Advent of Code 2023 - Day 20

By Eric Burden | December 20, 2023

It’s that time of year again! Just like last year, I’ll be posting my solutions to the Advent of Code puzzles. This year, I’ll be solving the puzzles in Kotlin. I’ll post my solutions and code to GitHub as well. If you haven’t given AoC a try, I encourage you to do so along with me!

Day 20 - Pulse Propagation

Find the problem description HERE.

The Input - Modular Arithmetic

I’m back, baby!! After a couple days off from the blog (I still owe myself a blog post for Days 18 and 19), it’s time to get back in the saddle. And what an interesting input we have today. It’s not too complicated, but I think I may have over-complicated it a bit with my choice of data structure. It’s done now, though, and it works, so I’m probably not going to change it.


/**
 * This enum represents the two kinds of pulses
 */
enum class PulseKind {
    LOW, HIGH
}

/**
 * This class represents a pulse sent through the [ModuleArray]
 *
 * @property source The label of the module sending the pulse.
 * @property destination The label of the module to receive the pulse.
 * @property kind The kind of pulse being sent.
 */
data class Pulse(
    val source: String,
    val destination: String,
    val kind: PulseKind
)

/**
 * This class serves as the base class for all modules
 *
 * @property label The label for this module, giving its name.
 * @property destinations A list of labels for modules to send pulses to.
 */
abstract class AbstractModule(
    val label: String,
    val destinations: List<String>
) {
    /**
     * Receive a pulse and send pulses to all destination modules
     *
     * This function is responsible for this module receiving a pulse,
     * processing it in some way, then sending resulting pulses to all of
     * this module's destinations.
     *
     * @param pulse The pulse sent to this module.
     * @return The list of pulses sent by this module.
     */
    abstract fun relay(pulse: Pulse): List<Pulse>
}

/**
 * This class represents the Broadcaster module
 *
 * Broadcaster modules only receive pulses from the "button" and forward that
 * pulse on to its destinations.
 *
 * @property label The label for this module, giving its name.
 * @property destinations A list of labels for modules to send pulses to.
 */
class Broadcaster(label: String, destinations: List<String>) :
    AbstractModule(label, destinations) {
    // TODO: Implement the `relay` function
}

/**
 * This class represents the FlipFlop module
 *
 * The FlipFlop module maintains an inner ON or OFF state, which affects
 * how the module responds to pulses. FlipFlop modules ignore HIGH pulses.
 * A LOW pulse will cause the FlipFlop's state to toggle from ON to OFF or
 * from OFF to ON. When the FlipFlop toggles ON, it sends a HIGH pulse to
 * all destinations. When the FlipFlop toggles OFF, it sends a LOW pulse to
 * all destinations.
 *
 * @property label The label for this module, giving its name.
 * @property destinations A list of labels for modules to send pulses to.
 * @property state The internal state of the FlipFlop.
 */
class FlipFlop(
    label: String,
    destinations: List<String>,
    private var state: FlipFlopState = FlipFlopState.OFF
) : AbstractModule(label, destinations) {
    // TODO: Implement the `relay` function
}

/**
 * This class represents the Conjuction module
 *
 * The Conjunction module maintains a memory of the last pulse kind received
 * from each of its inputs. When receiving a pulse, first the Conjunction
 * updates its memory. If all pulses in memory are HIGH pulses, the Conjunction
 * emits a LOW pulse. Otherwise, it emits a HIGH pulse.
 *
 * @property label The label for this module, giving its name.
 * @property destinations A list of labels for modules to send pulses to.
 * @property memory The internal state of the Conjunction, tracking the kind of
 * pulse last received from all its inputs. Defaults to LOW for all inputs.
 */
class Conjunction(
    label: String,
    destinations: List<String>,
    private val memory: MutableMap<String, PulseKind> = mutableMapOf()
) : AbstractModule(label, destinations) {
    // TODO: Implement the `relay` function

    // Used to register an input to this module.
    fun registerInput(label: String) {
        memory[label] = PulseKind.LOW
    }
}

