Instant deaths

For discussion of specific patterns or specific families of patterns in Conway's Game of Life, both newly-discovered and well-known.
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SomeRandomGuy15
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Instant deaths

Post by SomeRandomGuy15 »

An instant death is a pattern that dies after just one generation.

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#C [[ ZOOM 16 GRID COLOR GRID 192 192 192 GRIDMAJOR 10 COLOR GRIDMAJOR 128 128 128 COLOR DEADRAMP 255 220 192 COLOR ALIVE 0 0 0 COLOR ALIVERAMP 0 0 0 COLOR DEAD 192 220 255 COLOR BACKGROUND 255 255 255 GPS 10 WIDTH 937 HEIGHT 600 ]]
x = 23, y = 2, rule = B3/S23
11bo9bo$o10bo10bo!
From left to right, these are called: Haplomino (or monomino or dot), Domino and Duoplet.
But instant deaths don't have to be made of low numbered cells.

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#C [[ ZOOM 16 GRID COLOR GRID 192 192 192 GRIDMAJOR 10 COLOR GRIDMAJOR 128 128 128 COLOR DEADRAMP 255 220 192 COLOR ALIVE 0 0 0 COLOR ALIVERAMP 0 0 0 COLOR DEAD 192 220 255 COLOR BACKGROUND 255 255 255 GPS 10 WIDTH 937 HEIGHT 600 ]]
x = 11, y = 11, rule = B3/S23
5bo$5bo$4b3o$4b3o$2b3ob3o$4o3b4o$2b3ob3o$4b3o$4b3o$5bo$5bo!
I call this instant death "Ninja Star"

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#C [[ ZOOM 16 GRID COLOR GRID 192 192 192 GRIDMAJOR 10 COLOR GRIDMAJOR 128 128 128 COLOR DEADRAMP 255 220 192 COLOR ALIVE 0 0 0 COLOR ALIVERAMP 0 0 0 COLOR DEAD 192 220 255 COLOR BACKGROUND 255 255 255 GPS 10 WIDTH 937 HEIGHT 600 ]]
x = 8, y = 6, rule = B3/S23
obo$3bobobo$b4o$3b4o$4bo$2bo2bobo!
I call this instant death "Bush"

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#C [[ ZOOM 16 GRID COLOR GRID 192 192 192 GRIDMAJOR 10 COLOR GRIDMAJOR 128 128 128 COLOR DEADRAMP 255 220 192 COLOR ALIVE 0 0 0 COLOR ALIVERAMP 0 0 0 COLOR DEAD 192 220 255 COLOR BACKGROUND 255 255 255 GPS 10 WIDTH 937 HEIGHT 600 ]]
x = 13, y = 13, rule = B3/S23
6bo$bobo2bo2bobo$5b3o$bobob3obobo$5b3o$2b4ob4o$5o3b5o$2b4ob4o$5b3o$bo
bob3obobo$5b3o$bobo2bo2bobo$6bo!
This is a bigger version of Ninja Star with 16 haplominoes.
Last edited by SomeRandomGuy15 on August 22nd, 2026, 8:28 am, edited 3 times in total.
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I6_I6
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Re: Instant deaths

Post by I6_I6 »

