最近我一直在iPhone上玩一款名为《Scramble》的游戏。有些人可能知道这个游戏叫拼字游戏。从本质上讲,当游戏开始时,你会得到一个字母矩阵:

F X I E
A M L O
E W B X
A S T U

The goal of the game is to find as many words as you can that can be formed by chaining letters together. You can start with any letter, and all the letters that surround it are fair game, and then once you move on to the next letter, all the letters that surround that letter are fair game, except for any previously used letters. So in the grid above, for example, I could come up with the words LOB, TUX, SEA, FAME, etc. Words must be at least 3 characters, and no more than NxN characters, which would be 16 in this game but can vary in some implementations. While this game is fun and addictive, I am apparently not very good at it and I wanted to cheat a little bit by making a program that would give me the best possible words (the longer the word the more points you get).

(来源:boggled.org)

不幸的是,我不太擅长算法或它们的效率等等。我的第一次尝试使用一个像这样的字典(约2.3MB),并进行线性搜索,试图匹配字典条目的组合。这需要花费很长时间来找到可能的单词,因为你每轮只有2分钟的时间,这是不够的。

我很有兴趣看看是否有任何Stackoverflowers可以提出更有效的解决方案。我主要是在寻找使用三大p的解决方案:Python、PHP和Perl,尽管任何使用Java或c++的东西也很酷,因为速度是至关重要的。

目前的解决方案:

Adam Rosenfield, Python, ~20岁 John Fouhy, Python, ~3秒 Kent Fredric, Perl, ~1s Darius Bacon, Python, ~1s rvarcher, VB。净,~ 1 s Paolo Bergantino, PHP(实时链接),~5s(本地~2s)


当前回答

该解决方案还提供了在给定的板中搜索的方向

一件事:

1. Uses trie to save all the word in the english to fasten the search
2. The uses DFS to search the words in Boggle

输出:

Found "pic" directions from (4,0)(p) go  → →
Found "pick" directions from (4,0)(p) go  → → ↑
Found "pickman" directions from (4,0)(p) go  → → ↑ ↑ ↖ ↑
Found "picket" directions from (4,0)(p) go  → → ↑ ↗ ↖
Found "picked" directions from (4,0)(p) go  → → ↑ ↗ ↘
Found "pickle" directions from (4,0)(p) go  → → ↑ ↘ →

代码:

from collections import defaultdict
from nltk.corpus import words
from nltk.corpus import stopwords
from nltk.tokenize import word_tokenize

english_words = words.words()

# If you wan to remove stop words
# stop_words = set(stopwords.words('english'))
# english_words = [w for w in english_words if w not in stop_words]

boggle = [
    ['c', 'n', 't', 's', 's'],
    ['d', 'a', 't', 'i', 'n'],
    ['o', 'o', 'm', 'e', 'l'],
    ['s', 'i', 'k', 'n', 'd'],
    ['p', 'i', 'c', 'l', 'e']
]

# Instead of X and Y co-ordinates
# better to use Row and column
lenc = len(boggle[0])
lenr = len(boggle)

# Initialize trie datastructure
trie_node = {'valid': False, 'next': {}}

# lets get the delta to find all the nighbors
neighbors_delta = [
    (-1,-1, "↖"),
    (-1, 0, "↑"),
    (-1, 1, "↗"),
    (0, -1, "←"),
    (0,  1, "→"),
    (1, -1, "↙"),
    (1,  0, "↓"),
    (1,  1, "↘"),
]


def gen_trie(word, node):
    """udpates the trie datastructure using the given word"""
    if not word:
        return

    if word[0] not in node:
        node[word[0]] = {'valid': len(word) == 1, 'next': {}}

