Objective of the Game

The main aim of Black Box is to uncover the hidden "atoms" on a grid. One player hides the atoms while the other player tries to determine their positions using skillful guessing and logic.

Game Components

• A grid (usually 8x8 squares)
• A number of markers or pins for the atoms
• Beam markers

Setup

1. One player acts as the "hider" and secretly places a certain number of atoms (usually 4-6) on the grid.
2. The other player is the "seeker" and sits opposite.

Gameplay

1. Shooting Beams: The seeker successively shoots beams into the field from the outside edges of the grid. This is done by launching a beam toward one of the edges of the grid.
2. Beam Reactions:
3. Beams that hit an atom directly are "absorbed."
4. Beams that skim past an atom are "deflected," meaning they turn at a right angle.
5. Beams passing between two adjacent atoms may "reflect" and return in the direction they came from.
6. The seeker notes where the beam was shot from and how it reacted.
7. Through repeating these beam launches, the seeker attempts to deduce the positions of the atoms.

Strategic Tips

• Logical Thinking: The seeker should systematically note observations about beam behaviors.
• Avoid Redundancy: It is vital not to send beams randomly but to proceed strategically to avoid unnecessary crossings.
• Patient Analysis: The exact location of the atoms can only be deduced after thoroughly analyzing the information received.

End of the Game

The game ends when the seeker decides they can accurately deduce the positions of the atoms. The hider then reveals the actual positions, and success is measured by the number of beams required and the accuracy of the seeker.

The fewer beams the seeker needs to correctly deduce positions, the better their outcome.

Black Box is a highly strategic deduction game that relies on the seeker's ability to draw helpful conclusions from limited information.