<![CDATA[Gratte ciel]]>Gratte ciel or skyline or skyscraper is a type of puzzle where a square grid is given (though rectangular shapes would work as well). Every square in the grid has a skyscraper of 10, 20, 30 or 40 high in a 4×4 grid. The number of different skyscrapers that can be seen from an edge is given along that edge.

For example, if in a row the heights of the skyscraper are 20, 10, 30 and 40 respectively, 3 skyscrapers are visible from the left, as the 10 is hidden behind the 20. Only 1 is visible from the right: the one with a height of 40.

Like many modern puzzles, I don’t know where it was invented first. I have seen it around for several years now.

This one should be a nice and easy introduction:
1) 4×4*
4x4

2) 5×5**
5x5

3) 5×5**
5x5

If you solved it, we have the solution to 1, solution to 2 for you.

For the third puzzle, we have some Hints

Sometimes empty spots are introduced, called parks. they can be regarded as skyscrapers of height 0. It really doesn’t change the puzzle, by simply adding 10 to every height it transforms into the standard form.

]]>