Reduce clue volume and tune difficulty

lib/i18n.ts

@@ -710,6 +710,26 @@ function translateGeneratedClue(clue: string, locale: Locale): string {
     return tWonLeagueTitles(locale, wonLeagueTitles[1], Number(wonLeagueTitles[2]));
   }
 
+  const noLeagueTitle = clue.match(/^The (.+) has not won a league title\.$/);
+  if (noLeagueTitle) {
+    return tNoLeagueTitle(locale, noLeagueTitle[1]);
+  }
+
+  const atMostLeagueTitles = clue.match(/^The (.+) has won at most 2 league titles\.$/);
+  if (atMostLeagueTitles) {
+    return tAtMostLeagueTitles(locale, atMostLeagueTitles[1], 2);
+  }
+
+  const betweenLeagueTitles = clue.match(/^The (.+) has won between 3 and 5 league titles\.$/);
+  if (betweenLeagueTitles) {
+    return tBetweenLeagueTitles(locale, betweenLeagueTitles[1], 3, 5);
+  }
+
+  const moreThanLeagueTitles = clue.match(/^The (.+) has won more than 5 league titles\.$/);
+  if (moreThanLeagueTitles) {
+    return tMoreThanLeagueTitles(locale, moreThanLeagueTitles[1], 5);
+  }
+
   const wonChampionsTitles = clue.match(/^The (.+) has won (\d+) Champions League titles?\.$/);
   if (wonChampionsTitles) {
     return tWonChampionsTitles(locale, wonChampionsTitles[1], Number(wonChampionsTitles[2]));
@@ -942,6 +962,38 @@ function tWonLeagueTitles(locale: Locale, position: string, count: number): stri
   return `O ${pos(locale, position)} ganhou ${count} ${count === 1 ? "campeonato" : "campeonatos"}.`;
 }
 
+function tNoLeagueTitle(locale: Locale, position: string): string {
+  if (locale === "es") return `El ${pos(locale, position)} no ha ganado ninguna liga.`;
+  if (locale === "fr") return `Le ${pos(locale, position)} n'a gagné aucun championnat.`;
+  if (locale === "de") return `Der ${pos(locale, position)} hat keinen Ligatitel gewonnen.`;
+  if (locale === "it") return `Il ${pos(locale, position)} non ha vinto alcun campionato.`;
+  return `O ${pos(locale, position)} não ganhou nenhum campeonato.`;
+}
+
+function tAtMostLeagueTitles(locale: Locale, position: string, count: number): string {
+  if (locale === "es") return `El ${pos(locale, position)} ha ganado como máximo ${count} ligas.`;
+  if (locale === "fr") return `Le ${pos(locale, position)} a gagné au maximum ${count} championnats.`;
+  if (locale === "de") return `Der ${pos(locale, position)} hat höchstens ${count} Ligatitel gewonnen.`;
+  if (locale === "it") return `Il ${pos(locale, position)} ha vinto al massimo ${count} campionati.`;
+  return `O ${pos(locale, position)} ganhou no máximo ${count} campeonatos.`;
+}
+
+function tBetweenLeagueTitles(locale: Locale, position: string, min: number, max: number): string {
+  if (locale === "es") return `El ${pos(locale, position)} ha ganado entre ${min} y ${max} ligas.`;
+  if (locale === "fr") return `Le ${pos(locale, position)} a gagné entre ${min} et ${max} championnats.`;
+  if (locale === "de") return `Der ${pos(locale, position)} hat zwischen ${min} und ${max} Ligatitel gewonnen.`;
+  if (locale === "it") return `Il ${pos(locale, position)} ha vinto tra ${min} e ${max} campionati.`;
+  return `O ${pos(locale, position)} ganhou entre ${min} e ${max} campeonatos.`;
+}
+
+function tMoreThanLeagueTitles(locale: Locale, position: string, count: number): string {
+  if (locale === "es") return `El ${pos(locale, position)} ha ganado más de ${count} ligas.`;
+  if (locale === "fr") return `Le ${pos(locale, position)} a gagné plus de ${count} championnats.`;
+  if (locale === "de") return `Der ${pos(locale, position)} hat mehr als ${count} Ligatitel gewonnen.`;
+  if (locale === "it") return `Il ${pos(locale, position)} ha vinto più di ${count} campionati.`;
+  return `O ${pos(locale, position)} ganhou mais de ${count} campeonatos.`;
+}
+
 function tWonChampionsTitles(locale: Locale, position: string, count: number): string {
   if (locale === "es") return `El ${pos(locale, position)} ha ganado ${count} ${count === 1 ? "Champions League" : "Champions League"}.`;
   if (locale === "fr") return `Le ${pos(locale, position)} a gagné ${count} ${count === 1 ? "Ligue des champions" : "Ligues des champions"}.`;

