Pillar Puzzles Solution (smash and Burn)

[pjstechie]

I have developed a solution for the pillars puzzles in Smash and Burn. Even though these puzzles always start with the same combination, these solutions will work with any starting combination. The downside to this is that you have to learn a little bit about how to "zero out" the puzzles to my starting positions. This isn't too hard once you get a handle on the process, but I am including videos that demonstrate how to do this as well as how to solve the puzzle. Additionally, at the end of this post you will find written out instructions from the "zero" point.

The general idea of how these puzzles work is that the pillars can have a number 0-4. When you step on a pillar it sucks up 1 from each adjacent (but not diagonal) pillar. It will only pull from these pillars if those pillars have something to give and it can only pull until it reaches 4. They will also suck from higher numbers first, but if it has to choose between equal pillars it will always choose the same one.

I think that about covers it, hope everyone finds this helpful, i'll try and keep an eye out for questions.


Pillar Puzzle Written Guide

[pjstechie]

[pjstechie]

[pjstechie]

[pjstechie]

Thank you FlimsyFirewood for facilitating my own self torture in developing this guide.

[blerkington]

There's a special place in heaven for people who provide resources like this for the community.

Well done and thank you very much. Would +rep you too but have to spread some more around first.

[MistaMagic]

Well worked out PJ

[Cordovan]

Solution!

[Aelonwy]

There's a special place in heaven for people who provide resources like this for the community.

Well done and thank you very much. Would +rep you too but have to spread some more around first.

Gotcha covered.

[Vooduspyce]

you rock Patrick!

[Hakushi]

There's a special place in heaven for people who provide resources like this for the community.

Well done and thank you very much. Would +rep you too but have to spread some more around first.

I agree with you and added rep to get you covered. Very useful post.

[cdbd3rd]

...Would +rep you [PJ] but have to spread some more around first.

Gotcha covered.

Twice. (...thrice. )

Excellent explanation & vids.

[vryxnr]

Sadly, it seems they changed the 3rd puzzle (matching 3's). Once you get to the zero point, and then step on the middle pillar, it no longer draws from the east side... now it draws from the north side instead. Alas, following your steps from that point onwards using north as the top (instead of east as the top) does not result in a solution as everything is 90 degrees off and thus the draws when you can only take one pip from multiple sides are different. *sad*

(puzzle #2 with matching 2s still works. Not sure about the ones as I did that one on my own fairly easily so never cross referenced it yet)

edit: even getting to make it match yours with the 1 pip pillar on the east side then following your steps no longer work. Seems like all the default pip-take directions have been altered. *sigh* ... *works on it some more solo*

[pjstechie]

Sadly, it seems they changed the 3rd puzzle (matching 3's). Once you get to the zero point, and then step on the middle pillar, it no longer draws from the east side... now it draws from the north side instead. Alas, following your steps from that point onwards using north as the top (instead of east as the top) does not result in a solution as everything is 90 degrees off and thus the draws when you can only take one pip from multiple sides are different. *sad*

(puzzle #2 with matching 2s still works. Not sure about the ones as I did that one on my own fairly easily so never cross referenced it yet)

edit: even getting to make it match yours with the 1 pip pillar on the east side then following your steps no longer work. Seems like all the default pip-take directions have been altered. *sigh* ... *works on it some more solo*

If I get a chance to look at it i will.

the 2s and 1s shouldnt matter, both of them dont have a relative orientation like the 3s.

in my written instructions i have the short version of the 3s puzzle from the given starting position that you can solve in i think 3 steps.

the key to the 3s 3x is to get a 2 in a corner next to a 1 on a side. once you get that step on the 2 in the corner to get a 0 side, maneuver the 3 @ 4s next to the blank (with everything else 3) and then step on the blank.

[mobrien316]

Thanks much for the solvers, but I'm still completely freakin' baffled by this puzzle. I've watched the vids and still have absolutely no idea how to solve them. I wish to God they wouldn't put this stuff in quests.

[FuryFlash]

Great thread! I finally finished my full solver for this puzzle, for cases where a puzzle gets screwed up by lag, missed jumps or trying to solve one without knowing the solution. You can find the solver here and the thread about the solver here.

~Fury