/**
 * This class represents the full array of modules
 *
 * @property modules A map of module labels to [AbstractModule]s.
 */
data class ModuleArray(val modules: Map<String, AbstractModule>) {
    companion object {
        /**
         * Parse a [ModuleArray] from the lines of the input file
         *
         * Each line in the input represents the relationship between a sender
         * module and its receivers. This function parses those lines into
         * [AbstractModule]s and maps the labels of the modules to the
         * [AbstractModule]s they represent.
         *
         * @param input Lines from the input file.
         * @return The [ModuleArray] represented by the input.
         * @throws Exception When a line from the input cannot be parsed.
         */
        fun fromInput(input: List<String>): ModuleArray {
            val modules = mutableMapOf<String, AbstractModule>()
            for (line in input) {
                // Get the strings left and right of the " -> "
                val (leftStr, rightStr) = line.split(" -> ")

                // Split the destination labels on commas
                val destinations = rightStr.split(", ")

                // Produce the appropriate kind of [AbstractModule] based on the
                // string to the left of the " -> ".
                val (label, module) = when {
                    leftStr == "broadcaster" -> (leftStr
                            to Broadcaster(leftStr, destinations))

                    leftStr.startsWith("%") -> {
                        val label = leftStr.removePrefix("%")
                        label to FlipFlop(label, destinations)
                    }

                    leftStr.startsWith("&") -> {
                        val label = leftStr.removePrefix("&")
                        label to Conjunction(label, destinations)
                    }

                    else -> throw Exception("Cannot parse $line to a module mapping!")
                }
                modules[label] = module
            }

            // At this point, the [Conjunction] modules don't know what their
            // inputs are, so we loop through the mapping of modules and
            // register each input to a Conjunction module with the
            // receiving Conjunction module.
            for ((inputLabel, module) in modules) {
                for (destination in module.destinations) {
                    val destinationModule = modules[destination]
                    if (destinationModule !is Conjunction) continue
                    destinationModule.registerInput(inputLabel)
                }
            }

            return ModuleArray(modules)
        }
    }
}

class Day20(val input: List<String>) {

    // Parse the input file into an array of [AbstractModule]s. Use
    // a calculated value here so that we get a fresh copy of the
    // parsed input each time this value is fetched.
    private val parsed: ModuleArray get() = ModuleArray.fromInput(input)
    
}

Most of the problem is solved at this point - we have all the data structures in place and have even specified some of the methods we need. Now we just need to fill in the logic for propagating pulses through our ModuleArray.

Part One - Push the Button!

Ah man, I kind of wish we got to push the button 1,000 times! I bet it was a big, red button too. Probably had a satisfying click or ka-chunk when it was pressed too. Oh well, at least we get to map the pulses through our array of modules. In our parsing step, we set up a lot of what we need, so let’s fill in the logic.


// enum class PulseKind { ... }

// data class Pulse( ... )

abstract class AbstractModule(
    val label: String,
    val destinations: List<String>
) {
    abstract fun relay(pulse: Pulse): List<Pulse>
}

class Broadcaster(label: String, destinations: List<String>) :
    AbstractModule(label, destinations) {
    
    // Just forward received pulses
    override fun relay(pulse: Pulse) =
        destinations.map { Pulse(label, it, PulseKind.LOW) }
}

class FlipFlop(
    label: String,
    destinations: List<String>,
    private var state: FlipFlopState = FlipFlopState.OFF
) : AbstractModule(label, destinations) {
    enum class FlipFlopState { ON, OFF }
    
    // It's FlipFlop logic!
    override fun relay(pulse: Pulse) = when (pulse.kind) {
        PulseKind.HIGH -> listOf()
        PulseKind.LOW -> when (state) {
            FlipFlopState.OFF -> {
                state = FlipFlopState.ON
                destinations.map { Pulse(label, it, PulseKind.HIGH) }
            }

            FlipFlopState.ON -> {
                state = FlipFlopState.OFF
                destinations.map { Pulse(label, it, PulseKind.LOW) }
            }
        }
    }
}

class Conjunction(
    label: String,
    destinations: List<String>,
    private val memory: MutableMap<String, PulseKind> = mutableMapOf()
) : AbstractModule(label, destinations) {

