v1.61

### Version: Exolve v1.61: February 22, 2025

- Allow parameters in cell-decorators, so that we can vary a decorator
  depending upon which cell it is in. The mechanism is to allow `$1`,
  `$2`, etc. to be present anywhere in the SVG specs for a decorator. In
  the `exolve-grid` section, when a decorator is placed in a cell, values
  are supplied for the parameters, using colon-prefixed suffixes. E.g.:
```
  exolve-cell-decorator: <text x="2" y="15" style="color:$1">$2</text>
  exolve-grid:
    0{1:green:*} . ...
```
- Spaces get stripped from parameter values. Parameter values cannot
  contain any of `:` or ','.
- If the dollar symbol itself is needed in the SVG specs, it needs to be
  indicated using `$0`.
- Bug fix: `addCellText()` was using the next cell to compute some
  coordinates, but this doesn't work with non-standard grid-spacing. Fixed.
  Also updated the documentation to say that parameterized
  `exolve-cell-decorator` is the preferred way to add text decorations to cells.
- exolve-from-text.js: Found published grids in the wild that contain
  the 2x2-all-white-cells pattern that I was rejecting outright. Modify
  the algo to first try with such 2x2s ruled out, but if that fails, then
  try everything again, allowing the 2x2. Also relax maxToBlacken to 6
  from 5. Finally, add a sorter to sort the results if there are multiple
  results, using some heuristics (loweset num-unchecked-pairs +
  max-horiz-black-span + max-vert-black-span + num2x2Whiteo).
- In exolve-player.html, delete old Exolve puzzles for multiple-matching
  choices inferred from text.
- Add a test for autogrid that contains a 2x2-all-white block.

Author: viresh-ratnakar

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,5 +1,36 @@
 # Changelog
 
+### Version: Exolve v1.61: February 22, 2025
+
+- Allow parameters in cell-decorators, so that we can vary a decorator
+  depending upon which cell it is in. The mechanism is to allow `$1`,
+  `$2`, etc. to be present anywhere in the SVG specs for a decorator. In
+  the `exolve-grid` section, when a decorator is placed in a cell, values
+  are supplied for the parameters, using colon-prefixed suffixes. E.g.:
+```
+  exolve-cell-decorator: <text x="2" y="15" style="color:$1">$2</text>
+  exolve-grid:
+    0{1:green:*} . ...
+```
+- Spaces get stripped from parameter values. Parameter values cannot
+  contain any of `:` or ','.
+- If the dollar symbol itself is needed in the SVG specs, it needs to be
+  indicated using `$0`.
+- Bug fix: `addCellText()` was using the next cell to compute some
+  coordinates, but this doesn't work with non-standard grid-spacing. Fixed.
+  Also updated the documentation to say that parameterized
+  `exolve-cell-decorator` is the preferred way to add text decorations to cells.
+- exolve-from-text.js: Found published grids in the wild that contain
+  the 2x2-all-white-cells pattern that I was rejecting outright. Modify
+  the algo to first try with such 2x2s ruled out, but if that fails, then
+  try everything again, allowing the 2x2. Also relax maxToBlacken to 6
+  from 5. Finally, add a sorter to sort the results if there are multiple
+  results, using some heuristics (loweset num-unchecked-pairs +
+  max-horiz-black-span + max-vert-black-span + num2x2Whiteo).
+- In exolve-player.html, delete old Exolve puzzles for multiple-matching
+  choices inferred from text.
+- Add a test for autogrid that contains a 2x2-all-white block.
+
 ### Version: Exolve v1.60: February 18, 2025
 
 - Add support for non-standard cell shapes via `exolve-shaped-cell`, which

README.md

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 ## An Easily Configurable Interactive Crossword Solver
 
-### Version: Exolve v1.60 February 18, 2025
+### Version: Exolve v1.61 February 22, 2025
 
 Exolve can help you create online interactively solvable crosswords (simple
 ones with blocks and/or bars as well as those that are jumbles or are
@@ -2072,6 +2072,25 @@ adjoining cells (otherwise the overlap will get hidden). See the long green
 vertical lines in the example in
 [`test-cell-decorators.html`](test-cell-decorators.html).
 
