Infinite growth patterns easy to memorize and enter by hand

[pcallahan]

THCTLH and UTHCTLON in a small 3x3 font both make a Glider-Producing SE

Great font! Not only minimal, but you can write Cthulhu in big block letters.

I am not sure what letters are legal. I avoided "I" to eliminate fixed/variable width ambiguity. Here is the complete font I tried:

CHJKLnOrSTUXYZ

Code: Select all

x = 55, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3obobo3bobobobo3b3ob3ob3o2b2ob3obobobobobobob2o$o3b3obobob2o2bo3bobobobobo4bo3bo2bobo2bo3bo3bo$3obobob3obobob3obobob3obo3b2o3bo2b3obobo2bo3b2o!

The first switch-engine producing patterns I found were at 5 characters:
LCrXL

Code: Select all

x = 19, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
o3b3ob3obobobo$o3bo3bo4bo2bo$3ob3obo3bobob3o!

LHKKn

Code: Select all

x = 19, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
o3bobobobobobob3o$o3b3ob2o2b2o2bobo$3obobobobobobobobo!

THXnC

Code: Select all

x = 19, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3obobobobob3ob3o$bo2b3o2bo2bobobo$bo2bobobobobobob3o!

TYKJO

Code: Select all

x = 19, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3obobobobo3bob3o$bo3bo2b2o2bobobobo$bo3bo2bobob3ob3o!

UHHJY

Code: Select all

x = 19, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
obobobobobo3bobobo$obob3ob3obobo2bo$3obobobobob3o2bo!

nHHJY

Code: Select all

x = 19, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3obobobobo3bobobo$obob3ob3obobo2bo$obobobobobob3o2bo!

rCLXr

Code: Select all

x = 19, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3ob3obo3bobob3o$o3bo3bo4bo2bo$o3b3ob3obobobo!

rHKKU

Code: Select all

x = 19, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3obobobobobobobobo$o3b3ob2o2b2o2bobo$o3bobobobobobob3o!

THXnC and some others produce the glider-shooting variety.

Here is the lexically first one I found that starts with "CTHULHU" (I tried internal insertions as well, but it did not shorten the string).

CTHULHUCUYSH

Code: Select all

x = 47, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3ob3obobobobobo3bobobobob3obobobobo2b2obobo$o4bo2b3obobobo3b3obobobo3bobo2bo3bo2b3o$3o2bo2bobob3ob3obobob3ob3ob3o2bo2b2o2bobo!

I hope I have not awakened the Old Ones!

[pcallahan]

Two Cthulhu patterns that produce glider-shooting switch engines:

SCTHULHUOZLO

Code: Select all

x = 47, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
b2ob3ob3obobobobobo3bobobobob3ob2o2bo3b3o$bo2bo4bo2b3obobobo3b3obobobobo2bo2bo3bobo$2o2b3o2bo2bobob3ob3obobob3ob3o2b2ob3ob3o!

TYYSrCTHULHU

Code: Select all

x = 47, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3obobobobo2b2ob3ob3ob3obobobobobo3bobobobo$bo3bo3bo3bo2bo3bo4bo2b3obobobo3b3obobo$bo3bo3bo2b2o2bo3b3o2bo2bobob3ob3obobob3o!

[Macbi]

SCTHULHUOZLO

That one is nearly pronounceable, at least in the sense that "scth" is no harder to say than the already-difficult "cth".

[pcallahan]

Duh! Of course I can add capital I, and get this one with 4 characters and initial population 25.

UJZI

Code: Select all

x = 15, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
obo3bob2o2b3o$obobobo2bo3bo$3ob3o2b2ob3o!

Nothing better with Cthulhu, though.

[pcallahan]

SCTHULHUOZLO

That one is nearly pronounceable, at least in the sense that "scth" is no harder to say than the already-difficult "cth".

Perhaps it needs additional Lovecraftian punctuation: S'Cthulhu Oz! Lö!

Which probably means something like "Wake up, big guy! Breakfast is served."

(Use with caution.)

[Saka]

THCTLH and UTHCTLON in a small 3x3 font both make a Glider-Producing SE

Great font! Not only minimal, but you can write Cthulhu in big block letters.
...