    # recursively build trie
    gen_trie(word[1:], node[word[0]])


def build_trie(words, trie):
    """Builds trie data structure from the list of words given"""
    for word in words:
        gen_trie(word, trie)
    return trie


def get_neighbors(r, c):
    """Returns the neighbors for a given co-ordinates"""
    n = []
    for neigh in neighbors_delta:
        new_r = r + neigh[0]
        new_c = c + neigh[1]

        if (new_r >= lenr) or (new_c >= lenc) or (new_r < 0) or (new_c < 0):
            continue
        n.append((new_r, new_c, neigh[2]))
    return n


def dfs(r, c, visited, trie, now_word, direction):
    """Scan the graph using DFS"""
    if (r, c) in visited:
        return

    letter = boggle[r][c]
    visited.append((r, c))

    if letter in trie:
        now_word += letter

        if trie[letter]['valid']:
            print('Found "{}" {}'.format(now_word, direction))

        neighbors = get_neighbors(r, c)
        for n in neighbors:
            dfs(n[0], n[1], visited[::], trie[letter], now_word, direction + " " + n[2])


def main(trie_node):
    """Initiate the search for words in boggle"""
    trie_node = build_trie(english_words, trie_node)

    # print the board
    print("Given board")
    for i in range(lenr):print (boggle[i])
    print ('\n')

    for r in range(lenr):
        for c in range(lenc):
            letter = boggle[r][c]
            dfs(r, c, [], trie_node, '', 'directions from ({},{})({}) go '.format(r, c, letter))


if __name__ == '__main__':
    main(trie_node)

其他回答

我知道我在派对上迟到了,但我已经实现了,作为编码练习,在几种编程语言(c++, Java, Go, c#, Python, Ruby, JavaScript, Julia, Lua, PHP, Perl)中使用了一个填字器,我认为有人可能会对这些感兴趣,所以我在这里留下了链接: https://github.com/AmokHuginnsson/boggle-solvers

你可以把这个问题分成两部分:

某种搜索算法可以在网格中列举出可能的字符串。 一种测试字符串是否是有效单词的方法。

理想情况下,(2)还应该包括一种测试字符串是否是有效单词前缀的方法——这将允许您精简搜索并节省大量时间。

亚当·罗森菲尔德(Adam Rosenfield)的Trie是(2)的一个解决方案。它很优雅,可能是算法专家的首选,但有了现代语言和现代计算机,我们可能会更懒一点。此外,正如Kent所建议的,我们可以通过丢弃网格中没有字母的单词来减少字典的大小。这是一些蟒蛇:

def make_lookups(grid, fn='dict.txt'):
    # Make set of valid characters.
    chars = set()
    for word in grid:
        chars.update(word)

    words = set(x.strip() for x in open(fn) if set(x.strip()) <= chars)
    prefixes = set()
    for w in words:
        for i in range(len(w)+1):
            prefixes.add(w[:i])

    return words, prefixes

哇;常数时间前缀测试。加载你链接的字典需要几秒钟,但只有几秒钟:-)(注意words <= prefixes)

现在,对于第(1)部分,我倾向于用图表来思考。所以我将创建一个像这样的字典:

graph = { (x, y):set([(x0,y0), (x1,y1), (x2,y2)]), }

例如,graph[(x, y)]是你从位置(x, y)可以到达的坐标集。我还将添加一个虚拟节点None,它将连接到所有东西。

构建它有点笨拙,因为有8个可能的位置,你必须做边界检查。下面是一些相应笨拙的python代码:

def make_graph(grid):
    root = None
    graph = { root:set() }
    chardict = { root:'' }

    for i, row in enumerate(grid):
        for j, char in enumerate(row):
            chardict[(i, j)] = char
            node = (i, j)
            children = set()
            graph[node] = children
            graph[root].add(node)
            add_children(node, children, grid)

    return graph, chardict

def add_children(node, children, grid):
    x0, y0 = node
    for i in [-1,0,1]:
        x = x0 + i
        if not (0 <= x < len(grid)):
            continue
        for j in [-1,0,1]:
            y = y0 + j
            if not (0 <= y < len(grid[0])) or (i == j == 0):
                continue

            children.add((x,y))

