Puzzle Solving without Search or Human Knowledge: An Unnatural Language Approach
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Abstract (arXiv)
The application of Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT-2) to learn text-archived game notation provides a model environment for exploring sparse reward gameplay. The transformer architecture proves amenable to training on solved text archives describing mazes, Rubik's Cube, and Sudoku solvers. The method benefits from fine-tuning the transformer architecture to visualize plausible strategies derived outside any guidance from human heuristics or domain expertise. The large search space (>1019) for the games provides a puzzle environment in which the solution has few intermediate rewards and a final move that solves the challenge.
Key facts. Cited by 8 papers in the map (data through 7 Oct 2026). Builds on 8 of its 33 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 7 Sep 2021.
Builds on
8 of 33 references.
References · 8
- 2017Attention Is All You Needcited by 59,932
- 2019Generating Long Sequences with Sparse Transformerscited by 1,523
- 2019A Multiscale Visualization of Attention in the Transformer Modelcited by 292
- 2020Understanding the Difficulty of Training Transformerscited by 210
- 2020The Chess Transformer: Mastering Play using Generative Language Modelscited by 36
- 2018Solving the Rubik's Cube Without Human Knowledgecited by 15
- 2020The Go Transformer: Natural Language Modeling for Game Playcited by 12
- 2017Solving the Rubik's Cube Optimally is NP-completecited by 10
Built on by
Citing papers per year: 2024: 2; 2025: 6.
8 papers.
- 2024Puzzle Solving using Reasoning of Large Language Models: A Surveycited by 44
- 2024Causal Language Modeling Can Elicit Search and Reasoning Capabilities on Logic Puzzlescited by 35
- 2025CayleyPy RL: Pathfinding and Reinforcement Learning on Cayley Graphscited by 5
- 2025PuzzlePlex: Benchmarking Foundation Models on Reasoning and Planning with Puzzlescited by 5
- 2025Baba is LLM: Reasoning in a Game with Dynamic Rulescited by 2
- 2025CayleyPy Growth: Efficient growth computations and hundreds of new conjectures on Cayley graphs (Brief version)cited by 1
- 2025From Building Blocks to Planning: Multi-Step Spatial Reasoning in LLMs with Reinforcement Learningcited by 1
- 2025PHANTOM RECALL: When Familiar Puzzles Fool Smart Modelscited by 0
- 2025From Building Blocks to Planning: Multi-Step Spatial Reasoning in LLMs with Reinforcement Learning31 Dec 2025
- 2025PHANTOM RECALL: When Familiar Puzzles Fool Smart Models13 Oct 2025
- 2025PuzzlePlex: Benchmarking Foundation Models on Reasoning and Planning with Puzzles7 Oct 2025
- 2025CayleyPy Growth: Efficient growth computations and hundreds of new conjectures on Cayley graphs (Brief version)23 Sep 2025
- 2025Baba is LLM: Reasoning in a Game with Dynamic Rules23 Jun 2025
- 2025CayleyPy RL: Pathfinding and Reinforcement Learning on Cayley Graphs25 Feb 2025
- 2024Causal Language Modeling Can Elicit Search and Reasoning Capabilities on Logic Puzzles16 Sep 2024
- 2024Puzzle Solving using Reasoning of Large Language Models: A Survey17 Feb 2024