Extremely difficult PG

Originally posted by David113
Is a computer able to solve this problem?

Originally posted by SwissGambit
Probleemblad indicated that this one was not computer-tested. So, probably not.

Edit: Why do you ask? Got one working on it? 😉

Anyone still solving working on solving this?

If not, I'm going to talk about the method I used to solve it. You've always heard that you should start by counting moves when you solve a PG. I found that that principle still works, even in a PG like this one with lots of captures. The catch is that you have to count in a radically different manner.

Don't answer this puzzle, just tell me this: Does the following puzzle have a solution?:

This position, with a black queen somewhere on the a-file, arose after Black's twentieth move. Where is the black queen?

Black

Originally posted by Jirakon
[b]Don't answer this puzzle[/b]

Originally posted by curseknight
I could easily, but ah well. 😉

Originally posted by Jirakon
[b]Don't answer this puzzle, just tell me this: Does the following puzzle have a solution?:

This position, with a black queen somewhere on the a-file, arose after Black's twentieth move. Where is the black queen?

Black
[fen]1n2k1nr/1ppb1pp1/4p2r/3p4/3b4/8/1PPPPPPP/R2K4[/fen]
White[/b]

Originally posted by SwissGambit
[bluff_call]Send me a PM with the solution.[/bluff_call]

Originally posted by heinzkat
Black's last move was Q(x)a1+.

Could've been 21. ... a1=Q+ too. Hmm...

Originally posted by heinzkat
Could've been 21. ... a1=Q+ too. Hmm...

Wow, what an eruption of snarky humor in this thread.
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I'm so proud. 😀

Well, I've narrowed down White's first move to six possibilities...

Closer than my 22.0, I got here in 21.0:

Black

Or here:

Black