这段代码还建立了一个字典映射(x,y)到相应的字符。这让我把一个位置列表转换成一个单词:

def to_word(chardict, pos_list):
    return ''.join(chardict[x] for x in pos_list)

最后,我们进行深度优先搜索。基本程序是:

搜索到达一个特定的节点。 检查到目前为止的路径是否可能是单词的一部分。如果不是,就不要进一步探索这个分支。 检查到目前为止的路径是否是一个单词。如果是,则添加到结果列表中。 探索迄今为止所有孩子未走的路。

Python:

def find_words(graph, chardict, position, prefix, results, words, prefixes):
    """ Arguments:
      graph :: mapping (x,y) to set of reachable positions
      chardict :: mapping (x,y) to character
      position :: current position (x,y) -- equals prefix[-1]
      prefix :: list of positions in current string
      results :: set of words found
      words :: set of valid words in the dictionary
      prefixes :: set of valid words or prefixes thereof
    """
    word = to_word(chardict, prefix)

    if word not in prefixes:
        return

    if word in words:
        results.add(word)

    for child in graph[position]:
        if child not in prefix:
            find_words(graph, chardict, child, prefix+[child], results, words, prefixes)

运行代码如下:

grid = ['fxie', 'amlo', 'ewbx', 'astu']
g, c = make_graph(grid)
w, p = make_lookups(grid)
res = set()
find_words(g, c, None, [], res, w, p)

检查保留区,看看答案。下面是为你的例子找到的单词列表,按大小排序:

 ['a', 'b', 'e', 'f', 'i', 'l', 'm', 'o', 's', 't',
 'u', 'w', 'x', 'ae', 'am', 'as', 'aw', 'ax', 'bo',
 'bu', 'ea', 'el', 'em', 'es', 'fa', 'ie', 'io', 'li',
 'lo', 'ma', 'me', 'mi', 'oe', 'ox', 'sa', 'se', 'st',
 'tu', 'ut', 'wa', 'we', 'xi', 'aes', 'ame', 'ami',
 'ase', 'ast', 'awa', 'awe', 'awl', 'blo', 'but', 'elb',
 'elm', 'fae', 'fam', 'lei', 'lie', 'lim', 'lob', 'lox',
 'mae', 'maw', 'mew', 'mil', 'mix', 'oil', 'olm', 'saw',
 'sea', 'sew', 'swa', 'tub', 'tux', 'twa', 'wae', 'was',
 'wax', 'wem', 'ambo', 'amil', 'amli', 'asem', 'axil',
 'axle', 'bleo', 'boil', 'bole', 'east', 'fame', 'limb',
 'lime', 'mesa', 'mewl', 'mile', 'milo', 'oime', 'sawt',
 'seam', 'seax', 'semi', 'stub', 'swam', 'twae', 'twas',
 'wame', 'wase', 'wast', 'weam', 'west', 'amble', 'awest',
 'axile', 'embox', 'limbo', 'limes', 'swami', 'embole',
 'famble', 'semble', 'wamble']

代码需要(字面上的)几秒钟来加载字典,但其余的在我的机器上是立即完成的。

我不得不对一个完整的解决方案进行更多的思考,但作为一种方便的优化,我想知道是否值得根据字典中的所有单词预先计算一个图表和三字母组合(2字母和3字母组合)的频率表,并使用它来确定搜索的优先级。我会选择单词的首字母。因此,如果你的字典包含“印度”、“水”、“极端”和“非凡”这些词,那么你预先计算的表可能是:

'IN': 1
'WA': 1
'EX': 2

然后按照共性的顺序(首先是EX,然后是WA/ in)搜索这些图表

如何简单的排序和使用字典中的二进制搜索?