I made a big one a while ago:
I6_I6 wrote: December 16th, 2025, 1:59 pm

Code: Select all

x = 109, y = 109, rule = B3/S23
54bo$54bo$53b3o$51b7o$53b3o$54bo$54bo$53b3o$53b3o$54bo$48bo5bo5bo$37bo
10bo11bo10bo$39b2o2b2o2b3o2b5o2b3o2b2o2b2o$35bo2b33o2bo$37bob2o2b2o2b
3o2b5o2b3o2b2o2b2obo$36b3o9bo5bo5bo9b3o$36b3o9bo5bo5bo9b3o$30b2o2b2obo
33bob2o2b2o$23bo4b9o2bo29bo2b9o4bo$23bo6b2o2b2o37b2o2b2o6bo$22b3o12bo
33bo12b3o$22b3o59b3o$20b7o27bo27b7o$18b11o25bo25b11o$20b7o26b3o26b7o$
22b3o28b3o28b3o$22b3o20bo8bo8bo20b3o$23bo21bo8bo8bo21bo$18bo4bo20b3o6b
3o6b3o20bo4bo$18bo25b3o6b3o6b3o25bo$17b3o25bob2o2b7o2b2obo25b3o$17b3o
23bo2b17o2bo23b3o$18bo28b2o2b7o2b2o28bo$18bo26bo7b3o7bo26bo$17b3o33b3o
33b3o$13bo3b3o34bo34b3o3bo$15b2obo35bo35bob2o$11bo2b4o2bo32b3o32bo2b4o
2bo$13bob2o34b7o34b2obo$12b3o3bo34b3o34bo3b3o$12b3o30bo4bob5obo4bo30b
3o$13bo31bo4bob5obo4bo31bo$13bo30b3o5b5o5b3o30bo$12b3o16bo12b3o4bob3ob
o4b3o12bo16b3o$12b3o13b2o12b2obo8bo8bob2o12b2o13b3o$13bo12b5o2bo6b5o2b
o6bo6bo2b5o6bo2b5o12bo$13bo14b2obo10b2o5b2o2b3o2b2o5b2o10bob2o14bo$12b
3o15b3o12bo2b13o2bo12b3o15b3o$10b7o13b3o14bob2o2b3o2b2obo14b3o13b7o$
12b3o16bo14b3o5bo5b3o14bo16b3o$13bo17bo8b2o4b3o5bo5b3o4b2o8bo17bo$3bo
9bo16b3o5bo4bo3bo5b3o5bo3bo4bo5b3o16bo9bo$3bo8b3o15b3o5bob3o4bo5b3o5bo
4b3obo5b3o15b3o8bo$2b3o2b2o3b3o9b2o2b7o2b7o2b3o2b7o2b3o2b7o2b7o2b2o9b
3o3b2o2b3o$11ob5o5b65o5b5ob11o$2b3o2b2o3b3o9b2o2b7o2b7o2b3o2b7o2b3o2b
7o2b7o2b2o9b3o3b2o2b3o$3bo8b3o15b3o5bob3o4bo5b3o5bo4b3obo5b3o15b3o8bo$
3bo9bo16b3o5bo4bo3bo5b3o5bo3bo4bo5b3o16bo9bo$13bo17bo8b2o4b3o5bo5b3o4b
2o8bo17bo$12b3o16bo14b3o5bo5b3o14bo16b3o$10b7o13b3o14bob2o2b3o2b2obo
14b3o13b7o$12b3o15b3o12bo2b13o2bo12b3o15b3o$13bo14b2obo10b2o5b2o2b3o2b
2o5b2o10bob2o14bo$13bo12b5o2bo6b5o2bo6bo6bo2b5o6bo2b5o12bo$12b3o13b2o
12b2obo8bo8bob2o12b2o13b3o$12b3o16bo12b3o4bob3obo4b3o12bo16b3o$13bo30b
3o5b5o5b3o30bo$13bo31bo4bob5obo4bo31bo$12b3o30bo4bob5obo4bo30b3o$12b3o
3bo34b3o34bo3b3o$13bob2o34b7o34b2obo$11bo2b4o2bo32b3o32bo2b4o2bo$15b2o
bo35bo35bob2o$13bo3b3o34bo34b3o3bo$17b3o33b3o33b3o$18bo26bo7b3o7bo26bo
$18bo28b2o2b7o2b2o28bo$17b3o23bo2b17o2bo23b3o$17b3o25bob2o2b7o2b2obo
25b3o$18bo25b3o6b3o6b3o25bo$18bo4bo20b3o6b3o6b3o20bo4bo$23bo21bo8bo8bo
21bo$22b3o20bo8bo8bo20b3o$22b3o28b3o28b3o$20b7o26b3o26b7o$18b11o25bo
25b11o$20b7o27bo27b7o$22b3o59b3o$22b3o12bo33bo12b3o$23bo6b2o2b2o37b2o
2b2o6bo$23bo4b9o2bo29bo2b9o4bo$30b2o2b2obo33bob2o2b2o$36b3o9bo5bo5bo9b
3o$36b3o9bo5bo5bo9b3o$37bob2o2b2o2b3o2b5o2b3o2b2o2b2obo$35bo2b33o2bo$
39b2o2b2o2b3o2b5o2b3o2b2o2b2o$37bo10bo11bo10bo$48bo5bo5bo$54bo$53b3o$
53b3o$54bo$54bo$53b3o$51b7o$53b3o$54bo$54bo!
SomeRandomGuy15 wrote: August 22nd, 2026, 8:17 am An instant death is a pattern that dies after just one generation.

