Bumfoozle consists of 12 pieces and various sized puzzle boards into which the pieces are placed.
Object of the puzzle: The object of the puzzle is to completely cover the puzzle board with pieces such that they do not overlap. Not all the pieces will be used for a solution except on level 10.
Solution: A solution is a configuration of pieces that are positioned such that the puzzle board is completely covered with non-overlapping pieces. Each level has multiple solutions. Solutions that are simply reflections or complete puzzle board rotations are counted as new solutions. You can place a restriction upon yourself, but Bumfoozle will not enforce it.
Advancing: Initially only level 1 is unlocked. To unlock the next level you must earn a proficiency at each previous level. The number of solutions required to advance from one proficienty to the next is summarized in the table below.
Scoring: Higher levels are harder therefore a higher score is assigned to a solution for higher levels. The scores for each solution at a level is listed in the table below.
| no | Level | Score | Num Solutions | Proficiency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 300 | 5 | Shape Shifter |
| 2 | 2 | 400 | 7 | Grid Guardian |
| 3 | 3 | 500 | 9 | Triumphant Triangulord |
| 4 | 4 | 600 | 13 | Cartesian Conqueror |
| 5 | 5 | 700 | 18 | Brilliant Blockbuster |
| 6 | 6 | 800 | 27 | Pythagorean Protege |
| 7 | 7 | 1,000 | 37 | Matrix Wizard |
| 8 | 8 | 1,500 | 54 | Lord of the Lines |
| 9 | 9 | 3,000 | 77 | Squire of the Squares |
| 10 | 10 | 10,000 | 115 | Bodacious Bumfoozler |
Proficiencies: As you find the required number of solutions at each level, you earn a proficiency. The number of solutions required to earn a proficiency at a level is by no means all of the possible solutions at that level. Each time you earn a proficiency you get a new “dangle” for your pin. This is a picture of all the dangles acquired by someone who has reach the level of Bodacious Bumfoozler
Completing a level: Completing a level means to find all the possible solutions at that level. You are not required to complete any level to go on to the next level. You only need to find the required number of solutions at that level to earn a proficiency. No indication is given when you complete a level. It has been determined that level 10 has over two thousand solutions (not counting mirror images and rotations). I have not calculated the number of uniques solutions for levels 1-9.
Repeating a level: When you earn a proficiency at a level, you may go on to the next level, but you are not required to move on. You may go back to any level as often as you like to find more solutions and increase your score.
MUST SET PLAYER: before you can attempt to solve the puzzle, you must add at least one player using the button with the people icon from the menu screen.
Remove player: To remove a player, swipe across the name in the Players view. WARNING: removing a player deletes all of his/her solutions.
Settings: From the settings view, you may turn off the background music (music that plays constantly while you are solving the puzzle) and/or the other sounds that are made (such as when when a piece is dropped into position, or a solution is found). To get to the settings view tap on the “i” button in the lower right corner of the menu view.
iCloud: If you have more than one device that share the same Apple ID, the puzzle will automatically be synchronized so the solutions you find on one device will be migrated to the other devices. This is not instantaneous however, but should happen within a few minutes if both devices have iCloud access.