The only letters I originally made were actually just CHIJLnOrTUY:

Code: Select all

x = 43, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3obobob3ob3obo3b3ob3ob3ob3obobobobo$o3b3o2bo3bo2bo3bobobobobo4bo2bobob
3o$3obobob3ob2o2b3obobob3obo4bo2b3o2bo!

THCTOUNL, GPSE

Code: Select all

x = 31, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3obobob3ob3ob3obobob3obo$bo2b3obo4bo2bobobobobobobo$bo2bobob3o2bo2b3ob
3obobob3o!

THCTRH, SE. Very similar to THCTLH which makes a GPSE

Code: Select all

x = 23, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3obobob3ob3ob3obobo$bo2b3obo4bo2bo3b3o$bo2bobob3o2bo2bo3bobo!

NCOURLUU

Code: Select all

x = 31, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3ob3ob3obobob3obo3bobobobo$obobo3bobobobobo3bo3bobobobo$obob3ob3ob3obo
3b3ob3ob3o!

Pronouncable: RORJUC, SE

Code: Select all

x = 23, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3ob3ob3ob3obobob3o$o3bobobo4bo2bobobo$o3b3obo3b2o2b3ob3o!

[Saka]

UCONLHNT, SE

Code: Select all

x = 31, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
obob3ob3ob3obo3bobob3ob3o$obobo3bobobobobo3b3obobo2bo$3ob3ob3obobob3ob
obobobo2bo!

[Hunting]

Code: Select all

x = 11, y = 5, rule = B3/S23
4bobob3o$4bobo3bo$3ob3ob3o$2bo5bo$3ob3obo!

What if we search for patterns ONLY made by these strange characters?

The first one... ɔ, maybe?

[pcallahan]

The first one... ɔ, maybe?

Sure, but you need some way to remember them. Maybe they are similar enough to math symbols (or the APL character set!).

[PkmnQ]

Of course, you ignore

Code: Select all

x = 8, y = 6, rule = B3/S23
6bo$4bob2o$4bobo$4bo$2bo$obo!

and pretend it's hard to remember.

[pcallahan]

Of course, you ignore

Code: Select all

x = 8, y = 6, rule = B3/S23
6bo$4bob2o$4bobo$4bo$2bo$obo!

and pretend it's hard to remember.

It is hard to pronounce anyway. I agree that small patterns can be memorized visually, but it is a little hard to explain to people.

[Moosey]

Sorry to necropost to a degree, but here are a couple results related to Cthulhu, all related to saka's thctl:
Actually easy to remember, very close to a famous word (Cthulhu of course) and somewhat easy to pronounce: cothctlohu -- I'd say it's pronounced koth-kit-all-oh-who or kɑθ-kɪdəl-oʊ-hu:. I can verify it's easy to remember since I drew this by hand rather than copy-pasting.

Code: Select all

x = 39, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3ob3ob3obobob3ob3obo3b3obobobobo$o3bobo2bo2b3obo4bo2bo3bobob3obobo$3ob
3o2bo2bobob3o2bo2b3ob3obobob3o!

Not easy to remember but it produces a GPSE:
Chhthctlulo mythos

Code: Select all

x = 69, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3obobobobob3obobob3ob3obo3bobobo3b3o2b5obobob3obobob3ob2o$o3b3ob3o2bo
2b3obo4bo2bo3bobobo3bobo2bobobob3o2bo2b3obobo$3obobobobo2bo2bobob3o2bo
2b3ob3ob3ob3o2bobobo2bo3bo2bobob3ob2o!

Chhthctlulo on its own produces a clean SE:

Code: Select all

x = 43, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3obobobobob3obobob3ob3obo3bobobo3b3o$o3b3ob3o2bo2b3obo4bo2bo3bobobo3bo
bo$3obobobobo2bo2bobob3o2bo2b3ob3ob3ob3o!

Though so does

Code: Select all

x = 23, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3obobob3ob3obo3b3o$bo2b3obo4bo2bo3bobo$bo2bobob3o2bo2b3ob3o!