+You can also add cell-specific parameters to cell decorators. Basically, you
+can use markers like `$1` (`$2`, etc.) anywhere in the `exolve-cell-decorator`
+specs. And then, in the `exolve-grid` entry for a cell that's decorated with
+a parameterized decorator, you can specify values for the parameters by
+appending the decorator number with `:val` (or `:val1:val2` if there are
+multiple parameters). The only constraint is that the parameters cannot include
+spaces (as all spaces get stripped off when parsing lines within `exolve-grid`)
+and cannot include colons or commas. If you need to have the dollar symbol
+itself within a decorator, then use `$0`. Here's an example:
+
+```
+exolve-cell-decorator: <line stroke="$1" x1="20" y1="28" x2="26" y2="28">
+exolve-cell-decorator: <text x="5" y="14.1">$1$0</text>
+exolve-grid:
+  0        0         0        0{2:42}
+  0        .         .        0{2:!!}
+  0{1:red} 0{1:blue} 0{1:red} 0{1:blue,2:*}
+```
+
 ## `exolve-postscript`
 If this section is provided, it gets rendered under the whole puzzle. Like
 `exolve-preamble`, this is also a multiline section and can include arbitrary
@@ -2515,6 +2534,10 @@ all HTML IDs and class names were made distinctive by having them use the
 making future backwards-incompatible changes unnecessary.
 
 ### Customized additional text within cells
+NOTE: A more general mechanism than `addCellText()` (with greater flexibility,
+control) for adding text to cells is now available via
+[`exolve-cell-decorator`](#exolve-cell-decorator) with parameters.
+
 Exolve provides you with a JavaScript API that you can call from
 `customizeExolve()` that lets you add arbitrary text within any cell. The
 function to call is:
@@ -2622,7 +2645,6 @@ after the Solutions section.
 This "grid inference" functionality is only supported for standard, blocked,
 UK-style crossword grids. Here are the constraints under which this works:
 - The grid is symmetric
-- Every 4x4 area has at least one black cell.
 - No light is shorter than 3 letters.
 - Enums are provided for all clues. The only exception is child clues
   in linked groups.
@@ -2632,6 +2654,8 @@ UK-style crossword grids. Here are the constraints under which this works:
   entry is supported (compared to the number of linked clues).
 - There aren't very long strips of consecutive blackened squares.
 
+We first look for the coomon case where every 4x4 area has at least one black
+cell. If that fails, then we re-try, without this constraint.
 
 ### .pdf
 While it is tempting to add support for reading crosswords out of PDFs, it is

exolve-from-ipuz.js

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ SOFTWARE.
 The latest code and documentation for Exolve can be found at:
 https://github.com/viresh-ratnakar/exolve
 
-Version: Exolve v1.60 February 18, 2025
+Version: Exolve v1.61 February 22, 2025
 */
 
 /**

exolve-from-puz.js

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ SOFTWARE.
 The latest code and documentation for Exolve can be found at:
 https://github.com/viresh-ratnakar/exolve
 
-Version: Exolve v1.60 February 18, 2025
+Version: Exolve v1.61 February 22, 2025
 */
 
 function exolveFromPuzNextNull(buffer, offset) {

exolve-from-text.js

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ SOFTWARE.
 The latest code and documentation for Exolve can be found at:
 https://github.com/viresh-ratnakar/exolve
 
-Version: Exolve v1.60 February 18, 2025
+Version: Exolve v1.61 February 22, 2025
 */
 