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#C [[ ZOOM 16 GRID COLOR GRID 192 192 192 GRIDMAJOR 10 COLOR GRIDMAJOR 128 128 128 COLOR DEADRAMP 255 220 192 COLOR ALIVE 0 0 0 COLOR ALIVERAMP 0 0 0 COLOR DEAD 192 220 255 COLOR BACKGROUND 255 255 255 GPS 10 WIDTH 937 HEIGHT 600 ]]
x = 23, y = 2, rule = B3/S23
11bo9bo$o10bo10bo!
From left to right, these are called: Haplomino (or monomino or dot), Domino and last one is probably unnamed.
[...]
The last one is a duoplet.

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#C [[ THEME Golly ]]
x = 27, y = 15, rule = LifeHistory
8.A$A6.A.A$3A4.BA2B.B2D$3.A4.2B.2B2DB$2.2A2.3B.6B2.3B$2.20B$4.19B$4.2B
C10BD4B$4.2B2C10BD4B$4.B2C11B2D3B$4.13B2D4B$5.12BD3B.B2A$6.13B3.BA.A$
6.3B.B3.B10.A$25.2A!
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SomeRandomGuy15
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Re: Instant deaths

Post by SomeRandomGuy15 »

Thanks! By the way, what are you going to call it?
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Re: Instant deaths

Post by 8than888 »

What about this?

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x = 5, y = 5, rule = B3/S23
2bo$2bo$5o$2bo$2bo!
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Re: Instant deaths

Post by I6_I6 »

SomeRandomGuy15 wrote: August 22nd, 2026, 8:26 am Thanks! By the way, what are you going to call it?
It's very large and the parts aren't even all connected, so I don't think it needs a name. It can be broken down into smaller, basic parts, however.

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#C [[ THEME Golly ]]
x = 27, y = 15, rule = LifeHistory
8.A$A6.A.A$3A4.BA2B.B2D$3.A4.2B.2B2DB$2.2A2.3B.6B2.3B$2.20B$4.19B$4.2B
C10BD4B$4.2B2C10BD4B$4.B2C11B2D3B$4.13B2D4B$5.12BD3B.B2A$6.13B3.BA.A$
6.3B.B3.B10.A$25.2A!
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Re: Instant deaths

Post by rabbit »

It's worth noting that the set of patterns that die out on generation 1 in B3/S23 is also the set of patterns that are still lifes in the OCA rule B3/S0145678:

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x = 37, y = 28, rule = B3/S23
20bo$13bobob2o$5bobo2bobo3b4o$8bo2b3ob5o8bo$5bob4ob7o6bo2bo$2b2o2b4ob
9o2bo4b3o3bo$5ob6ob7o2bo2bob5o$2b2ob15ob3o2b7o3bo$2b4ob10ob5ob7ob3o$3b
5obob8o2b8ob6o$2b6ob2ob9ob5ob8o$bob23ob8o$3b6ob15ob7o2bo$3b8ob2ob17obo
$b3obob11ob13o$3b26obobo$4b18ob8o$3bob13ob12o$b21ob10o$3b7ob8ob3o2b5ob
4o$3b9ob4o2b4ob9o$4b15ob3ob8o$2bo3b3ob2ob7ob11o$7bo6b7o2b8o$7bo6b4ob
10o3bo$15bo4bo2b5o$15bo4bo4bo3bo$25bo!

Code: Select all

x = 37, y = 28, rule = B3/S0145678
20bo$13bobob2o$5bobo2bobo3b4o$8bo2b3ob5o8bo$5bob4ob7o6bo2bo$2b2o2b4ob
9o2bo4b3o3bo$5ob6ob7o2bo2bob5o$2b2ob15ob3o2b7o3bo$2b4ob10ob5ob7ob3o$3b
5obob8o2b8ob6o$2b6ob2ob9ob5ob8o$bob23ob8o$3b6ob15ob7o2bo$3b8ob2ob17obo
$b3obob11ob13o$3b26obobo$4b18ob8o$3bob13ob12o$b21ob10o$3b7ob8ob3o2b5ob
4o$3b9ob4o2b4ob9o$4b15ob3ob8o$2bo3b3ob2ob7ob11o$7bo6b7o2b8o$7bo6b4ob
10o3bo$15bo4bo2b5o$15bo4bo4bo3bo$25bo!
(This pattern was constructed by running a small pattern in the OCA rule for 200 generations, and then stabilizing the edges. The result is an Instant Death pattern in CGoL)

EDIT: I should add that the procedure holds for any pair of rules with inverted survival conditions, and thus works backwards between that pair.
Last edited by rabbit on August 22nd, 2026, 9:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Instant deaths 2

Post by SomeRandomGuy15 »

If you haven't, read first post first.

EDIT by dvgrn: this was started as a new thread on what seemed to be the same topic. I ventured to merge it back into the previous thread, on the grounds that this isn't really a new or unfamiliar subject (see, e.g., instant-death Gardens of Eden or even another thread called "Instant death" from a decade ago). General preference around here seems to be not to start a new thread until there's a clear new topic, that it makes sense to organize separately from the contents of existing threads.

Ninja Star has a X-pentomino shaped hole in its middle which could be filled to make another instant death, so there are 32 variants of Ninja star, including rotated ones.
This which I call "UFO" ;

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#C [[ ZOOM 16 GRID COLOR GRID 192 192 192 GRIDMAJOR 10 COLOR GRIDMAJOR 128 128 128 COLOR DEADRAMP 255 220 192 COLOR ALIVE 0 0 0 COLOR ALIVERAMP 0 0 0 COLOR DEAD 192 220 255 COLOR BACKGROUND 255 255 255 GPS 10 WIDTH 937 HEIGHT 600 ]]
x = 6, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
2b2o$6o$2b2o!
8than888 pointed out this instant death ;

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x = 5, y = 5, rule = B3/S23
2bo$2bo$5o$2bo$2bo!
And you can attach UFO to it to make 5 more variants ;

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#C [[ ZOOM 16 GRID COLOR GRID 192 192 192 GRIDMAJOR 10 COLOR GRIDMAJOR 128 128 128 COLOR DEADRAMP 255 220 192 COLOR ALIVE 0 0 0 COLOR ALIVERAMP 0 0 0 COLOR DEAD 192 220 255 COLOR BACKGROUND 255 255 255 GPS 10 WIDTH 937 HEIGHT 600 ]]
x = 75, y = 13, rule = B3/S23
2bo13bo14bo15bo20bo$2bo13bo14bo15bo20bo$b3o11b3o12b3o13b3o18b3o$b3o11b
3o12b3o13b3o18b3o$2bo13bo14bo15bo20bo$2bo13bo14bo2b2o11bo2b2o12b2o2bo
2b2o$5o9b5o10b9o7b9o8b13o$2bo13bo14bo2b2o11bo2b2o12b2o2bo2b2o$2bo13bo
14bo15bo20bo$15b3o28b3o18b3o$15b3o28b3o18b3o$16bo30bo20bo$16bo30bo20b
o!
Two instant death variants ;

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#C [[ ZOOM 16 GRID COLOR GRID 192 192 192 GRIDMAJOR 10 COLOR GRIDMAJOR 128 128 128 COLOR DEADRAMP 255 220 192 COLOR ALIVE 0 0 0 COLOR ALIVERAMP 0 0 0 COLOR DEAD 192 220 255 COLOR BACKGROUND 255 255 255 GPS 10 WIDTH 937 HEIGHT 600 ]]
x = 21, y = 7, rule = B3/S23
3bo13bo$3bo13bo$2b3o11b3o$3ob3o7b7o$2b3o11b3o$3bo13bo$3bo13bo!
UFO's can be attached to each other ;