Others can be found here.
Also, cothctlohu O makes a GPSE:

Code: Select all

x = 47, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3ob3ob3obobob3ob3obo3b3obobobobo5b3o$o3bobo2bo2b3obo4bo2bo3bobob3obobo
5bobo$3ob3o2bo2bobob3o2bo2b3ob3obobob3o5b3o!

As does this crazy save in the direction of remembering it:

Code: Select all

x = 67, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3ob3ob3obobob3ob3obo3b3obobobobo5b3obo7b3ob3obo$o3bobo2bo2b3obo4bo2bo
3bobob3obobo5bobobo7bobobobobo$3ob3o2bo2bobob3o2bo2b3ob3obobob3o5b3ob
3o5bo3bobob3o!

Cothctlohu ol pal

Though oddly Cothctlohu ol pal is a completely different reaction-- the GPSE fires gliders on its right side as opposed to the cothctlohu o firing them on the left.

Not really related to Cthulhu but here's a relative of saka's stuff:

Code: Select all

x = 27, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3obobob3ob3obo3b3ob3o$bo2b3obo4bo2bo3bobo2bo$bo2bobob3o2bo2b3ob3o2bo!

Though thctlot would be a good name for a great old one. (Thick-till-lot)
I'll remember that when I write some literature.

This one is *Almost* a good set (backwards cothctlohu, basically) but even if we fixed the backwards c somehow, what kind of name is uho7tchtolo?

Code: Select all

x = 43, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
obobobob3ob3ob3ob3obobob3ob3obo3b3o$obob3obobo3bo2bo4bob3o2bo2bobobo3b
obo$3obobob3o3bo2bo2b3obobo2bo2b3ob3ob3o!

Trivial-ish modification of thctr:

Code: Select all

x = 27, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3obobob3ob3ob3ob2o2bobo$bo2b3obo4bo2bo4bo2bobo$bo2bobob3o2bo2bo4b2ob3o
!

Thctrzu cometh!


Here's a case of a SE which is destroyed later: (not infinite growth, but pretty cool)

Code: Select all

x = 379, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3obobob3obo3b3ob3ob3obo3bobob3ob3ob3ob3ob3obo3b3ob3obobobo3b3ob3obobob
3ob3obobobobob3ob3ob3ob3ob3obobob3obo3bobobobobo3bobobobobobob3ob3ob3o
bo3b3ob3o2b2ob3obobob3ob3obobob3obobob3ob3ob3obobob3ob3obo3b3ob3ob3obo
bob3ob3obo3bobob3ob3ob3ob3ob3ob3ob3obo3bobobobob3obobob3obobob3ob3ob3o
b3obobob3ob3obo3bobob3obobobobo$bo2b3o2bo2bo3bo3bo3bobobo3bobobobobobo
bo3bobo2bo2bo3bo4bo2b3obo3bobobo3bobobo4bo2b3obobobobobobobobobobobo3b
3obobobo3b3obobobo3b3obobob3obo3bobo2bo2bo3bobobobo2bo2bobobobobo4bo2b
3obobob3obo3bobo2bo2b3obo3bo3bo3bobobobo2bo2b3obo4bo2bo3b3obobobobobob
o2bo2bobobo4bo2bo3bobob3obobob3obobob3obobobobobobo2bo2b3obo4bo2bo3b3o
bobob3obobo$bo2bobob3ob3ob3obo3b3ob3ob3obobob3obo3b3o2bo2b3ob3o2bo2bob
ob3ob3obo3b3ob3o2bo2bobob3obobobobob3obobob3obobob3ob3obobob3ob3obobob
3obobob3ob3o2bo2b3ob3obobob2o2b3ob3ob3o2bo2bobob3obobob3ob3o2bo2bobobo
3bo3b3ob3ob3o2bo2bobob3o2bo2b3obobob3ob3ob3o2bo2b3ob3o2bo2b3ob3obobob
3obobob3obobobobobobob3o2bo2bobob3o2bo2b3obobob3obobob3o!

[Saka]

IMO "rorJuc" is easier to remember, explain, and draw.

