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14520a4625 Solve 2024:17 p1-2 "Chronospatial Computer"
Slow burner.

First part was a straightforward implementation
of a runner, the code is extracted to `org_version()`.

Part 2 was way more tricky. Like many others, trying
to understand the program felt necessary. This
intepretation is this:

    """Python version of puzzle input program."""
    a = <unknown>
    b, c = 0, 0
    while a:
        b = (a % 8) ^ 1
        c = a // (2**b)
        b = (b ^ 5) ^ c
        a = a // (2**3)
        print(b % 8)

Some clarification here:

- the value is octagonal. 1-8 is the key.
- The value of reg a is _high_. It is not meant to
be brute forced.

The idea, which is not originally mine, is to go
from right to left. This code can be used to try
out some patterns:

    while True:
        python_version(input("Provide A:"))

Here, it was apparent a=4 gives the last digit of
my puzzle input. a=37 (4 * 8 + 3) gives the last
2 digits. a=222 (37 * 8 + 6) gives the last 3
digits, and so on.

Knowing the program could be reconstructed like
this, the first code halted at wrong values. Turns
out some steps give more than 1 possible scenario.

The code was therefore in need of a queue.
2025-01-05 00:06:18 +01:00