scripts/generate-puzzles.mjs

@@ -75,24 +75,42 @@ function buildClues(lineup, difficulty, fixedPosition) {
   const hiddenPositions = POSITIONS.filter((position) => position !== fixedPosition);
 
   if (difficulty === "easy") {
-    return hiddenPositions.flatMap((position) => [
-      buildNationalityClue(position, lineup[position]),
-      buildCurrentLeagueClue(position, lineup[position]),
-    ]);
+    return limitClues(
+      ensureCoverage(
+        hiddenPositions.flatMap((position, index) => [
+          index % 2 === 0 ? buildCurrentLeagueClue(position, lineup[position]) : buildNationalityClue(position, lineup[position]),
+          buildTitleCountOrCountryClue(lineup[position], subjectFor(position)),
+        ]),
+        hiddenPositions,
+      ),
+      5,
+    );
   }
 
   if (difficulty === "medium") {
-    return dedupeClues([
-      ...hiddenPositions.map((position) => buildTitleCountryClue(lineup[position], subjectFor(position))),
-      ...buildHiddenPairClues(lineup, hiddenPositions).slice(0, 2),
-    ]);
+    return limitClues(
+      ensureCoverage(
+        [
+          ...buildMediumPairClues(lineup, hiddenPositions),
+          ...hiddenPositions.map((position) => buildLeagueTitleBucketClue(lineup[position], subjectFor(position))),
+        ],
+        hiddenPositions,
+      ),
+      5,
+    );
   }
 
-  return dedupeClues([
-    ...hiddenPositions.map((position) => buildTitleCountryPairClue(lineup[position], subjectFor(position))),
-    ...hiddenPositions.map((position) => buildChampionsLeagueCountClue(lineup[position], subjectFor(position))),
-    ...buildHiddenPairClues(lineup, hiddenPositions).slice(0, 3),
-  ]);
+  return limitClues(
+    ensureCoverage(
+      [
+        ...buildHardPairClues(lineup, hiddenPositions),
+        ...hiddenPositions.map((position) => buildTitleCountryPairClue(lineup[position], subjectFor(position))),
+        ...hiddenPositions.map((position) => buildChampionsLeagueCountClue(lineup[position], subjectFor(position))),
+      ],
+      hiddenPositions,
+    ),
+    6,
+  );
 }
 
 function subjectFor(position) {
@@ -115,6 +133,13 @@ function buildTitleCountryClue(player, subject) {
   return `${subject} has won ${player.leagueTitles} league titles.`;
 }
 
+function buildTitleCountOrCountryClue(player, subject) {
+  if ((player.leagueTitleCountries?.length ?? 0) > 0 && player.leagueTitles > 2) {
+    return buildTitleCountryClue(player, subject);
+  }
+  return buildLeagueTitleCountClue(player, subject);
+}
+
 function buildChampionsLeagueCountClue(player, subject) {
   return `${subject} has won ${player.championsLeagueTitles} Champions League title${player.championsLeagueTitles === 1 ? "" : "s"}.`;
 }
@@ -155,6 +180,33 @@ function buildHiddenPairClues(lineup, hiddenPositions) {
   return dedupeClues(clues);
 }
 