 /**
@@ -300,6 +300,7 @@ function ExolveGridSkeleton(puz, specs) {
   this.specs = specs;
   this.w = puz.gridWidth;
   this.h = puz.gridHeight;
+  this.no4x4 = true;
   this.grid = new Array(this.h);
   for (let r = 0; r < this.h; r++) {
     this.grid[r] = new Array(this.w);
@@ -316,6 +317,7 @@ ExolveGridSkeleton.prototype.clone = function(newLights=false) {
   copy.parents = this.parents;
   copy.name = this.name;
   copy.symName = this.symName;
+  copy.no4x4 = this.no4x4;
 
   copy.grid = new Array(this.h);
   for (let r = 0; r < this.h; r++) {
@@ -681,7 +683,7 @@ ${sections.preamble}`;
 
   for (let rowpar = 0; rowpar < 2; rowpar++) {
     for (let colpar = 0; colpar < 2; colpar++) {
-      for (let skeleton of skeletons) {
+      for (const skeleton of skeletons) {
         const candidate = skeleton.clone();
         for (let r = 0; r < h; r++) {
           for (let c = 0; c < w; c++) {
@@ -695,11 +697,21 @@ ${sections.preamble}`;
       }
     }
   }
-  for (let skeleton of skeletons) {
+  for (const skeleton of skeletons) {
     const candidate = skeleton.clone();
     candidate.name = 'Non-chequered';
     candidate.appendWithSyms(ret.candidates);
   }
+  /**
+   * no4x4 determines whether (in an unchequered skeleton), we allow
+   * blocks of 2x2 white cells (false is tried as a last resort).
+   */
+  for (const skeleton of skeletons) {
+    const candidate = skeleton.clone();
+    candidate.no4x4 = false;
+    candidate.name = 'Non-chequered-2x2-white-OK';
+    candidate.appendWithSyms(ret.candidates);
+  }
   return ret;
 }
 
@@ -725,20 +737,21 @@ exolveFromTextCreateWorker = function(candidates) {
         return;
       }
       const results = [];
-      for (let skeleton of candidates) {
+      for (const skeleton of candidates) {
         const candidate = new ExolveGridInferrer(skeleton);
         candidate.infer(results);
         if (results.length > 0) {
           break;
         }
       }
       const seen = {};
+      results.sort((r1, r2) => r1.score() - r2.score());
       const deduped = [];
-      for (let result of results) {
-        const gridSpecLines = result.gridSpecLines;
+      for (const result of results) {
+        const gridSpecLines = result.gridSpecLines();
         if (seen[gridSpecLines]) continue;
         seen[gridSpecLines] = true;
-        deduped.push(result);
+        deduped.push({gridSpecLines: gridSpecLines, exolve: result.exolve()});
       }
       postMessage({results: deduped});
     }
@@ -795,6 +808,7 @@ function ExolveGridInferrer(skeleton) {
   this.w = skeleton.w;
   this.h = skeleton.h;
   this.specs = skeleton.specs;
+  this.no4x4 = skeleton.no4x4;
   /* The 'cursor': the next light will be placed at a cell here onwards */
   this.rowcol = new ExolveRowCol(this.h, this.w);
 
@@ -951,7 +965,7 @@ ExolveGridInferrer.prototype.setGrid = function(rc, letter) {
   }
   this.grid[rc.row][rc.col] = letter;
   this.grid[sym.row][sym.col] = letter;
-  if (letter == '0') {
+  if (letter == '0' && this.no4x4) {
     const mustBlock = this.threeZerosAll(rc);
     for (let rc2 of mustBlock) {
       if (!this.setGrid(rc2, '.')) {
@@ -1092,15 +1106,15 @@ ExolveGridInferrer.prototype.infer = function(results) {
     if (!this.isViable(true)) {
       return;
     }
-    results.push({gridSpecLines: this.gridSpecLines(), exolve: this.exolve()});
+    results.push(this);
     return;
   }
   const lights = this.lights[this.mapped.length];
   const rowcolStart = this.rowcol.clone();
   let numUnsetCellsSet = 0;
 
   /* Only consider blackening up to these many cells */
-  const maxToBlacken = 5;
+  const maxToBlacken = 6;
   while (this.rowcol.isValid() && numUnsetCellsSet <= maxToBlacken) {
     const gridCell = this.grid[this.rowcol.row][this.rowcol.col];
     if (gridCell == '_') {
@@ -1132,6 +1146,59 @@ ExolveGridInferrer.prototype.infer = function(results) {
   }
 }
 
