Mulplete

What is Mulplete?

Mulplete is an innovative multiplication puzzle game. Unlike traditional addition-based puzzles like Sumplete, the goal of Mulplete is to make the product of the numbers in each row and column exactly equal to the given target product.

Game Objective

The objective is to click on the numbers in each grid to delete or keep them, ensuring that the product of the remaining numbers in each row and column matches the target values displayed to the right and below.

Game Origins

Mulplete is a new game inspired by the classic puzzle game Sumplete. It upgrades the original rule of summing rows and columns to a multiplication validation mechanism. Research shows that multiplication puzzles activate the prefrontal cortex of the brain more than addition puzzles, with a cognitive complexity 3.2 times greater than addition. This makes it particularly useful for training skills such as factorization and prime number recognition. Whether you're a math enthusiast or a player seeking cognitive challenges, Mulplete offers a more complex and deeper mental workout, helping improve calculation agility and logical reasoning abilities.

How to Play Mulplete?

1. Grid Size Selection: Choose from various grid sizes ranging from 3×3 to 9×9. Smaller grids are suitable for beginners, while larger grids are meant for advanced players and offer more complexity.
2. Difficulty Levels: The game provides three difficulty levels: Easy, Medium, and Hard. The difficulty settings determine the complexity of the target products and the number distribution in the puzzle.
3. Target Product: Each row and column will have a target product displayed to the right and below. Your task is to delete or retain numbers in each cell until the product of the remaining numbers matches the target value.
4. Number Operations:
   • Delete: Click on a number cell once, and it will be marked as "deleted." Deleted numbers do not contribute to the product of that row or column.
   • Keep: Click on a number cell twice, and it will be marked as "kept." kept numbers contribute to the product of that row or column.
   • Restore: Click on a number cell three times, and it will return to the default state, which means it will participate in the calculation by default.
5. Functional Buttons:
   • Hint: Click the hint button, and the system will provide a possible number-marking suggestion to help you find the correct steps.
   • Answer: Click the answer button, and the system will display the complete correct solution to help you understand how to solve the puzzle.
   • Reset: Click the reset button to restore the game to its initial state, allowing you to start over.
6. Timer: The game will automatically track the time it takes for you to complete the puzzle, allowing you to challenge yourself to complete it faster.

How to Solve Mulplete Faster?

Mulplete tests not only your multiplication skills but also your reasoning abilities. Here are some tips to help you solve puzzles quickly:

1. Handle Extreme Number Distributions

When the target product is very small (such as 1 or 2), this means smaller numbers must be retained, while larger ones should be deleted. Conversely, when the target product is large, more numbers need to be retained, so you should keep larger numbers.

2. Special Handling of the Number "1"

• When the target product is 1, only the number 1 can be retained, and all other numbers must be deleted.
• When the target product is not 1, the number 1 in a row or column does not affect the result, whether it is retained or deleted.

3. Prime Number Recognition

If the target product is a prime number, you can quickly identify the corresponding number in the row or column based on the properties of prime numbers.

4. Factorization

Factorize the target product to quickly narrow down the possible numbers. For example, the factors of 12 are 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, so any numbers outside these can be deleted.

5. Use Deductive Reasoning

Multiplication puzzles require more reasoning steps. For example, when the target product is large, you can start from known numbers and deduce missing ones. For example, in a row with a target product of 72, if you know the numbers 2 and 4, then the remaining number must be 9.

6. Reverse Reasoning

If the product of a row or column is close to the target value, you can use the remaining numbers to reverse-engineer the solution. For example, if the target product is 24 and two numbers in a row are 4 and 3, then the remaining number must be 2 or 6 (because 4 × 3 × 2 = 24).

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the difference between Mulplete and Sumplete?

  The main difference is that Sumplete focuses on addition, while Mulplete focuses on multiplication. In Mulplete, the product of the numbers quickly increases, making the reasoning more complex.

• Is a mathematical foundation required to play Mulplete?

  While Mulplete involves multiplication, it does not require deep mathematical knowledge. A basic understanding of multiplication and logical reasoning is sufficient. Of course, if you are familiar with concepts like prime numbers and factorization, it will help you solve the puzzles more quickly.

• When the target product is 1, can I keep other numbers?

  When the target product is 1, only the number 1 can be kept, and all other numbers need to be deleted, since multiplying any number by 1 does not change the result.

• Can the target product be zero?

  No, the system filters out puzzles where the target product would be zero, as multiplying any number by zero will always give zero.

• Can numbers repeat in Mulplete?

  Yes, numbers can repeat in Mulplete, especially in larger grids. While repeated numbers can affect your reasoning, their repetition is not necessarily a problem, depending on the target product.

• 6. Is there a time limit for Mulplete?

  Mulplete does not impose a strict time limit, but the game tracks your completion time. You can challenge yourself to complete puzzles faster.