Polyform Curiosities

S. W. Golomb coined the term polyomino for a figure formed by adjoining squares edge to edge. The term is an etymologically unsound generalization of domino.

Similarly, a polyiamond is a figure formed by adjoining equilateral triangles edge to edge. The term is T. H. O'Beirne's etymologically unsound generalization of diamond. A polyhex is a figure formed by adjoining regular hexagons edge to edge. More generally, a polyform is a figure formed by adjoining congruent cells.

Here I present some pages about polyforms.

  • Exclusion
  • Compatibility
  • Oddities
  • Catalogues
  • Wallpaper
  • Links
  • Acknowledgments
  • Exclusion

    No room! No room! they cried out when they saw Alice coming.

    —Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

    The exclusion problem is to remove as few cells from the plane as possible so as to exclude a given polyform.

    Polyiamond Exclusion. A study of the exclusion problem for polyiamonds.
    Polyhex Exclusion. A study of the exclusion problem for polyhexes.

    Compatibility

    A maddening identity of the big picture is arrived at without using any similar pieces.

    —Arpad Arutinov, The Back Door of History

    Ordinary Compatibility

    The Compatibility Problem is to construct a figure that can be tiled with each of a set of polyforms.

    Zucca's Challenge Problem. Given two sets of polyforms, construct a figure that can be tiled with any member of the first set and no member of the second.
    Pentomino Compatibility. Given two pentominoes, construct a figure that can be tiled with either.
    Hexiamond Compatibility. Given two hexiamonds, construct a figure that can be tiled with either.
    Heptiamond Compatibility. Given two heptiamonds, construct a figure that can be tiled with either.
    Mixed Polyiamond Compatibility. Given two polyiamonds of different orders, construct a figure that can be tiled with either.
    Pentahex Compatibility. Given two pentahexes, construct a figure that can be tiled with either.
    Pentahex Odd Pairs. Given two pentahexes, construct a figure that can be tiled with an odd number of either.
    Mixed Polyhex Compatibility. Given two polyhexes of different orders, construct a figure that can be tiled with either.
    Five Euphoric Pentahexes. Each of these pentahexes is compatible with all 82 hexahexes.
    Three Euphoric Hexahexes. Each of these hexahexes is compatible with all 82 hexahexes.
    Tetracube Compatibility. Given two tetracubes, construct a figure that can be tiled with either.
    Tetrominoes Challenge Update. Two better solutions for Livio Zucca's Tetrominoes Challenge.
    Triple Pentominoes Update. New and improved solutions for Livio Zucca's Triple Pentominoes.
    Pentomino Odd Pairs Update. Improved solutions for Livio Zucca's Pentomino Odd Pairs.

    Galvagni Compatibility

    Galvagni's problem is to construct a figure that can be tiled with a polyform in more than one way. A Reid Figure is a Galvagni Figure without holes. A Plover Figure is a Galvagni Figure made without reflecting the polyform.

    Galvagni Figures & Reid Figures for Pentominoes. Galvagni Figures for Polypents.
    Galvagni Figures & Reid Figures for Hexominoes. Galvagni Figures for Polyhepts.
    Galvagni Figures & Reid Figures for Heptominoes. Galvagni Figures for Polyocts.
    Galvagni Figures & Reid Figures for Octominoes. Galvagni Figures for Polyenns.
    Galvagni Figures & Reid Figures for Heptiamonds. Galvagni Figures for Polydecs.
    Galvagni Figures & Reid Figures for Octiamonds. Galvagni Figures for Pentacubes.
    Galvagni Figures & Reid Figures for Enneiamonds. Galvagni Figures for Tetrarhons.
    Galvagni Figures & Reid Figures for Pentahexes. Plover Figures for Polyiamonds and Polyhexes.
    Galvagni Figures & Reid Figures for Hexahexes. Galvagni Figures for Polylines.
    Galvagni Figures & Reid Figures for Heptahexes. Galvagni Figures & Plover Figures for Tetrominoids.
    Galvagni Figures & Reid Figures for Octahexes.  

    Baiocchi Figures

    A Baiocchi figure has full symmetry and is formed by joining copies of a single polyform. Most Baiocchi figures involve Galvagni figures.

    Baiocchi Figures for Polyiamonds Baiocchi Figures for Polyocts
    Baiocchi Figures for Polyominoes Baiocchi Figures for Polyenns
    Baiocchi Figures for Polypents Baiocchi Figures for Polydecs
    Baiocchi Figures for Polyhexes Baiocchi Figures for Polycubes
    Baiocchi Figures for Polyhepts Baiocchi Figures for Polyominoids

    Cell Shifting

    The Cell Shifting Problem is to join copies of a polyform to construct two figures that differ in just one cell, as near as possible.