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#C [[ ZOOM 16 GRID COLOR GRID 192 192 192 GRIDMAJOR 10 COLOR GRIDMAJOR 128 128 128 COLOR DEADRAMP 255 220 192 COLOR ALIVE 0 0 0 COLOR ALIVERAMP 0 0 0 COLOR DEAD 192 220 255 COLOR BACKGROUND 255 255 255 GPS 10 WIDTH 937 HEIGHT 600 ]]
x = 10, y = 3, rule = B3/S23
2b2o2b2o$10o$2b2o2b2o!
UFO's and smaller variants can be attached with some dots ;

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#C [[ ZOOM 16 GRID COLOR GRID 192 192 192 GRIDMAJOR 10 COLOR GRIDMAJOR 128 128 128 COLOR DEADRAMP 255 220 192 COLOR ALIVE 0 0 0 COLOR ALIVERAMP 0 0 0 COLOR DEAD 192 220 255 COLOR BACKGROUND 255 255 255 GPS 10 WIDTH 937 HEIGHT 600 ]]
x = 15, y = 10, rule = B3/S23
9bo$11b2obo$7bo2b4o$9bob2o$8b3o3bo$8b3o$2b2o2b2obo$9o2bo$2b2o2b2o$9bo
!
Most of the things here are symmetrical or made of other things being attached, here are some asymmetrical & unique ones ;

P-bush ;

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#C [[ ZOOM 16 GRID COLOR GRID 192 192 192 GRIDMAJOR 10 COLOR GRIDMAJOR 128 128 128 COLOR DEADRAMP 255 220 192 COLOR ALIVE 0 0 0 COLOR ALIVERAMP 0 0 0 COLOR DEAD 192 220 255 COLOR BACKGROUND 255 255 255 GPS 10 WIDTH 937 HEIGHT 600 ]]
x = 7, y = 12, rule = B3/S23
4bobo$2bo$2bobobo$b3o$ob4o$2b2o$ob2o$2bo$b2o$b4o$2bo$o2bobo!
Z-Bush ;

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#C [[ ZOOM 16 GRID COLOR GRID 192 192 192 GRIDMAJOR 10 COLOR GRIDMAJOR 128 128 128 COLOR DEADRAMP 255 220 192 COLOR ALIVE 0 0 0 COLOR ALIVERAMP 0 0 0 COLOR DEAD 192 220 255 COLOR BACKGROUND 255 255 255 GPS 10 WIDTH 937 HEIGHT 600 ]]
x = 9, y = 11, rule = B3/S23
obo$3bobo$b4o$3b2obo$4b2o$4b2obo$5bo$3bob2o$3bob4o$6bo$3bobo!
Try findin' new instant deaths!
By the way, you can call instant deaths " ind's "
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Re: Instant deaths

Post by speedydelete »

rabbit wrote: August 22nd, 2026, 4:13 pm It's worth noting that the set of patterns that die out on generation 1 in B3/S23 is also the set of patterns that are still lifes in the OCA rule B3/S0145678:
Note that said OCA rule also has oscillators and spaceships (spaceship found by RLS, only took about a minute of searching, maybe I should've checked GliderDB...):

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x = 36, y = 13, rule = B3/S0145678
3bo2bo2bo2bo$3bo2bo2bo2bo21bo$2b12o10bo$16o19bo$2b12o10b2o7b2o$2b3ob8o
9bo2bo2b3o$5obob2ob5o8bo3b5obo$2b3obo2bo2b2o12bo2b3o$2b4obo2b4o10b2o7b
2o$16o8bo10bo$2b12o$3bo2bo2bo2bo21bo$3bo2bo2bo2bo!
However, these don't appear to correspond to B3/S23 patterns at first glance...

Code: Select all

x = 36, y = 13, rule = B3/S23
3bo2bo2bo2bo$3bo2bo2bo2bo21bo$2b12o10bo$16o19bo$2b12o10b2o7b2o$2b3ob8o
9bo2bo2b3o$5obob2ob5o8bo3b5obo$2b3obo2bo2b2o12bo2b3o$2b4obo2b4o10b2o7b
2o$16o8bo10bo$2b12o$3bo2bo2bo2bo21bo$3bo2bo2bo2bo!
Additionally, are there connections to B01245678/S23? (B01245678/S0145678 is just the black-white reversal, and is generally emulated as B3/S23).
I manage the 5S project, which collects all known spaceship speeds in certain rulespaces.
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Re: Instant deaths

