces must remain in same relative order; other pieces must stay the same and cannot be exchange with equivalents.

Dads Puzzler Exchange and Exchange-Strict Solutions
The minimal length solution for the standard version (62 straight-line moves, 59 rectilinear moves) also works for the excange version. When the exchange must be strict, here is a 67 straight line moves solution; it can be converted to 65 rectilinear moves by combining steps 6/7 and 63/64:


Dads Puzzler Exchange-Full Solution
Here is a 64 straight line moves solution; it can be converted to 61 rectilinear moves by combining steps 6/7, 27/28, 58/59:


Dads Puzzler Exchange-Full-Strict Solution
Here is a 69 straight line moves solution; it can be converted to 67 rectilinear moves by combining steps 6/7, 63/64:


Dads Puzzler Exchange-Full-Strict-All Solution
Here is a 167 straight line moves solution; it can be converted to 165 rectilinear moves by combining steps 6/7, 161/162:


(continued on the next page)

Dads Puzzler Exchange-Full-Strict-All Solution, Continued
Here is a 167 straight line moves solution; it can be converted to 165 rectilinear moves by combining steps 6/7, 161/162: