From: Jo and Jos Hindriks <qdutch@erols.com>
Newsgroups: rec.puzzles
Subject: Re: Pentominos - source for all solutions?
Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 10:13:07 -0700

Craig Reed wrote:
> 
> Hi - Is there a source where one can find a description or picture of all of
> the solutions to the Pentomino Puzzle?

Thanks for bringing this up. I am working on a quilt pattern book based
on Pentominoes, Hexominoes, Hexiamonds, Heptiamonds and Octiamonds. For
a 'sneak preview', you are welcome to visit our website called Dutchman
Designs: http://www.erols.com/qdutch/index.html

Usually I find the required solutions by hand, without a computer. When
it is  one of the larger puzzles, I look for specific configurations of
puzzle pieces. When it's a small puzzle (Pentominoes or Hexiamonds), I
try to find all solutions, in order to have a broad choice out of which
to construct a pattern. I find about forty Pentomino or Hexiamond
solutions in a work day, including writing them down and systematizing
the finds.

This means that, for instance, to find all 2339 solutions of the 6 by 10
rectangle would take me several weeks. However, thanks to a little
program I could download from the web
(http://web.inter.nl.net/users/jws/puzzles.html) I had them all neatly
arranged in a WORD document within two hours.

My question: does anyone know software that finds all solutions of any
give shape into which the Pentominoes can be laid? Both shareware and
commercially sold programs are welcome. I run win 3.1 here, but I am
interested in software for any commonly used operating system.

Thanks,

Jos Hindriks

-- 

Jo & Jos Hindriks, the Dutch Quilting Couple in America
Free original patterns at Dutchman Designs:
http://www.erols.com/qdutch/index.html