Post by yyh_baboon »

speedydelete wrote: August 22nd, 2026, 9:03 pm
rabbit wrote: August 22nd, 2026, 4:13 pm It's worth noting that the set of patterns that die out on generation 1 in B3/S23 is also the set of patterns that are still lifes in the OCA rule B3/S0145678:
Note that said OCA rule also has oscillators and spaceships (spaceship found by RLS, only took about a minute of searching, maybe I should've checked GliderDB...):

Code: Select all

x = 36, y = 13, rule = B3/S0145678
3bo2bo2bo2bo$3bo2bo2bo2bo21bo$2b12o10bo$16o19bo$2b12o10b2o7b2o$2b3ob8o
9bo2bo2b3o$5obob2ob5o8bo3b5obo$2b3obo2bo2b2o12bo2b3o$2b4obo2b4o10b2o7b
2o$16o8bo10bo$2b12o$3bo2bo2bo2bo21bo$3bo2bo2bo2bo!
However, these don't appear to correspond to B3/S23 patterns at first glance...

Code: Select all

x = 36, y = 13, rule = B3/S23
3bo2bo2bo2bo$3bo2bo2bo2bo21bo$2b12o10bo$16o19bo$2b12o10b2o7b2o$2b3ob8o
9bo2bo2b3o$5obob2ob5o8bo3b5obo$2b3obo2bo2b2o12bo2b3o$2b4obo2b4o10b2o7b
2o$16o8bo10bo$2b12o$3bo2bo2bo2bo21bo$3bo2bo2bo2bo!
Additionally, are there connections to B01245678/S23? (B01245678/S0145678 is just the black-white reversal, and is generally emulated as B3/S23).
the connection of the oscillator is pretty easy— the cells left alive after gen 1 in Life is exactly the dead cells in the OCA rule.
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Wondering when the P38 gun will be constructed.
Currently hand-searching spaceships.ÔvÔ

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 x = 4, y = 4, rule = B3aeiq4tz5j6i7e8/S2-ci3-aeky4cei5ain6acin78
3o$o2bo$3bo$b3o!
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Re: Instant deaths

Post by Antonin Duda »

SomeRandomGuy15 wrote: August 22nd, 2026, 8:17 am I call this instant death "Ninja Star"

Code: Select all

x = 11, y = 11, rule = B3/S23
5bo$5bo$4b3o$4b3o$2b3ob3o$4o3b4o$2b3ob3o$4b3o$4b3o$5bo$5bo!
A window-shaped pattern evolves into the ninja star, a fact that I discovered a really long time ago...
(even before COVID)

Code: Select all

x = 5, y = 5, rule = B3/S23
5o$obobo$5o$obobo$5o!
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Re: Instant deaths

Post by SomeRandomGuy15 »

Oh, I found ninja star the same way, except I tried same pattern without the cell in the middle.
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Re: Instant deaths

Post by SomeRandomGuy15 »

I call this instant death, Ninja star2 ;

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x = 13, y = 13, rule = B3/S23
7bo$7bo$6b3o$4b5o$2b5ob2o$4o4b2o$2b3o3b3o$3b2o4b4o$3b2ob5o$4b5o$4b3o$
5bo$5bo!
Some of it's variants ;

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x = 45, y = 29, rule = B3/S23
7bo15bo15bo$7bo15bo15bo$6b3o13b3o13b3o$4b5o11b5o11b5o$2b5ob2o8b5ob2o8b
8o$4o4b2o6b4o2bob2o6b5o3b2o$2b3o3b3o7b4ob4o7b3obob3o$3b2o4b4o6b2obo2b
4o6b2o3b5o$3b2ob5o8b2ob5o8b8o$4b5o11b5o11b5o$4b3o13b3o13b3o$5bo15bo15b
o$5bo15bo15bo4$7bo15bo15bo$7bo15bo15bo$6b3o13b3o13b3o$4b5o11b5o11b5o$
2b5ob2o8b8o8b8o$4o2bob2o6b10o6b5obob2o$2b9o7b9o7b3o2b4o$3b2obo2b4o6b10o
6b10o$3b2ob5o8b8o8b8o$4b5o11b5o11b5o$4b3o13b3o13b3o$5bo15bo15bo$5bo15b
o15bo!
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SomeRandomGuy15
Posts: 21
Joined: August 13th, 2026, 2:42 am
Location: Somewhere in the universe,