Code: Select all

x = 23, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3ob3ob3ob3obobob3o$o3bobobo4bo2bobobo$o3b3obo3b2o2b3ob3o!

[dvgrn]

IMO "rorJuc" is easier to remember, explain, and draw...

Has anyone scanned all the two-row and three-row combinations of letters? Maybe there's a 9-letter word that makes an infinite-growth pattern if you arrange it in a 3x3 square with 1-cell margins, for example?

It could be read vertically, horizonally, back-and-forth, spiral-into-the-center, etc., and it would still be relatively memorable and drawable.

[Saka]

Has anyone scanned all the two-row and three-row combinations of letters? Maybe there's a 9-letter word that makes an infinite-growth pattern if you arrange it in a 3x3 square with 1-cell margins, for example?

It could be read vertically, horizonally, back-and-forth, spiral-into-the-center, etc., and it would still be relatively memorable and drawable.

This gave me an idea, which was to see if any common English words can make infinite growth in a set font.
I used the "How Your Username Evolves" font, and found a list of the top 10000 most common English words. Unfortunately there were no results, we need a bigger list, or a different font, or a different language.

Anyone have wordlists that only use the Latin alphabet? (Just letters, no others like -'".,/), also please make it all lowercase, thanks!)

EDIT: Aha!
http://www.mieliestronk.com/corncob_lowercase.txt
EDIT: Welp, none found

EDIT:
From the How Your Username Evolves thread:

Code: Select all

x = 43, y = 7, rule = B3/S23
4ob4ob5o2b5o2b8o2b8o$o2bobo2bo2bo2bo3bo2bo3bo2bo2bo3bo2bo2bo$o4bo5bo2b
o3bo2bo3bo2bo2bo3bo2bo2bo$4ob4o2b4o3b4o3bo2bo2bo3bo2bo2bo$3bo4bo2bo2bo
3bo2bo3bo2bo2bo3bo2bo2bo$o2bobo2bo2bo2bo3bo2bo3bo2bo2bo3bo2bo2bo$4ob4o
b2o2b2ob2o2b2ob2ob2ob3ob2ob2ob3o!

[Moosey]

Saka and I (or maybe not saka) are working on a <nope>canonical</nope> extended font representing all letters. Right now, as of 1:41 PM UTC it is:

Code: Select all

x = 121, y = 19, rule = B3/S23
3obo4b2o6b2ob3ob3ob3ob2o6b2o3bo2b3obobo5bo3bo3bobob2obobo2b2o5bobob2ob
obob3o5b2o2bobob3ob2o$o3b2o2b2o6b3o2bo2bobobo3bobo5bobobobobobob2o6bob
obo3b3ob2ob3o2bo6bobobo3bo3bo6b2o2bobo2bo3bo$3o2b2obo8bo2b2o2b3obo3b2o
6b3obobobobobobo5b3ob3o2bo2bo2bobob2o7bo2b2obobo2bo8bob3ob3o2b2o14$bo
2b2o2b3ob2o2b2o2b2obo3bobob3ob3obobobo4b2ob3ob3ob2ob2o2b3o2b2ob3obobob
obo3bobobobobob2o$obobobobo3bobobo2b3obobob3o2bo3bo2b2o2bo3b2o2bobobob
ob2ob2o2bo4bo3bo2bobobobo2b2o2bo2b3o2bo$obob3ob3ob2o2b2o2bo2b3obobob3o
b2o2bobob3obo3bobob3obo4bobo3b2o3bo2b3o2bo2b2o2bobo2bo3b2o!

Later updates can be seen in the random posts thread.

Note that saka's font is a subset of this one.

EDIT:
Stole an E from a font by testitem.

