Mazes, Part 1: How to Draw One on Paper

As a kid, I always wondered how one drew a maze. Then, as I started learning programming, the curiosity only increased. Could I write a program to generate a new maze each time? But that was the pre-Internet age, so they remained questions without answers.

 

And then recently, I read an article that reminded me of the topic again. But that’s part 2 of this blog. This one’s about the obvious-once-it’s-told answer to the first question of how to come up with a maze on paper.

 

Start, said the site, by drawing a square or rectangle. Punch 2 holes in it: they’ll be the entrance and exit points:


Next, draw a similar shape within the above. Punch a few more holes at random places (you can punch more than 2):

In fact, you can draw different shapes inside. Just make sure you punch 2 or more holes in each shape. Keep repeating and you’ll end up with something like the shape below. Now trace a path from entrance to the exit that you want to be the “solution”:

Now start drawing lines in the maze to lock down all paths other than the solution you chose:


Ta da! Your very own maze is ready.

Comments

  1. Ramiah KumarDecember 6, 2020 at 12:29 PM

    I more or less guessed that.

    Probably because mostly mathematics questions for studen books are done that way. A kind of proceed half way from the answer, even if not fully !!

    Also, very often I solve such maze puzzles by proceeding from both ends simultaneously! Lot easier that way.

    ReplyDelete

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