在0.35秒内返回整个列表,并可以进一步优化(例如删除含有未使用字母的单词等)。

from bisect import bisect_left

f = open("dict.txt")
D.extend([line.strip() for line in f.readlines()])
D = sorted(D)

def neibs(M,x,y):
    n = len(M)
    for i in xrange(-1,2):
        for j in xrange(-1,2):
            if (i == 0 and j == 0) or (x + i < 0 or x + i >= n or y + j < 0 or y + j >= n):
                continue
            yield (x + i, y + j)

def findWords(M,D,x,y,prefix):
    prefix = prefix + M[x][y]

    # find word in dict by binary search
    found = bisect_left(D,prefix)

    # if found then yield
    if D[found] == prefix: 
        yield prefix

    # if what we found is not even a prefix then return
    # (there is no point in going further)
    if len(D[found]) < len(prefix) or D[found][:len(prefix)] != prefix:
        return

    # recourse
    for neib in neibs(M,x,y):
        for word in findWords(M,D,neib[0], neib[1], prefix):
            yield word

def solve(M,D):
    # check each starting point
    for x in xrange(0,len(M)):
        for y in xrange(0,len(M)):
            for word in findWords(M,D,x,y,""):
                yield word

grid = "fxie amlo ewbx astu".split()
print [x for x in solve(grid,D)]

一个Node.JS JavaScript解决方案。在不到一秒钟的时间内计算所有100个独特的单词,其中包括阅读字典文件(MBA 2012)。

Output: ["FAM","TUX","TUB","FAE","ELI","ELM","ELB","TWA","TWA","SAW","AMI","SWA","SWA","AME","SEA","SEW","AES","AWL","AWE","SEA","AWA","MIX","MIL","AST","ASE","MAX","MAE","MAW","MEW","AWE","MES","AWL","LIE","LIM","AWA","AES","BUT","BLO","WAS","WAE","WEA","LEI","LEO","LOB","LOX","WEM","OIL","OLM","WEA","WAE","WAX","WAF","MILO","EAST","WAME","TWAS","TWAE","EMIL","WEAM","OIME","AXIL","WEST","TWAE","LIMB","WASE","WAST","BLEO","STUB","BOIL","BOLE","LIME","SAWT","LIMA","MESA","MEWL","AXLE","FAME","ASEM","MILE","AMIL","SEAX","SEAM","SEMI","SWAM","AMBO","AMLI","AXILE","AMBLE","SWAMI","AWEST","AWEST","LIMAX","LIMES","LIMBU","LIMBO","EMBOX","SEMBLE","EMBOLE","WAMBLE","FAMBLE"]

代码:

var fs = require('fs')

var Node = function(value, row, col) {
    this.value = value
    this.row = row
    this.col = col
}

var Path = function() {
    this.nodes = []
}

Path.prototype.push = function(node) {
    this.nodes.push(node)
    return this
}

Path.prototype.contains = function(node) {
    for (var i = 0, ii = this.nodes.length; i < ii; i++) {
        if (this.nodes[i] === node) {
            return true
        }
    }

    return false
}

Path.prototype.clone = function() {
    var path = new Path()
    path.nodes = this.nodes.slice(0)
    return path
}

Path.prototype.to_word = function() {
    var word = ''

    for (var i = 0, ii = this.nodes.length; i < ii; ++i) {
        word += this.nodes[i].value
    }

    return word
}

var Board = function(nodes, dict) {
    // Expects n x m array.
    this.nodes = nodes
    this.words = []
    this.row_count = nodes.length
    this.col_count = nodes[0].length
    this.dict = dict
}

Board.from_raw = function(board, dict) {
    var ROW_COUNT = board.length
      , COL_COUNT = board[0].length

    var nodes = []

    // Replace board with Nodes
    for (var i = 0, ii = ROW_COUNT; i < ii; ++i) {
        nodes.push([])
        for (var j = 0, jj = COL_COUNT; j < jj; ++j) {
            nodes[i].push(new Node(board[i][j], i, j))
        }
    }

    return new Board(nodes, dict)
}

Board.prototype.toString = function() {
    return JSON.stringify(this.nodes)
}

Board.prototype.update_potential_words = function(dict) {
    for (var i = 0, ii = this.row_count; i < ii; ++i) {
        for (var j = 0, jj = this.col_count; j < jj; ++j) {
            var node = this.nodes[i][j]
              , path = new Path()

            path.push(node)

            this.dfs_search(path)
        }
    }
}

Board.prototype.on_board = function(row, col) {
    return 0 <= row && row < this.row_count && 0 <= col && col < this.col_count
}