Code: Select all

x = 122, y = 19, rule = B3/S23
3obo4b2o6b2ob3ob3ob3ob2o6b2o3bo2b3obobo5bo3bo3bobob2obobo2b2o5bobob3ob
obob3o5b2o2bobob3ob2o$o3b2o2b2o6b3o2bo2bobobo3bobo5bobobobobobob2o6bob
obo3b3ob2ob3o2bo6bobob2o3bo3bo6b2o2bobo2bo3bo$3o2b2obo8bo2b2o2b3obo3b
2o6b3obobobobobobo5b3ob3o2bo2bo2bobob2o7bo2b3obobo2bo8bob3ob3o2b2o14$b
o2b2o2b3ob2o2b3o2b2obo3bobob3ob3obobobo4b2ob3ob3ob2ob2o2b3o2b2ob3obobo
bobo3bobobobobob2o$obobobobo3bobob2o2b3obobob3o2bo3bo2b2o2bo3b2o2bobob
obob2ob2o2bo4bo3bo2bobobobo2b2o2bo2b3o2bo$obob3ob3ob2o2b3o2bo2b3obobob
3ob2o2bobob3obo3bobob3obo4bobo3b2o3bo2b3o2bo2b2o2bobo2bo3b2o!

[Saka]

what? why am I working on it? I dont want this to be the "canonical" font (Does such a thing exist?)!

[Moosey]

what? why am I working on it? I dont want this to be the "canonical" font (Does such a thing exist?)!

Well, not canonical, I suppose, as much as extended. Canonical was a poor choice of words.
You're working on it, in my opinion, as you pointed out some problems.

Does anyone have an opinion on which of these looks the most like an F?

Code: Select all

x = 19, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
b2o6b2o6b2o$3o6bo7b2o$bo6b3o5b2o!

EDIT:
Current:

Code: Select all

x = 102, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
bo2b2o2b3ob2o2b3o2b2obo3bobob3ob3obobobo4b2ob3ob3ob2ob2o2b3o2b2ob3obob
obobobo3bobobobob2o$obobobobo3bobob2o2b3obobob3o2bo3bo2b2o2bo3b2o2bobo
bobob2ob2o2bo4bo3bo2bobobobob2o3bo2b3o2bo$obob3ob3ob2o2b3o2bo2b3obobob
3ob2o2bobob3obo3bobob3obo4bobo3b2o3bo2b3o2bo3b2obobo2bo3b2o!

I'm getting a bit off topic here. Sandbox thread for fonts and patterns that they produce?

[toroidalet]

The smallest THCT pattern that produces infinite growth is the following, which almost looks like "theta":

Code: Select all

x = 19, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3obobob3ob3ob2o$bo2b3obo4bo2bobo$bo2bobob3o2bo2bobo!

The only other 5-character one with this prefix that does so is this, which looks less like a letter.

Code: Select all

x = 19, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3obobob3ob3ob3o$bo2b3obo4bo2b2o$bo2bobob3o2bo2b2o!

[Gustone]

I can easily draw the 10 cell ig

[PkmnQ]

I can easily draw the 10 cell ig

Well, apparently,

It is hard to pronounce anyway. I agree that small patterns can be memorized visually, but it is a little hard to explain to people.

[Hdjensofjfnen]

Does anyone have an opinion on which of these looks the most like an F?

Code: Select all

x = 19, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
b2o6b2o6b2o$3o6bo7b2o$bo6b3o5b2o!

[offtopic]

Code: Select all

x = 3, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3o$2o$o!

[/offtopic]

[Moosey]

[offtopic]

Does anyone have an opinion on which of these looks the most like an F?

Code: Select all

x = 19, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
b2o6b2o6b2o$3o6bo7b2o$bo6b3o5b2o!

[offtopic]

Code: Select all

x = 3, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
3o$2o$o!

[/offtopic]

More can be seen here, where we should probably discuss Moosey's Official Unoffical Alphabet. The current version is

Code: Select all

x = 102, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
bo2b2o2b3ob2o2b3ob3obo3bobob3ob3obobobo4b2ob3ob3ob2ob2o2b3o2b2ob3obobo
bobobo3bobobobob2o$obob3obo3bobob2o2b2o2bobob3o2bo3bo2b2o2bo3b2o2bobob
obob2ob2o2bo4bo3bo2bobobobob2o3bo2b3o2bo$obob2o2b3ob2o2b3obo3b3obobob
3ob2o2bobob3obo3bobob3obo4bobo3b2o3bo2b3o2bo3b2obobo2bo3b2o!

[/offtopic]