Water Sort
Water Sort is a planning and problem-solving task in the same family as the Tower of London and Tower of Hanoi. Participants sort colored blocks into tubes so each tube contains only one color. The task engages executive function, including planning, working memory, and inhibitory control.
ActivitySpec: lamp.water_sort
Cognitive domain: Planning, executive function, working memory, inhibitory control
Configuration
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | "easy" (3 colors), "medium" (4 colors), "hard" (5 colors) |
| Max Puzzles | Number of puzzles |
| Time Limit | Time limit per puzzle (seconds) |
API settings fields
| Dashboard Setting | API Field | Type | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| Difficulty | difficulty | string | "medium" |
| Max Puzzles | max_puzzles | number | 8 |
| Time Limit | time_limit_per_puzzle_s | number | 90 |
Sample Instructions
"Sort the colored blocks so each tube contains only one color. Tap a tube to pick up the top block, then tap another tube to place it. You can only place a block on a matching color or into an empty tube."
Usage
Tubes have a capacity of 4 blocks each, plus 2 extra empty tubes for workspace. The number of colors varies by difficulty: 3 (easy), 4 (medium), 5 (hard). Only the top block in a tube can be moved. Blocks can only be placed on matching colors or into empty tubes. When pouring, all consecutive same-color blocks on top transfer together. Puzzles are generated by reverse-shuffling from a solved state, and the BFS minimum move count is computed for each.
Scoring
Each puzzle is scored by whether it was solved and how many pours beyond the minimum were needed. Key metrics are puzzles solved in minimum pours and mean excess pours.
References
- Shallice, T. (1982). Specific impairments of planning. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 298(1089), 199-209.
Data
static_data
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
score | number | Overall score |
correct_answers | number | Puzzles solved |
total_questions | number | Total puzzles attempted |
puzzles_attempted | number | Puzzles presented |
puzzles_solved | number | Puzzles completed |
puzzles_solved_in_minimum | number | Puzzles solved in optimal pour count |
total_excess_pours | number | Sum of extra pours beyond minimum |
mean_excess_pours | number | Average excess pours per puzzle |
mean_planning_time_ms | number | Average time before first pour (ms) |
mean_execution_time_ms | number | Average time from first pour to completion (ms) |
puzzles_timed_out | number | Puzzles where time expired |
difficulty | string | Difficulty level used |
questionnaire | object | Post-game ratings: clarity (1-5), happiness (1-5) |
temporal_slices
One entry per puzzle.
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
item | number | Puzzle index |
type | string | Outcome: "solved", "timeout", or "exit" |
puzzle_number | number | Puzzle sequence number |
num_colors | number | Number of colors in this puzzle |
minimum_pours | number | BFS-computed optimal solution |
actual_pours | number | Participant's pour count |
excess_pours | number | actual_pours - minimum_pours |
solved | boolean | Whether the puzzle was solved |
planning_time_ms | number | Time before first pour (ms) |
execution_time_ms | number | Time from first pour to completion (ms) |
duration | number | Total time on this puzzle (ms) |
pour_sequence | string[] | Sequence of pours |
level | number | Puzzle difficulty |
Cortex Features
No Cortex features are currently available for this activity.
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