Pls give some hints on this algurithum

Question

in a 4x4 chess grids, so 16 squares
i have four pieces person, wumpus , pit, gold
person is player in chess.you muss move it.
person would fall in pit, person would grab gold
person would be eaten by wumpus,
so i must radomly inintialize proper positions for
4 pieces.and also. other pieces couldnot encircle
person, could still leave a space for person to
move.
please any of you have good algurithum of it?
or give some hints?
thanks in advance

Answer 1

OK, here's a basic methodology from the vaults of my brain:
__0 __1 __2 __3
__4 __5 __6 __7
__8 __9 _10 _11
_12 _13 _14 _15
Given four squares, numbered as above, you need to randomly place three items
(wumpus, pit, gold), then place the person so that they are able to move,
correct? I suppose that the person should be able to reach gold, pit, and
wumpus?
Consider a slightly larger square:
- X X X X -
- X X X X -
- X X X X -
- X X X X -
- - - - - -This has the original square in the middle with some border to allow proper
numerical manipulation.
OK, now we take the blocks and add them numerically to an array:
String[] board = new String(36);Looking back at the larger block above, given a square, it must not be the
case that:
(board[squareIndex + 6] is border or taken and
board[squareIndex - 6] is border or taken and
board[squareIndex - 1] is border or taken and
board[squareIndex + 1] is border or taken)
and it must be the case that 6 < squareIndex < 29Lets look at a full listing of possible indices in the array:
0  1  2  3  4  5 
6  7  8  9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29
30 31 32 33 34 35If you take each index, divide by 7 and add index modulo 7
(int i = index/7 + index % 7) you get the following result:
0  1  2  3  4  5
6  7  2  3  4  5
6  7  2  3  4  5
6  7  8  3  4  5
6  7  8  9  4  5
6  7  8  9 10  5
We've already set the requirement that 6 < index < 29, leaving the following:
6  7  2  3  4  5
6  7  2  3  4  5
6  7  8  3  4  5
6  7  8  9  4  5
So,
if int i = (index/7 + index%7), then i < 5 or i> 6 (i != 5 && i !=6), giving a
test for a valid square within the array, if needed.
As long as one of the adjoining squares (I'm assuming lateral movement only)
is open, then the person can be placed and still move. Of course, for all
items to be accessible, then none of the items can be blocked, and all of
the placed items must be checked after a new item selects a position to
make sure that all is well; if a position for an item is chosen that blocks
another item, then choose a different position and try again.
It will speed things up if you can keep track of the failed positions so you
know not to try them again, as well as keeping track of placed items so you
don't try to place two items in the same square.
Are there better ways to do this? No doubt; this is a quick shaking-of-the-
tree to see what fell out, but hopefully it will give you some place to start.
I haven't coded a Wumpus in over 20 years; thanks for the trip down memory
lane!