    Cell Shifts for Polyominoes of order up through 6. Cell Shifts for Octiamonds.
    Cell Shifts for Pentomino Pairs. Cell Shifts for Polyhexes of order up through 5.
    Cell Shifts for Heptominoes. Cell Shifts for Hexahexes.
    Cell Shifts for Polyiamonds of order up through 7. Cell Shifts for Heptahexes.

    Oddities

    That is another of your odd notions, said the Prefect, who had the fashion of calling everything odd that was beyond his comprehension, and thus lived amid an absolute legion of oddities.

    —Poe, The Purloined Letter

    An oddity is a figure with binary symmetry made by joining an odd number of copies of a polyform.

    Polyominoes

    Polyomino Oddities. Oddities for polyominoes of order up to 7.
    Pentomino Oddities. Pentomino oddities with specific symmetries.
    Hexomino Oddities. Hexomino oddities with specific symmetries.
    Polyomino Semi-Oddities. Semi-oddities for polyominoes. A semi-oddity is a figure with quaternary symmetry and an even number of tiles that is not a multiple of 4.
    Heptomino Oddities. Heptomino oddities with specific symmetries.

    Polykings

    Pentaking Oddities. Oddities with specific symmetries for pseudopolyominoes of order 5.

    Polyiamonds

    Pentiamond, Heptiamond, and Enneiamond Oddities. Oddities for pentiamonds, heptiamonds, and enneiamonds. Oddities for polyiamonds of odd order can have only bilateral symmetry.
    Hexiamond Oddities. Hexiamond oddities with specific symmetries.
    Octiamond Oddities. Octiamond oddities with specific symmetries.
    Polyiamond Tri-Oddities. These are like oddities but with ternary symmetry.

    Polyhexes

    Polyhex Oddities. Oddities for polyhexes of order up to 5, with specific symmetries.
    Hexahex Oddities. Hexahex oddities with specific symmetries.
    Heptahex Oddities. Heptahex oddities with specific symmetries.
    Polyhex Tri-Oddities. Tri-oddities for polyhexes of order up to 5.
    Hexahex Tri-Oddities. Tri-oddities for hexahexes.
    Heptahex Tri-Oddities. Tri-oddities for heptahexes.

    Polypents

    Pentapent Oddities. Oddities for pentapents.

    Polyhepts

    Pentahept Oddities. Oddities for pentahepts.

    Polyocts

    Polyoct Oddities. Oddities for polyocts of order 1 through 5.

    Polyenns

    Pentenn Oddities. Oddities for pentenns.

    Catalogues

    It was a strange collection, . . . but so much larger and so much more varied that I think I never had more pleasure than in sorting them.

    —Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island

    Catalogue of Polypents. Enumerations and pictures of these neglected polyforms.
    Catalogue of Polyhepts. Some more neglected polyforms.

    Printable Grids

    Printable Grid Files. Triangular and hexagonal grids, for those who like to play with polyiamonds and polyhexes.

    Wallpaper

    My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or the other of us has to go.

    —Oscar Wilde

    Tetromino Wallpaper.
    Pentiamond Wallpaper.
    Tetrahex Wallpaper.
    Dragomino Wallpaper. A Dragomino is the polyomino equivalent of a Dragon Curve.

    Polyform Links

    Polyiamonds, at Mathematische Basteleien (in German)
    Miroslav Vicher's Polyiamonds Page
    Andrew Clarke's The Poly Pages
    Iamonds at Ed Pegg's mathpuzzle.com
    Polyominoes and Other Animals at The Geometry Junkyard
    Polyiamond at MathWorld
    Livio Zucca's Remembrance of Software Past
    Gabriele Carelli's Polyforms (in Italian)
    The September 2004 issue of Erich Friedman's Math Magic, on polyform compatibility.
    The November 2004 issue of Erich Friedman's Math Magic, on Galvagni's Multiple Tiling Problem.
    Peter's Polyform Pages.
    Michael Reid's Polyomino Page.
    Giovanni Resta's Polypolyominoes.
    Jorge Luis Mireles's Poly2ominoes.
    KSO Glorieux Ronse's Pentomino site, established by Odette De Meulemeester.

    Acknowledgment

    Many of my constructions were found using the computing resources of Netrics.

    Col. G. L. Sicherman [ HOME | MAIL ]