    // It's Conjunction logic!
    override fun relay(pulse: Pulse): List<Pulse> {
        // First update the memory for the input
        memory[pulse.source] = pulse.kind

        // Then determine the kind of pulse to send
        val sendKind = if (memory.values.all { it == PulseKind.HIGH }) {
            PulseKind.LOW
        } else {
            PulseKind.HIGH
        }

        return destinations.map { Pulse(label, it, sendKind) }
    }

    // Used to register an input to this module.
    fun registerInput(label: String) {
        memory[label] = PulseKind.LOW
    }
}

data class ModuleArray(val modules: Map<String, AbstractModule>) {
    // companion object { ... }

    /**
     * Send a pulse through the [ModuleArray]
     *
     * Since each pulse is equipped with the name of the sender and receiver,
     * we can pass it directly to the [ModuleArray] and route it to its
     * intended receiver. If the named destination isn't in the module array,
     * we can just ignore that pulse.
     *
     * @param pulse The [Pulse] to route through the [ModuleArray].
     * @return The list of pulses that result from routing the input pulse to
     * its intended destination.
     */
    private fun route(pulse: Pulse): List<Pulse> {
        val destinationModule = modules[pulse.destination]
            ?: return listOf()
        return destinationModule.relay(pulse)
    }

    /**
     * Push. The. Button!!!
     *
     * Simulates pushing the button module one time, which sends a LOW pulse to
     * the [Broadcaster] module. The resulting pulses are created and consumed
     * until no more pulses are generated. Returns a list of all pulses sent
     * through the [ModuleArray] as a result of pushing the button.
     *
     * @return A list of pulses generated by pushing the button.
     */
    fun pushTheButton(): List<Pulse> {
        val initialPulse = Pulse("button", "broadcaster", PulseKind.LOW)
        val queue = ArrayDeque(listOf(initialPulse))
        val sentPulses = mutableListOf<Pulse>()

        while (queue.isNotEmpty()) {
            val pulse = queue.removeLast()
            sentPulses.add(pulse)
            for (nextPulse in route(pulse)) queue.addFirst(nextPulse)
        }

        return sentPulses
    }
}

class Day20(val input: List<String>) {

    // private val parsed: ModuleArray get() = ...

    // In part one, we push the button, sending pulses through the array
    // of modules and count the kinds of pulses that propagate through.
    fun solvePart1(): Int {
        var lowPulses = 0
        var highPulses = 0
        val moduleArray = parsed
        repeat(1000) {
            moduleArray.pushTheButton().forEach { pulse ->
                when (pulse.kind) {
                    PulseKind.LOW -> lowPulses += 1
                    PulseKind.HIGH -> highPulses += 1
                }
            }
        }
        return lowPulses * highPulses
    }
}

Man, that’s satisfying! The necessity for having a Conjunction be aware of the origin of pulse’s it receives makes things a little awkward. I feel like I’m passing around too much information with each pulse, but it works, so I’ll take my star and move on.

Part Two - Conjunction Junction, What’s Your Function?

I feel like this was on purpose, but it turns out that a junction of Conjunction modules actually is the key to solving part two today. I’m not normally a big fan of the “look at your input carefully” puzzle solutions, and that goes for today as well. Part two is a variation on the “if the number of iterations is astronomical, look for a cycle” approach to a solution.


// enum class PulseKind { ... }

// data class Pulse( ... )

// abstract class AbstractModule( ... ) { ... }

// class Broadcaster( ... ) : AbstractModule( ...) { ... }

// class FlipFlop( ... ) : AbstractModule( ...) { ... }

// class Conjunction( ... ) : AbstractModule( ...) { ... }

data class ModuleArray(val modules: Map<String, AbstractModule>) {
    // companion object { ... }

