mlsanityData to 7 Oct 2026

Puzzle Solving without Search or Human Knowledge: An Unnatural Language Approach

arXiv 2109.02797 ↗First posted 7 Sep 2021cs.LG cs.AI cs.CLcited by 8

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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

  1. 2017Attention Is All You Needcited by 59,932
  2. 2019Generating Long Sequences with Sparse Transformerscited by 1,523
  3. 2019A Multiscale Visualization of Attention in the Transformer Modelcited by 292
  4. 2020Understanding the Difficulty of Training Transformerscited by 210
  5. 2020The Chess Transformer: Mastering Play using Generative Language Modelscited by 36
  6. 2018Solving the Rubik's Cube Without Human Knowledgecited by 15
  7. 2020The Go Transformer: Natural Language Modeling for Game Playcited by 12
  8. 2017Solving the Rubik's Cube Optimally is NP-completecited by 10

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Cited by year

Citing papers per year: 2024: 2; 2025: 6.

8 papers.