HINTS AND TIPS ON MAZE SOLVING
by Carl Mickla at PCS Games
from the thirteenth issue of Audyssey Magazine.
      Maze solving is a methodical approach to a map puzzle.  There
has been many mazes designed throughout history.  One application
for a maze was used to confuse attacking armies when they breached
through the outer walled defenses.  Another use of mazes was to
cause people from out side the area to become easily lost.  This
would make it more difficult for strangers to cause mischief and
get easily away.  The Egyptians used mazes in many of their
pyramids and other great works.  Here again the maze was used to
confuse tomb robbers.

      You might ask how would a maze make it very difficult for
armies to achieve the final stroke of the battle?  Well, it works
like this.  When the streets of a walled city had to be navigated
by a hoard of attackers, and the streets were laid out in a maze,
the mighty army would branch off into many narrow streets.  The
home defenders would be able to ambush, snipe, and trap large
numbers of soldiers.  Once an attacking army was scattered through
the maze of streets and buildings, fires would be set and the
attackers would be cooked.

      The same city designed to confuse attacking armies, would
serve to make strangers lost.  If a person is not sure of their
selves to navigate through a city, they would be less likely to
steal from a resident, because a quick clear getaway is in doubt.
Street hooligans wood also take advantage of lost strangers, by
giving them wrong directions.  The strangers would be directed to
an area where they would be set on by other members of the gang
laying in wait.

      When the Egyptians employed mazes in the construction of their
great works.  It was to confuse workers, making it hard to talk to
others about secret details.  It would also make it very difficult
for tomb breakers to find any treasures, and to find their way out
again.

      Solving mazes is not impossible.  There are no unsolved
physical mazes from the ancient world up to today.  However, there
is the computer.  With the aid of electronics defying nature, there
are some unsolvable mazes out there.

There are a couple of ways to approach maze solving.  Here is how
I approach the puzzle.  First I order a pizza from Domino's,
because they have the best boxes.  then  I get a sheet of braille
graph paper from the American Printing House for the Blind.  I then
place the graph paper on top of the pizza box.  I secure the paper
with a map tack on all for sides.  I place a box of different types
of map tacks in easy reach.  If I know my starting X, Y, position
I count blocks across for X, and then I count down blocks for Y.
If I do not know where the starting position is I then place a tack
in the middle of the one side on the edge.  then I work the maze by
keeping the wall always to my right, placing a tack where every
wall is indicated.  If the maze breaks off, room, hallway, and so
on I only check it out if it is to my right.  I never leave the
maze for another level, when playing multi level games, until I
know every thing in the maze.  The other thing I like to do is to
turn the box or map when the maze changes direction.  This helps me
to keep the perspective of the map the same way as I am facing,
allowing for me to synchronize myself with the map.  Once I have
completed the maze with the wall to my right I then work the maze
by keeping the wall to my left.  Then I go back and hit all the
areas that I have passed by.  This might seem a little slow, but it
works.  Every time I start getting tired, I just open the box and
grab a slice! and keep going.

I once played a Dungeons and Dragons game called Wizardry.  There
was an area in the dungeon where light would not work.  Using the
method described earlier I was able to navigate and solve the whole
mapping puzzle.  I do very strongly suggest using graph paper.
After all the first mazes used on computers were not graphical and
you had to use paper to solve them.  Now the game creators do not
want to make there games to tough and draw the mazes out for the
players.  I think this is wrong, because many people playing maze
games are not getting the full challenge of solving mazes and the
opportunity to sharpen map puzzle solving skills.  If the maze goes
beyond the sheet of graph paper, call Domino's and order another
pie!  So do not shy away from tough maze puzzles.  Get some braille
graph paper, map tacks, and call Domino's.  Remember It is the box
you want, not the snack inside!