Subject: Never won winnables!
Date: Sat Sep 28 16:59:09 2019
User: Klepp
Message:7915-5 8X2, first of 48, first attempt--I'll quit for today.
Date: Mon Sep 30 16:02:51 2019
User: TNmountainman
Message:8x2 18572-5 Now 1/42. Took me 4(?) tries, but I could smell it wanted to be relieved of it's misery. Tough game.
Date: Mon Sep 30 17:49:20 2019
User: Blythe_Yet_Lusty
Message:11 x 1 Winnable 31310-8, 0 for 3.
Date: Mon Sep 30 19:28:42 2019
User: Oded789
Message:7x3 15199-8, third try (in a tournament), now 1/18.
Someone else, probably tournament winner grga, was the only one to solve 7x3 28921-10, now 1/47.
Date: Mon Sep 30 20:04:57 2019
User: Klepp
Message:24578-5 8X2, first of 37, more than one attempt for me, alas...
Date: Wed Oct 2 14:30:02 2019
User: Ellie2
Message:Another very difficult game bites the dust:
Congratulations! You Win
Game #: 4x8 25564,..... Game stats: 6/1/16.67%,..... Difficulty: 5,..... Elapsed: 5:00,..... Streak: 2,..... Today: 1
Date: Thu Oct 3 17:53:36 2019
User: Klepp
Message:9X1 24151-5, first of 30, first attempt, not easy--though not mind-bending...
Date: Mon Oct 7 09:58:10 2019
User: TitanicTony
Message:This w5x8 was way, WAY too difficult for me, and ended my streak at 112!!
Anyone else want to have a go?
Sorry You Lose.... Game #: 27462-10;... Game stats: 1/0/0.00%;... Streak was: 112. Sigh!
Date: Mon Oct 7 12:44:21 2019
User: TitanicTony
Message:The dealer isn't being nice to me today; this one was tough!
Congratulations! You Win.... Game #: 5x8 28129-5;.... Game stats: 3/1/33.33%;.... Streak: 2;.... Today: 2.
Date: Mon Oct 7 20:53:57 2019
User: Oded789
Message:DAB just won a tournament by solving 5x7 24176-1, now 1/43.
Seems rare for a level 1 game to be solvable but very hard.
Date: Tue Oct 8 14:15:58 2019
User: TNmountainman
Message:Wow. Just wait 'til andaronjim gets word of *that* one!
Date: Tue Oct 8 23:51:03 2019
User: jamesblackburn-lynch
Message:This one was tough. It’s only been played three times but I think it’s a challenge.
Congratulations!
You Win
Game #: 11x1 708
Game stats: 3/1/33.33%
Difficulty: 8
Elapsed: 22:21
Date: Wed Oct 9 19:44:03 2019
User: Oded789
Message:Someone just solved 9x2 26852-11 in a tournament, now 1/33.
I was one of two to solve 7x3 28607-9, now 2/40.
Looking for the stats I just found a 7x3 game which is 1/498 (!!!). I wonder what's the lowest ratio for a solved game of any kind...
Date: Sun Oct 13 16:01:43 2019
User: Ellie2
Message:I got this w6x5 game (to end my streak at 57): Game #: 30981-10; Game stats: 83/1/1.20%.
4 games later, I was dealt this one: Congratulations! You Win.
Game #: 6x5 30821-5; Game stats: 52/1/1.92%; Streak: 4; Today: 4; Moves: 49/120.
Whew, I hate these "never won winnables"!
Date: Sat Oct 19 16:48:21 2019
User: Klepp
Message:22705-5 9X1...first of 33, nothing tricky...
Date: Sat Oct 19 18:06:21 2019
User: Kaos
Message:Oded789 asked:
"Looking for the stats I just found a 7x3 game which is 1/498 (!!!). I wonder what's the lowest ratio for a solved game of any kind..."
From the time I've been here, I recall a 6x6 that was up around 500 or 600 tries with just one win. Looking through the stats, I believe this is the one:
6x5-5 19867 1994 3 0.15
I think a hint on how to solve it was posted at the old hotel netcell but I did not bother to read it and I've never solved it (even though I'm sure I've tried it 50 times or more). It would get my vote as the hardest winnable game. Linked below for those who want to look.
