low times

[MewZzz]

how do so many of yall get under 30 seconds like my lowest is 37 i think like HOW bro

[Turboski]

I play on a computer and due to the input I have with a trackpad, the best I can do is about 120. These guys are on tablets with their fingers to start. When folks are going for fast scores, they load up a puzzle and bust through it and if they mess up they move to the next one. There are a few tricks like that which will improve your times quickly.

[kikuovi]

Touch screen + learning star patterns for different shapes. If I get stuck I sometimes guess, but that can lead to me just resetting the puzzle. But I only play 12x12 with 2 stars so I cant really speak on tricks for 1 star puzzles.

[bananabread]

I use computer and I can pretty consistently get under 35 for 1 star puzzles, I don't usually reset but it'll just be a slower time. You just start to recognize patterns with different shapes and where dots have to be placed

[MewZzz]

Ok thanks guys thats a lot more responses than i was expecting!

[AnthC1]

for 8x1. You have to get used to the patterns to get your itmes down to sub 25 seconds, you should be able to look at a puzzle and have an idea of how the solution will look like withina couple seconds and the rest is being quick at recognizing things on the fly. to get 15 seconds or lower you need to start getting quick with placements and use less dots, for 10 or under, which is what i strive for for every puzzle now you need to instantly start solving the puzzle, "gamble" on the where the stars will be by quickly recognizing patterns and not using dots. Once you do this enough times you can comfortablky start gambling on every puzzle you solve and when it doesnt work, you should be able to back your way out into the solution by spotting your mistakes and salvaging the time to about 15 seconds. Long story short just play a lot more and try to recognize patterns and try to solve the puzzle as a whole at once rather than solving each star independently. Once you get comfortable start using less dots.

[muffinimal]

Thanks, AnthC1! I sometimes hit sub 30, but rarely without placing dots. The 'gambling'-aspect is something I hadn't considered as a strategy, especially while looking at the whole in stead of looking at stars. I guess I should start doing that in stead of staying within my comfort zone.

[MewZzz]

Yeah thanks. I figured i would probably have to use less dots, since it takes up so much time, especially on a computer and on a chrome browser where it frequently skips.

[muffinimal]

Just tried no dots and the results are better than I thought they would be. Without rushing I average about 60 seconds. My best in about 8 tries was 38 seconds. Definitely something I could improve.

Mewzzz, I am on a computer, with chrome. I see some messages sometimes, but I never experience any skipping.

[AnthC1]

I am also using chrome on a computer, maybe check the debounce time on your mouse? I raerly have any issues, maybe one in a couple hundred puzzles it bugs

[MaxMik]

Like AnthC1, I also spend the bulk of my time doing 8x1 puzzles. It's possible to get times below 10s without guessing, but it is rare (for me at least). I would recommend spending a chunk of time going through some puzzles slowly, and really thinking about the mechanics of how to find a solution. I spent an afternoon doing this when I started, and I found a few "algorithms" (or heuristics, more accurately) that help to chunk grids down. After a while, guesses get rebranded as 'intuition', and they end up being correct more often than not. But, this comes with time! I would recommend against making a habit of guessing before you have a strong understanding of how to find solutions quickly. On the topic of speed, I agree that not placing dots is a good habit to get into (but I am often guilty of placing dots quickly at the start of a puzzle). I use a mouse, with a relatively low sensitivity - this is a hangover from the many hours I spent playing bullet chess online, which was very useful for developing the dexterity that brings speed.