Re: Instant deaths

Post by SomeRandomGuy15 »

Code: Select all

x = 16, y = 16, rule = B3/S23
bobo2bo2bo$4bo4bo5bo$2b4o2b3o2bo$4b7o2bobo$5b6ob3o$2b4o4b4o$5o2b2o2b2o
2bo$2b3ob4ob2o$3b2ob4ob3o$o2b2o2b2o2b5o$2b4o4b4o$b3ob6o$obo2b7o$2bo2b
3o2b4o$o5bo4bo$6bo2bo2bobo!
I call this, gear.
WhiteHawk
Posts: 1358
Joined: July 10th, 2024, 5:34 pm

Re: Instant deaths

Post by WhiteHawk »

SomeRandomGuy15 wrote: September 2nd, 2026, 7:02 am I call this instant death, Ninja star2 ; Some of it's variants ;
SomeRandomGuy15 wrote: September 2nd, 2026, 7:14 am I call this, gear.
Forum rule 3A: Do not post multiple messages consecutively in the same thread without a good reason. If you made the most recent post on a thread and you have something short to add on the same topic, please edit your previous post instead of making a new one.

Also, I don't think any of these patterns need names (no one is ever going to use them, and they end up just being clutter), especially there are an infinite number of the "Instant Diehards" which also have no significant use beyond possibly being Garden of Eden status, which again have infinite numbers in GOL
Currently working to improve Life's guns and work on updating SKOPs and Isotropic rules most similar to B3/S23 to Life standards. Will get software to begin searches eventually.

Pseudastur albicollis
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rabbit
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Re: Instant deaths

Post by rabbit »

WhiteHawk wrote: September 2nd, 2026, 10:07 am Also, I don't think any of these patterns need names (no one is ever going to use them, and they end up just being clutter), especially there are an infinite number of the "Instant Diehards" which also have no significant use beyond possibly being Garden of Eden status, which again have infinite numbers in GOL
I think it's worth expanding upon this. While it can be very enjoyable to come up with names for lots of patterns, it should be avoided in most cases as there's only so many names to go around, and if someone wants to use a name like "UFO" to describe a highly adaptable and specialized pattern in the future, like a spaceship of a new velocity, they might have to opt for a different name. That's also why plenty of important patterns go unnamed, like period-39 glider gun.

-

On that note it's kind of hard to do anything further with this class of patterns besides extend them or try to exhaustively list them for low cell counts like still lifes. Although, it would be pretty cool to see an edgy sparker that produces a plus (2bo$2bo$5o$2bo$2bo!), probably by glider synthesis. That might be a tall order, though, since the predecessors I found by hand tend to look quite instant-deathy themselves:

Code: Select all

x = 9, y = 6, rule = B3/S23
3b3o$bo5bo$2bo3bo$b7o$obo2b2obo$3bo!
Maybe we could opt for that 5x5 "window" predecessor of a 36-cell instant death pattern (a die-easy?) instead.

EDIT: Here's proof that there is at least one non-trivial instant death pattern for every cell count >= 9:

Code: Select all

x = 68, y = 25, rule = B3/S23
6bo10bo10bo11bo11bo11bo$6bo10bo10bo11bo11bo11bo$4b5o6b4o7b4o8b4o8b4obo
6b4o$6bo10bobo8bobo9b4o8b3o9b2o$6bo10bo10bo12bo11bo10b4o$19bo10bo9bo
11bo2bo9bo$31bo33bo3$4bobo8bobo8bobo9bobo9bobo9bobo$4bobo8bobo8bobo9bo
bo9bobo9bobo$2b7o4b6o5b6o6b6o6b6obo4b6o$4bobo8bobobo6bobobo7bob4o6bob
3o7bob2o$4bobo8bobo8bobo9bo2bo8bo2bo8bob4o$19bo10bo9bo11bo2bo9bo$31bo
33bo3$2bobobo6bobobo6bobobo7bobobo7bobobo7bobobo$2bobobo6bobobo6bobobo
7bobobo7bobobo7bobobo$9o2b8o3b8o4b8o4b8obo2b8o$2bobobo6bobobobo4bobobo
bo5bobob4o4bobob3o5bobob2o$2bobobo6bobobo6bobobo7bobo2bo6bobo2bo6bobob
4o$19bo10bo9bo11bo2bo9bo$31bo33bo!
Each extension of the pattern adds 6 cells, and the extension can be applied infinitely many times. Some patterns contain isolated islands of 1 or 2 cells, but all of them cause the pattern to fail when separated.
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8than888
Posts: 36
Joined: June 10th, 2026, 11:41 am