For games I solved first, I won a 7x3 in a tournament (pretty sure it was a mini-pot) on my 4th attempt and was the only person who got it even though mabb (and I think mickyiw) were also in the filed. mabb and others kept trying and mabb posted a thread here wondering how I had done it. I gave one hint and eventually a player by the nick of Ill_lit_rat became the second to solve it after it had well over 300 attempts. I'd have to do some searching now to track down this game. It was a very interesting arrangement as it had lots of promising options to choose from (so it looked like it might be easy) but only one of the options led to a solution.
Link: My vote for hardest game
Date: Sat Oct 19 18:13:01 2019
User: Kaos
Message:OK, here's the game I recalled (from 2006). It's now been solved 11 times but I think it will be challenging if you do not track down the thread with the discussion and solution.
Link: Interesting 7x3
Date: Sat Oct 19 20:11:48 2019
User: Kaos
Message:Cool. With Denny's new History button for Tournaments, it was pretty easy to look up the data for the tournament I was remembering. Turns out that it was a Threat and did include both mickyiw and mabb with fast times just 28 seconds apart.
Date: Sat Oct 19 20:54:15 2019
User: Oded789
Message:Yes, the 3/1994 (0.15%) 6x6-5 game was also the lowest solved I've found.
There was one with 1/520 or so that I can't find right now. There are only a few under 0.5% across the board. Here's one, the lowest solved 8x3.
Thanks, the 7x3 game looks interesting. Failed 3 times so far, I'll give it another go later.
Link: Hard 8x3
Date: Tue Oct 22 12:34:40 2019
User: TNmountainman
Message:Holy moly. Didn't even seem very hard:
Game #: 8x2 1119-5
Game stats: 22/1/4.55%
Date: Tue Oct 22 16:29:24 2019
User: Kaos
Message:I mucked it up numerous times. It's easy to rush and get a free column but the build-up to get the free column requires some patience. Then, of course, there's always using the free column wisely.
Date: Tue Oct 22 17:37:41 2019
User: TNmountainman
Message:Well, I didn't mean to intimate that it was easy - but for the world of 8x2s, it seemed about average. But as you well know, when there's one like that with lots of options, one just takes the most promising pathway and hopes that it leads somewhere. Maybe I just got lucky in that respect. In no way did I feel confident 'til well past halfway home, and had I known it was previously un-won, maybe I'd have rushed into a blunder, or choked it in some other manner.
Date: Wed Nov 6 17:38:12 2019
User: Ellie2
Message:Amazing! This one was tricky, but not *THAT* tricky, imo......... Game #: 6x5, 30990-5,
Game stats: 28/1/3.57%,..... Elapsed: 4:17,..... Streak: 10,..... Today: 4,..... Moves: 57/154.
Date: Wed Nov 6 17:54:00 2019
User: Kaos
Message:Now 34-1. I vote yea for *that* tricky. Tried it once with a tournament mind set but that went down in flames quickly. Then, it took five more tries to see the way through.
Date: Thu Nov 7 02:59:33 2019
User: Ellie2
Message:Thanks, Kaos. Actually, your win makes it 34-2.
Date: Thu Nov 7 19:10:44 2019
User: Kaos
Message:Game #: 8x2 16354
Game stats: 29/1/3.45%
Difficulty: 5
Elapsed: 3:51
Streak: 1
Today: 4
Date: Fri Nov 8 10:33:50 2019
User: TNmountainman
Message:Interesting game:
Game #: 8x1 25427-5
Game stats: 9/1/11.11%
Date: Sun Nov 10 22:16:46 2019
User: JackK2019
Message:I just got a 10x0, 5-20353. now 15/1. Funny how luck is. It didn't seem that hard. Only took 3.5 min.Won't make up for the easy ones I miss.
Date: Thu Nov 14 10:33:30 2019
User: TNmountainman
Message:This one looked so hard I almost didn't try it. NOT easy, but got it first try:
Game #: 8x2 18759-5
Game stats: 33/1/3.03%
Date: Thu Nov 21 16:45:16 2019
User: Kaos
Message:Took three tries but just got this one:
Game: 8x2 31274-5
Plays: 33/1
Percentage: 3.03
Interesting how many winnables are still left un-won in 8x2 climate 5.