+ExolveGridInferrer.prototype.score = function() {
+  let numUnches = 0;
+  let num4x4 = 0;
+  let maxRowBlack = 0;
+  let maxColBlack = 0;
+  for (let r = 0; r < this.h; r++) {
+    for (let c = 0; c < this.w; c++) {
+      if (this.grid[r][c] != '0') continue;
+      if ((c < this.w - 1 && this.grid[r][c + 1] == '0') &&
+          (r == 0 || this.grid[r - 1][c] == '.') &&
+          (r == 0 || this.grid[r - 1][c + 1] == '.') &&
+          (r == this.h - 1 || this.grid[r + 1][c] == '.') &&
+          (r == this.h - 1 || this.grid[r + 1][c + 1] == '.')) {
+        numUnches++;
+      }
+      if ((r < this.h - 1 && this.grid[r + 1][c] == '0') &&
+          (c == 0 || this.grid[r][c - 1] == '.') &&
+          (c == 0 || this.grid[r + 1][c - 1] == '.') &&
+          (c == this.w - 1 || this.grid[r][c + 1] == '.') &&
+          (c == this.w - 1 || this.grid[r + 1][c + 1] == '.')) {
+        numUnches++;
+      }
+      if (r < this.h - 1 && c < this.w - 1 &&
+          this.grid[r+1][c] == '0' &&
+          this.grid[r][c+1] == '0' &&
+          this.grid[r+1][c+1] == '0') {
+        num4x4++;
+      }
+      /* horiz black span ending before this: */
+      let span = 0;
+      for (let c2 = c - 1; c2 >= 0; c2--) {
+        if (this.grid[r][c2] == '.') {
+          span++;
+        } else {
+          break;
+        }
+      }
+      if (span > maxRowBlack) maxRowBlack = span;
+      /* vert black span ending before this: */
+      span = 0;
+      for (let r2 = r - 1; r2 >= 0; r2--) {
+        if (this.grid[r2][c] == '.') {
+          span++;
+        } else {
+          break;
+        }
+      }
+      if (span > maxColBlack) maxColBlack = span;
+    }
+  }
+  return numUnches + num4x4 + maxRowBlack + maxColBlack;
+}
+
 ExolveGridInferrer.prototype.isConnected = function() {
   let cells = []
   let visited = new Array(this.h)

exolve-m-simple.html

@@ -14,11 +14,11 @@
 
 See the full Exolve license notice in exolve-m.js.
 
-Version: Exolve v1.60 February 18, 2025
+Version: Exolve v1.61 February 22, 2025
 -->
 
-<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://viresh-ratnakar.github.io/exolve-m.css?v1.60"/>
-<script src="https://viresh-ratnakar.github.io/exolve-m.js?v1.60"></script>
+<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://viresh-ratnakar.github.io/exolve-m.css?v1.61"/>
+<script src="https://viresh-ratnakar.github.io/exolve-m.js?v1.61"></script>
 
 <title>Your Puzzle Title</title>
 

exolve-m.css

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ Copyright (c) 2019 Viresh Ratnakar
 
 See the full license notice in exolve-m.js.
 
-Version: Exolve v1.60 February 18, 2025
+Version: Exolve v1.61 February 22, 2025
 */
 
 @media (max-width: 500px) {

exolve-m.html

@@ -10,10 +10,10 @@
 
 See the full Exolve license notice in exolve-m.js.
 
-Version: Exolve v1.60 February 18, 2025
+Version: Exolve v1.61 February 22, 2025
 -->
-<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="exolve-m.css?v1.60"/>
-<script src="exolve-m.js?v1.60"></script>
+<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="exolve-m.css?v1.61"/>
+<script src="exolve-m.js?v1.61"></script>
 
 <title>Exolve (replace with puzzle title)</title>