Board.prototype.get_unsearched_neighbours = function(path) {
    var last_node = path.nodes[path.nodes.length - 1]

    var offsets = [
        [-1, -1], [-1,  0], [-1, +1]
      , [ 0, -1],           [ 0, +1]
      , [+1, -1], [+1,  0], [+1, +1]
    ]

    var neighbours = []

    for (var i = 0, ii = offsets.length; i < ii; ++i) {
        var offset = offsets[i]
        if (this.on_board(last_node.row + offset[0], last_node.col + offset[1])) {

            var potential_node = this.nodes[last_node.row + offset[0]][last_node.col + offset[1]]
            if (!path.contains(potential_node)) {
                // Create a new path if on board and we haven't visited this node yet.
                neighbours.push(potential_node)
            }
        }
    }

    return neighbours
}

Board.prototype.dfs_search = function(path) {
    var path_word = path.to_word()

    if (this.dict.contains_exact(path_word) && path_word.length >= 3) {
        this.words.push(path_word)
    }

    var neighbours = this.get_unsearched_neighbours(path)

    for (var i = 0, ii = neighbours.length; i < ii; ++i) {
        var neighbour = neighbours[i]
        var new_path = path.clone()
        new_path.push(neighbour)

        if (this.dict.contains_prefix(new_path.to_word())) {
            this.dfs_search(new_path)
        }
    }
}

var Dict = function() {
    this.dict_array = []

    var dict_data = fs.readFileSync('./web2', 'utf8')
    var dict_array = dict_data.split('\n')

    for (var i = 0, ii = dict_array.length; i < ii; ++i) {
        dict_array[i] = dict_array[i].toUpperCase()
    }

    this.dict_array = dict_array.sort()
}

Dict.prototype.contains_prefix = function(prefix) {
    // Binary search
    return this.search_prefix(prefix, 0, this.dict_array.length)
}

Dict.prototype.contains_exact = function(exact) {
    // Binary search
    return this.search_exact(exact, 0, this.dict_array.length)
}

Dict.prototype.search_prefix = function(prefix, start, end) {
    if (start >= end) {
        // If no more place to search, return no matter what.
        return this.dict_array[start].indexOf(prefix) > -1
    }

    var middle = Math.floor((start + end)/2)

    if (this.dict_array[middle].indexOf(prefix) > -1) {
        // If we prefix exists, return true.
        return true
    } else {
        // Recurse
        if (prefix <= this.dict_array[middle]) {
            return this.search_prefix(prefix, start, middle - 1)
        } else {
            return this.search_prefix(prefix, middle + 1, end)
        }
    }
}

Dict.prototype.search_exact = function(exact, start, end) {
    if (start >= end) {
        // If no more place to search, return no matter what.
        return this.dict_array[start] === exact
    }

    var middle = Math.floor((start + end)/2)

    if (this.dict_array[middle] === exact) {
        // If we prefix exists, return true.
        return true
    } else {
        // Recurse
        if (exact <= this.dict_array[middle]) {
            return this.search_exact(exact, start, middle - 1)
        } else {
            return this.search_exact(exact, middle + 1, end)
        }
    }
}

var board = [
    ['F', 'X', 'I', 'E']
  , ['A', 'M', 'L', 'O']
  , ['E', 'W', 'B', 'X']
  , ['A', 'S', 'T', 'U']
]

var dict = new Dict()

var b = Board.from_raw(board, dict)
b.update_potential_words()
console.log(JSON.stringify(b.words.sort(function(a, b) {
    return a.length - b.length
})))