Date: Thu Nov 28 18:25:07 2019
User: TitanicTony
Message:This was one of my hardest 6x5 games ever: Congratulations! You Win.
Game #: 6x5 5621-6;... Game stats: 2/1/50.00%;... Elapsed: 5:13;... Streak: 20;... Moves: 67/160!
Date: Sun Dec 1 15:57:05 2019
User: TNmountainman
Message:10x0-5
#13940
Game stats: 20/1/5.00%
First try. Fun game.
Date: Thu Dec 5 18:24:20 2019
User: Kaos
Message:This one also took three tries. It looked winnable so replayed it until successful. I'd think any of the top streakers could get it on the first attempt.
Game #: 8x2 10622-5
Game stats: 40/1/2.50%
Elapsed: 2:39
Streak: n/a
Always interesting to see how many winnable 8x2's are out there without being cracked.
Date: Thu Dec 5 18:48:49 2019
User: Kaos
Message:This one came up just a few minutes after posting the above. Much more challenging:
Game #: 8x2 16465-1
Game stats: 41/1/2.44%
Elapsed: 2:28
I'd be impressed if someone got this in one attempt.
Date: Fri Dec 20 16:04:10 2019
User: Kaos
Message:I decided to try winnable 4x10 for the first time and got this deal:
Game #: 4x10 11873
Game stats: 11/1/9.09%
Difficulty: 5
Elapsed: 3:33
Streak: 1
Date: Fri Dec 20 17:28:44 2019
User: Oded789
Message:Just won a Twelve tourney thanks to this one:
12x0 28841-9
Game stats: 10/1/10.00%
It was quite a challenge to open a column.
Link: 12x0 interesting board
Date: Fri Dec 20 20:13:32 2019
User: Kaos
Message:Actually, there's an easy way to open a column but then the game just doesn't play out. Took me five tries to find the way to open a column that let's the game be solvable.
Date: Wed Dec 25 12:21:17 2019
User: rws33315
Message:Was nice to win this 4x7 29895-5 , now 5/1
Date: Sun Dec 29 14:53:34 2019
User: TNmountainman
Message:10x0-5
#15726
Game stats: 21/1/4.76%
Unfortunately, second try.
Date: Mon Dec 30 17:51:39 2019
User: Kaos
Message:Managed this game first time - did not seem too hard:
Game: 8x2 21443-5
Plays: 34-2
Percentage: 5.88
The got this one, which alas took two tries:
Game: 8x2 32274-5
Plays: 27-1
Percentage: 3.70
Date: Thu Jan 2 18:00:19 2020
User: Oded789
Message:Now 1/29.
Just from reading your post I wasn't sure if it was actually winnable, but didn't find it too hard.
Date: Fri Jan 3 15:15:47 2020
User: Kaos
Message:This one looks impossible but I played it out anyway and got pleasantly surprised:
Game #: 8x2 19633
Game stats: 42/1/2.38%
Difficulty: 5
Elapsed: 3:33
Streak: 3
Date: Fri Jan 10 11:23:31 2020
User: TNmountainman
Message:8x1-5 # 20343
First try: 7/1/14.29%
Date: Mon Jan 13 09:40:57 2020
User: TNmountainman
Message:7x2-5 #31242
7/1/14.29%
First try.
Date: Thu Jan 16 14:33:29 2020
User: TNmountainman
Message:7x2-5 #29989
9/1/11.11%
First try.
Date: Thu Jan 16 15:36:33 2020
User: smelborp
Message:8x2 | 19633-5 | ninth try | got lucky!
Date: Thu Jan 16 21:52:14 2020
User: FreeMyCells
Message:Game #: 21096
Game stats: 309/5/1.62%
Difficulty: 5
Only tried once so far.
Games like this is why I don't understand the difficulty rating system. The deuces are all high in the column.
Date: Thu Jan 16 22:10:33 2020
User: joeygray
Message:Christine broke off about 20 years ago and ran her own freecell site, where all the deals were random. She never had to answer this question.
Post follow-up