Conway's Game of Life

Pattern Files for Chapter 11: Universal Construction

RLE, Macrocell, or LifeHistory code for all patterns that are displayed as figures in Chapter 11: Universal Construction are provided here. These patterns can be viewed in-browser by clicking on the "Show in Viewer" link near the code, or the patterns can be viewed and manipulated by copying and pasting the RLE code into Game of Life software like Golly.

All pattern files from this chapter in a .zip archive file (3.73 Mb)

Figure 11.1(a): Gemini PULL Reaction

A method of pulling a block 1 full diagonal closer via just two gliders. Found by Dean Hickerson no later than March 1990.

Figure 11.1(b): Gemini PUSH Reaction

A method of pushing a block 1 full diagonal farther away via just two gliders. Found by Paul Chapman in 2004.

Figure 11.1(c): Gemini FIRE WHITE Reaction

A method of firing a perpendicular glider via a sliding block. Found by Paul Chapman in 2004.

Figure 11.1(d): Gemini FIRE BLACK Reaction

A method of firing a perpendicular glider via a sliding block. Found by Paul Chapman in 2004.

Figure 11.2: Elbow-operation Circuit

A component with 4 input glider lanes that trigger four different actions on a sliding block: push, pull, fire perpendicular white glider, and fire perpendicular black glider. Constructed by Paul Chapman in 2004.

Figure 11.3: mwss universal constructor

A pair of construction arms synthesizing a middleweight spaceship.

Figure 11.4: gemini

Download link: here (file too large to display in-browser)

Figure 11.5: geminoid knightship

Download link: here (file too large to display in-browser)

Figure 11.6: 90 degree first example

A 13-glider single-channel glider recipe that produces a perpendicular glider on lane -18 of the interior side of the elbow block.

Figure 11.7(a): 0 degree block push

A 10-glider single-channel glider recipe that pushes the elbow away by 8 half-diagonals.

Figure 11.7(b): 0 degree block pull

A 17-glider single-channel glider recipe that pulls the elbow closer by 12 half-diagonals.

Figure 11.8: 90 degree block move

A sequence of 185 gliders on a single lane that collide with a 90-degree elbow block so as to create a hand block, and then move that hand block down by 11 cells via a 4-glider slow salvo.

Figure 11.9: lane 8 0degree

A 14-glider single-channel glider recipe that produces a glider on lane 8 (i.e., 8 half-diagonals up from the input glider stream).

Figure 11.10: 0degree hand

A 19-glider single-lane sequence that creates a hand block for a 0-degree elbow.

Figure 11.11: 0 degree block move

A sequence of 118 gliders on a single lane that collide with a zero-degree elbow block so as to create a hand block, and then move that hand block up by 11 cells via a 4-glider slow salvo.

Figure 11.12: Snark slow salvo

A 95-glider unidirectional slow salvo that can be used to synthesize a Snark.

Figure 11.13: Snarkmaker

25 gliders (elbow to offset block which will serve as the new elbow) 14 + 17 = 31 gliders (elbow pull to line up with new elbow) 19 gliders (elbow duplicator) 15 gliders (pull near elbow to a safe distance) 2253 gliders (complete the Snark construction) 8 gliders (remove the 0-degree elbow) 76 gliders (push elbow back to a safe distance to repeat the recipe) 1 glider (suppressed by extra cell, marks safe repeat location)
More info: https://www.conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=44377#p44377
More info: https://www.conwaylife.com/wiki/Snarkmaker

Figure 11.14: Snarkbreaker

A single-channel recipe that destroys a Snark and adjusts the elbow block accordingly. Found by Simon Ekström and Chris Cain in June 2017.
More info: https://www.conwaylife.com/wiki/Snarkbreaker

Figure 11.15: Scorbie splitter

A syringe-based stable glider duplicator that is made up of common still lifes, and is easy to synthesize.

Figure 11.16: slow demonoid

Download link: here (file too large to display in-browser)

Figure 11.17(a): snark lwss destroy

A method of using a single lightweight spaceship to cleanly destroy a Snark.

Figure 11.17(b): scorbie splitter xwss destroy

A method of using a six slow xWSSes to cleanly destroy a Scorbie splitter.

Figure 11.18: 2-engine Cordership seed

A seed that produces a 2-engine Cordership when hit from behind by a single glider.

Figure 11.19(1): cordership shoot down

A single glider can shoot down a 2-engine Cordership from behind, leaving just some simple stable objects to clean up.

Figure 11.19(2): cordership shoot down recipe

Download link: here (file too large to display in-browser)

Figure 11.20: c256 demonoid

Download link: here (file too large to display in-browser)

Figure 11.21: Boatstretcher seed

A seed that produces a crab-based wickstretcher when hit from behind by a single glider.

Figure 11.22: boatstretcher shoot down

A method of shooting down a crab-based boatstretcher from behind.

Figure 11.23(a): snark seeded destroy

A way of placing three still lifes near a Snark so that a single glider (coming from the same direction that a Snark usually accepts its input glider from, but on a different lane) can cleanly use it as a one-time-turner.

Figure 11.23(b): scorbie splitter seeded destroy

A way of placing three still lifes near a Snark so that a single glider (coming from the same direction that a Snark usually accepts its input glider from, but on a different lane) can cleanly use it as a one-time-turner.

Figure 11.24: double boatstretcher shoot down

A method of shooting down a crab-based double boatstretcher from behind, so as to leave behind two elbow blocks (with whatever separation we like).

Figure 11.25: speed demonoid

Download link: here (file too large to display in-browser)

Figure 11.26: Chapman-Greene universal constructor

A universal constructor, programmed to turn a block into an eater 1.

Figure 11.27: spiral growth

A pattern that exhibits spiral growth -- it lays an ever-widening Snark trail around itself. Constructed by Dave Greene in June 2017.

Exercise 11.18: HWSS slow salvo synthesis

An 8-glider slow-salvo synthesis of a heavyweight spaceship. Found by Adam P. Goucher in December 2016.

Exercise 11.22: Scorbie splitter with elbow

An elbow block that is to be used by a single-channel glider recipe to synthesize a Scorbie splitter in the indicated position.

Exercise 11.27: 44hd Elbow Push

A 20-glider single-channel recipe that pushes an elbow block away by 44 half-diagonals.

Exercise 11.40: snark spiral weld

A way of welding Snarks together with 23hd spacing between their glider lanes. Found by Adam P. Goucher in June 2017.

Appendix B.3: Scorbie splitter maker

Download link: here (file too large to display in-browser)

Appendix B.4: Scorbie splitter destroyer

Download link: here (file too large to display in-browser)

Appendix B.5: cordership maker

Download link: here (file too large to display in-browser)