Originally posted by JirakonGood catch, but that's easy to fix. I just shift the e-pawn over to the c-file, and save 2 captures.
There's still one minor problem: you've again made a position in which no piece can be added anywhere on the board (except f7). How does black have two bishops on black squares? A pawn must have promoted on either e1 or g1 (since it couldn't get to a1 and couldn't escape c1). That requires a minimum of two captures. Add that to the capture made by one ...[text shortened]... on were to make a reverse legal cluster on all squares but one, then you've got it.
Good job. Now in the course of time, I've found another position that makes the puzzle even tougher. It turns out there's also a position with the same conditions, except that only the black queen must have remained on her color; the white queen was free to move as she normally does. I don't know if you're too exhausted trying this same puzzle with four different variations, but I'll go ahead and post something else just for fun: I'm sure you could place five queens so that they occupy or threaten every space, but could you place five queens so that they occupy or threaten every space except for c3?
Originally posted by JirakonWas my solution the intended solution?
Good job. Now in the course of time, I've found another position that makes the puzzle even tougher. It turns out there's also a position with the same conditions, except that only the black queen must have remained on her color; the white queen was free to move as she normally does. I don't know if you're too exhausted trying this same puzzle with four diff ...[text shortened]... but could you place five queens so that they occupy or threaten every space except for c3?
Well, I'm not sure whether you mean the solution to the five queens or to the other puzzle, but I had a different solution to the five queens and your solution to the other really doesn't depend on whether the either queen could leave her color. So I guess I'll just have to scrap the old one (you know what they say - too many "cooks" spoil the broth). Here's my five queen solution:
Originally posted by JirakonI see. I can legally place a wB on e5 or e6. Last move changes from -1.gxh8R+ to -1.Bg7-e5+ or -1.Bf7-e6+. wPf still has the same two captures available, so there is no problem getting around the enemy f-pawn and promoting to a B instead of R. Clever.
And here's my solution to my puzzle:
Black 12
[fen]2b4R/pp1pk2R/7p/8/r2p1K1n/1P4p1/PP1PP1PP/1Nb2bN1 w - - 0 1[/fen]
White 12
The two squares are e3 and e4.
Edit:
Isn't b8 a 3rd square that can't be legally occupied?
I don't understand why the Queens are locked on their color, either.
Originally posted by JirakonAhh, right. +bRb8 is possible.
b8 can be occupied by a black rook, and if the black queen weren't locked on her color, then it might have been captured on b3, so there could have been a black knight on e3 or e4.
Doesn't +bNe4/e3 lead to a position with too many White captures required? White needs 4 caps (fxgxh, c2xb3 and ~xRb8/a8) and Black's only missing 3 units.