The Permutation Puzzles Page
John O. Kiltinen
Northern Michigan University
A web site with supporting materials for book "Oval Track and Other Permutation Puzzles" and the Permutation Puzzles Package of software which accompanies the book.
This web site provides resources that expand upon what is in the book Oval Track and Other Permutation Puzzles (And Just Enough Group Theory to Solve Them). You will find news about the puzzle software, modules that add functionality and fun to puzzles and more.
Check the MAA web site at http:www.maa.org to order the book from the MAA online bookstore. When you get to the MAA home page, follow the Bookstore link which is one of them in the list on the left side of the page.
Here is a review on the MAA web site by Ruth I. Berger of Luther College. Three quotes from the review:
"It is very easy to learn how to use the software. All puzzles have the same menu bar including a scramble disks button, view moves, save settings, 'undo last moves', and 'program a macro' button. "
"The capacity of the program is too large to be accurately described here, you need to try it out for yourself! It is noticeable that the author spent many years working on it and perfecting it before releasing it to the public."
"This well written book and included software is highly recommended. Get a copy and try it out for yourself. You may not be able to put it down and neither will your students!"
My home page has a bit more background information about me.
A Scorer/Server Module that lets you ...
• Turn Oval Track into a competition game.
• Get scores based upon how many steps and
how much time you take to solve scrambles.
• Compete with yourself or with others.
• Keep records of your best results.
• Create your own sets of scrambles
to challenge yourself and your friends.
A Server/Scorer module is now available to add to the fun of using the Permutation Puzzle Package. If you already have the puzzle software, you can download the Server/Scorer module and begin using it right away. Adding this component to your system gives you the option of getting scores for your solutions of sets of scrambles, creating your own sets, and keeping records of the best results.
Follow this Server/Scorer Page link to a learn more about the Serve/Scorer and to download it.
Follow this link to a page which presents some new challenges that have come to our attention involving the puzzles.
An important tool for solving the permutation puzzles is a commutator, which is a procedure built from two components, A and B. You first do component A, then you do component B, then you undo A, and finally you undo B. The right commutators will give you control of making small changes in the state of the puzzle.
This idea of doing a first thing, then a second, then undoing the first and then undoing the second is applicable to other things also. To illustrate this, we are providing some resources for exploring the use of commutators in the composition of music.
Follow this link to the Commutator Music Page where you will find some sound clips to download which give examples of commutator music. You will also find on this page a link for downloading a piece of software called the "Commutator Music Machine." Using this program, which will require that you have the latest version of Java Runtime Environment on your computer, you can experiment with creating your own commutator music. This program was written by Professor Peter Hamlin of the Department of Music of St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota.
Follow this link to the latest issue of the Electronic Newsletter. For those who have the puzzle package, this newsletter can be downloaded in a convenient package from within the puzzle software.
Demonstration versions of the software
A demonstration version of the Permutation Puzzles Package is now available. It contains fully functional samples of a few of the puzzles and features and demo versions of others. The demo is a single standalone program. It is available in versions for Windows and Macintosh OS. Both the Windows and Mac versions are compressed on the server for quicker downloading. In order to expand the downloaded file on your computer, you will need to have an expander program such as StuffIt Expander or WinZip.
The demonstation version of the Permutation Puzzles Package is free. The full version is not. Both are copyrighted by the author, John O. Kiltinen.
Click on one of the links below to start the download process.
Download size: 1.4 Mb
Expanded size: 3.4 Mb
Download size: 2.4 Mb
Expanded size: 5.1 Mb
A Parity Theorem Demonstrator
A related item is a standalone program which gives a demonstration of a hands-on proof of the Parity Theorem. Use this link to go to the
Last Update: April 26, 2004
This page maintained and owned by John Kiltinen (kiltinen@nmu.edu).
Link to a Northern Michigan
University disclaimer statement.