    // private fun route(pulse: Pulse): List<Pulse> { ... }

    // fun pushTheButton(): List<Pulse> { ... }
    
    
    /**
     * Find the cycle length of a single Conjunction module
     *
     * In part two, we need to identify the periodicity with which several
     * [Conjunction] modules send a HIGH signal. Given the label for a
     * conjunction module, simulate pushing the button while keeping an eye
     * on that conjunction module, returning the number of button pushes it
     * regularly takes to produce a HIGH pulse.
     *
     * @param label The label for the [Conjunction] module to monitor.
     * @return The number of button presses in the cycle that produces a HIGH
     * pulse from the monitored [Conjunction] module.
     */
    fun findConjunctionModuleCycleLength(label: String): Long {
        // Start by making sure we've actually got a [Conjunction] module that's
        // in the [ModuleArray].
        val checkedModule =
            modules[label] ?: throw Exception("There is no $label module!")
        require(checkedModule is Conjunction) { throw Exception("$checkedModule is not a Conjunction!") }

        // Continue by pushing the button until the indicated module sends a LOW
        // signal. I included this part in case there were some button pushes
        // needed to get to the point where the cycle starts. In that case, I
        // would have needed to account for those pushes later. Turns out, that
        // wasn't the case, but I left this in to explain my reasoning.
        var isPrimed = false
        while (!isPrimed) {
            isPrimed =
                pushTheButton().any { (s, _, k) -> s == label && k == PulseKind.HIGH }
        }

        // Starting at the state right after the monitored conjunction module
        // sent a HIGH pulse, we again push the button repeatedly until the
        // monitored module sends another HIGH pulse. This is the presumed
        // cycle length.
        var cycleLength = 1L
        while (!pushTheButton().any { (s, _, k) -> s == label && k == PulseKind.HIGH }) {
            cycleLength += 1
        }

        // To confirm this cycle length is stable, we run the cycle one more time
        // and compare this count to the previous count. If the two cycle counts
        // weren't equal, we'd need to figure out something else to solve this
        // puzzle.
        var confirmationCycleLength = 1L
        while (!pushTheButton().any { (s, _, k) -> s == label && k == PulseKind.HIGH }) {
            confirmationCycleLength += 1
        }

        // I wasn't initially convinced that the only state I needed to keep up with
        // was the output from the module of interest. If I wasn't able to get
        // a consistent cycle length just checking the output of the module under
        // review, I'd have needed to try something else.
        require(cycleLength == confirmationCycleLength) {
            throw Exception("Need more info to calculate cycle length for $label!")
        }

        return cycleLength
    }
}

class Day20(val input: List<String>) {

    // private val parsed: ModuleArray get() = ...

    // fun solvePart1(): Int { ... }
    
    /*
    My input includes the following lines:
          &hj -> rx
          &ks -> hj
          &jf -> hj
          &qs -> hj
          &zk -> hj

    So, what does this mean? For one, it means that there is a single
    Conjunction module `hj` attached to `rx` with four other Conjunction
    modules feeding into it. That means a _lot_ of button presses are likely
    needed to have all four of those Conjunction modules coincide to send a
    HIGH pulse to `hj` at the same time. And, since it's Advent of Code and
    we're likely dealing with a huge number, let's look for cycles!
    */
    fun solvePart2(): Long {
        // Start by finding the input that feeds into 'rx'
        val rxInput = parsed.modules.asSequence()
            .filter { (_, module) -> "rx" in module.destinations }
            .map { (label, _) -> label }.single()

        // Then get the cycle length for all the inputs that feed into the `rxInput`.
        // The least common multiple of those cycle lengths is the number of
        // button pushes needed to get them to all sync up.
        return parsed.modules.asSequence()
            .filter { (_, module) -> rxInput in module.destinations }
            .map { (label, _) -> parsed.findConjunctionModuleCycleLength(label) }
            .toList()
            .lcm()
    }
}

My big complaint here is that I can’t be certain whether or not this solution is general enough to apply to all valid inputs. I know it’s not general enough for every possible configuration of a ModuleArray, but I can’t be sure it will solve the puzzle for anyone else, either.

The Wrap Up

It feels good to be back! Granted, spending the last couple of days traveling with my family was also nice, so no complaints here. My main gripe is possible not feeling like going back and writing blog posts for the two days I’ve missed, but that’s just me being lazy. Today is the first day where I’ve felt like taking the OO approach with sub-classes actually helped me get to the solution, which is something else to be happy about. All in all, a good day. Only five left!

comments powered by Disqus