+function buildMediumPairClues(lineup, hiddenPositions) {
+  const pairs = [];
+  for (let leftIndex = 0; leftIndex < hiddenPositions.length; leftIndex += 1) {
+    for (let rightIndex = leftIndex + 1; rightIndex < hiddenPositions.length; rightIndex += 1) {
+      const left = hiddenPositions[leftIndex];
+      const right = hiddenPositions[rightIndex];
+      pairs.push(buildFormerClubClue(lineup[left], lineup[right], `${subjectFor(left)} and ${positionLabels[right]}`));
+      pairs.push(buildLeagueTitleComparisonClue(left, lineup[left], right, lineup[right]));
+    }
+  }
+  return dedupeClues(pairs);
+}
+
+function buildHardPairClues(lineup, hiddenPositions) {
+  const pairs = [];
+  for (let leftIndex = 0; leftIndex < hiddenPositions.length; leftIndex += 1) {
+    for (let rightIndex = leftIndex + 1; rightIndex < hiddenPositions.length; rightIndex += 1) {
+      const left = hiddenPositions[leftIndex];
+      const right = hiddenPositions[rightIndex];
+      pairs.push(buildFormerClubClue(lineup[left], lineup[right], `${subjectFor(left)} and ${positionLabels[right]}`));
+      pairs.push(buildChampionsLeagueComparisonClue(left, lineup[left], right, lineup[right]));
+      pairs.push(buildLeagueTitleComparisonClue(left, lineup[left], right, lineup[right]));
+    }
+  }
+  return dedupeClues(pairs);
+}
+
 function buildTitleCountryPairClue(player, subject) {
   const countries = player.leagueTitleCountries ?? [];
   if (countries.length >= 2) {
@@ -170,6 +222,13 @@ function buildLeagueTitleCountClue(player, subject) {
   return `${subject} has won ${player.leagueTitles} league title${player.leagueTitles === 1 ? "" : "s"}.`;
 }
 
+function buildLeagueTitleBucketClue(player, subject) {
+  if (player.leagueTitles === 0) return `${subject} has not won a league title.`;
+  if (player.leagueTitles <= 2) return `${subject} has won at most 2 league titles.`;
+  if (player.leagueTitles <= 5) return `${subject} has won between 3 and 5 league titles.`;
+  return `${subject} has won more than 5 league titles.`;
+}
+
 function buildLeagueTitleComparisonClue(positionA, playerA, positionB, playerB) {
   const subjectA = subjectFor(positionA);
   const subjectB = `the ${positionLabels[positionB]}`;
@@ -198,6 +257,47 @@ function dedupeClues(clues) {
   return [...new Set(clues)];
 }
 
+function ensureCoverage(clues, hiddenPositions) {
+  const selected = [];
+  const covered = new Set();
+
+  while (covered.size < hiddenPositions.length) {
+    const clue = clues
+      .filter((candidate) => !selected.includes(candidate))
+      .map((candidate) => ({
+        clue: candidate,
+        positions: mentionedPositions(candidate, hiddenPositions),
+      }))
+      .filter((candidate) => candidate.positions.some((position) => !covered.has(position)))
+      .sort((left, right) => {
+        const leftNew = left.positions.filter((position) => !covered.has(position)).length;
+        const rightNew = right.positions.filter((position) => !covered.has(position)).length;
+        return rightNew - leftNew || left.positions.length - right.positions.length;
+      })[0]?.clue;
+
+    if (!clue) break;
+    selected.push(clue);
+    for (const position of mentionedPositions(clue, hiddenPositions)) {
+      covered.add(position);
+    }
+  }
+
+  for (const clue of clues) {
+    if (!selected.includes(clue)) selected.push(clue);
+  }
+
+  return dedupeClues(selected);
+}
+
+function mentionedPositions(clue, hiddenPositions) {
+  const normalized = clue.toLowerCase();
+  return hiddenPositions.filter((position) => normalized.includes(positionLabels[position]));
+}
+
+function limitClues(clues, max) {
+  return clues.slice(0, max);
+}
+
 function addDays(dateKey, daysToAdd) {
   const date = new Date(`${dateKey}T00:00:00.000Z`);
   date.setUTCDate(date.getUTCDate() + daysToAdd);

scripts/validate-puzzles.mjs

@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ for (const puzzle of puzzles) {
     throw new Error(`${puzzle.id}: expected at least four clues`);
   }
 
+  if (puzzle.clues.length > 6) {
+    throw new Error(`${puzzle.id}: expected no more than six clues`);
+  }
+
   for (const clue of puzzle.clues) {
     if (forbiddenClueFragments.some((fragment) => clue.includes(fragment))) {
       throw new Error(`${puzzle.id}: forbidden clue "${clue}"`);