The Elmbrook Railway · Book two
Train Track Expert Edition: 300 Hard Logic Puzzles for Adults
Train Track Expert Edition is the second book in The Elmbrook Railway: 300 logic puzzles in three grades, Hard, Expert and Extreme. Every stop can be solved by reasoning alone. No guessing required.
It picks up where Train Track: The Elmbrook Railway ends, for solvers who want a greater challenge.
- Puzzles
- 300
- Grades
- 3
- Grids
- 10×10 & 12×12
- Hints
- None
Where it fits
The second book, and the harder road
Train Track: The Elmbrook Railway is the place to start. It teaches the rules, builds the solving ideas up level by level, and gives three hints for every puzzle. This book is for solvers who want more.
Even the first Hard stop here needs more what-if work than the hardest stop of the first book. None of its puzzles appears in the first book.
Book one
Train Track: The Elmbrook Railway
- Meadow LineCount and connect
- Riverside LineOne line
- Valley LineCareful counting
- Ridge LineQuick what-if
- Summit LineDeep what-if
Book two
Train Track Expert Edition
- HardTypically 7 what-ifs per stop
- ExpertTypically 9 per stop
- ExtremeTypically 11 per stop
| Train Track: The Elmbrook Railway | Train Track Expert Edition | |
|---|---|---|
| Puzzles | 200 | 300 |
| Grid sizes | 7×7 to 10×10 | 10×10 and 12×12 |
| Structure | Five levels, the Meadow to the Summit Line | Three grades: Hard, Expert and Extreme |
| Hints | Three for every puzzle | None: every stop is solved by reasoning alone |
| What-if checks | Introduced in the later levels | Part of every grade |
| Puzzle styles | A-to-B routes and closed loops | A-to-B routes and closed loops |
Three grades
Graded by what-if work, not by grid size
Every stop was solved by computer the way a person would: counting, connecting and, when nothing else works, a what-if. A what-if follows the consequences of a possibility and rules it out if it breaks a rule.
A stop’s grade depends on how much what-if work it needs, not on the size of its grid. There are 10×10 and 12×12 stops in every grade.
| Grade | Stops | What-ifs per stop | Longest what-if, in steps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hard | 1–100 | 7 (5–8) | 3 (up to 8) |
| Expert | 101–200 | 9 (6–11) | 4 (up to 10) |
| Extreme | 201–300 | 11 (8–13) | 5 (up to 10) |
Typical value, with the range in brackets. A step is one full pass of the other solving ideas while the supposition is still in place.
The Terminus. The last 30 stops are the most demanding 12×12 grids in the book. They are printed one to a page.
A look inside
Real pages from the book. Every stop has its own ticket for the date and your time, and the ticket says which page its solution is on.
Tap a page to see it full size.
The same rules, a longer road
The ideas you will need
The rules are those of the first book: count the track squares, connect them in one line, keep the printed rails where they are, and build either a route from A to B or one closed loop.
The solving ideas run from A to F. The sixth, even crossings in any box, is new in this edition, and the what-if still does most of the work.
- A. Count, then follow
- B. Look at the sides
- C. It is all one line
- D. Count more carefully
- E. What if?
- F. Even crossings in any box New
Puzzles you can trust
Every puzzle in this book was generated and checked by computer. Each one has exactly one solution, confirmed by two separate searches. Every printed rail is needed to make that solution unique, and each stop can be solved by reasoning alone, without guessing.
There are no hints in this edition. The complete solutions are at the back of the book, nine to a page.
Train Track Expert Edition
300 logic puzzles in three grades: Hard, Expert and Extreme. Routes from A to B and closed loops, on 10×10 and 12×12 grids.
View on AmazonNew to Train Track? Start with Train Track: The Elmbrook Railway.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to solve the first Train Track book before this one?
No. The rules are explained at the start of this book. It is a much harder book, though: even the first Hard stop needs more what-if work than the hardest stop of Train Track: The Elmbrook Railway. If you are new to train track puzzles, we suggest starting with that book.
How many puzzles are in Train Track Expert Edition?
There are 300 puzzles in three grades of 100 stops each: Hard, Expert and Extreme. There are 10×10 and 12×12 puzzles in every grade.
Are there hints?
No. Every stop can be solved by reasoning alone, without guessing. Complete solutions are at the back of the book, nine to a page, and each stop’s ticket says which page its solution is on.
Do the puzzles repeat those in the first Train Track book?
No. None of the puzzles in this book appears in Train Track: The Elmbrook Railway.
Does every puzzle have only one solution?
Yes. Every puzzle has exactly one solution, confirmed by two separate searches, and every printed rail is needed to make that solution unique.
Are there A-to-B routes and closed loops?
Yes. Both styles from the first book are here: a route from station A to station B, or one closed loop.
Where can I buy it?
Train Track Expert Edition is available on Amazon.com.
Logic puzzles