Re: Instant deaths

Post by 8than888 »

A phoenix is a pattern where every live cell dies in every generation, which also means they're composed of Instant Deaths.

(Source: LifeWiki)

Code: Select all

x = 58, y = 95, rule = B3/S23
3bo$3bobo$bo5bo$7bobo9bo7bo$2o15bobo5bobo$10b2o9bobo5bo$2bo12b2o6bo$10b
o18b2o$2b2o12bo$8bobo17bo$4bobo10b2o$6bo3bobo14b2o$14bobo2bobo$10bo3b
o6bo7bo$8bobo12bo$29b2o$6b2o3b2o10b2o$28bo$6bo5bo9bo$4bo15bobo4b2o$2b
obo8b2o$18b2o3b2o4bo$2o11bo$18bo4bo5b2o$bo9b2o$3bo12b2o3b2o5bo$3bobo6b
o$7bo9bo3bo5b2o$7bobo2bobo4bo$19bo6bo$10b2o2bob2o$25b2o$12bobobo$24bo
$14bo$23b2o$15b2o$22bo$16bo$21b2o$17b2o$23bo$18bo$20bobob2o$20bo$26b2o
2$28b2o2$30b2o$37bo$32b2obobo$39bo$34bo$39b2o$35b2o$41bo$35bo$41b2o$33b
2o$43bo$33bo$41bobobo$31b2o$40b2obo2b2o$31bo6bo$38bo4bobo2bobo$29b2o5b
o3bo9bo$45bo6bobo$29bo5b2o3b2o12bo$45b2o9bo$27b2o5bo4bo$44bo11b2o$28b
o4b2o3b2o$43b2o8bobo$29b2o4bobo15bo$35bo9bo5bo$29bo$33b2o10b2o3b2o$27b
2o$34bo12bobo$28bo7bo6bo3bo$36bobo2bobo$29b2o14bobo3bo$39b2o10bobo$29b
o17bobo$41bo12b2o$27b2o18bo$34bo6b2o12bo$28bo5bobo9b2o$30bobo5bobo15b
2o$30bo7bo9bobo$50bo5bo$52bobo$54bo!
But the phoenixes I've seen are made of only dots and dominoes (though I haven't seen or don't remember seeing ones with duoplets). Is there a way to make a phoenix with the 5x5 plus shape, or the “UFO”?
period 2 expert
hotdogPi
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Re: Instant deaths

Post by hotdogPi »

It was proven fairly recently that all finite phoenixes have period 2, so no.
User:HotdogPi/My discoveries

Periods discovered:

All evens ≤128 except 52,58,78,82,92,94,98,104,118,122

5-15,㉕-㉛,㉟㊺,51,63,65,73,75
1㊳㊵㊹㊼㊽,54,56,72,74,80,90,92
217,240,300,486,576

Guns: 20,21,32,54,55,57,114,117,124,126
SKOPs: 32,74,76,102,196
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rabbit
Posts: 242
Joined: March 4th, 2024, 6:00 am
Location: Stuck inside a magician's hat. it hurts so bad

Re: Instant deaths

Post by rabbit »

8than888 wrote: September 2nd, 2026, 10:09 pm Is there a way to make a phoenix with the 5x5 plus shape, or the “UFO”?
Apparently not. The cp4space post outlining the finite p3+ phoenix disproof contains a section concerning this:
apg wrote: [...] The next thing that we do is determine the set of possible 3 × 3 neighbourhoods that can occur at some generation in a finite phoenix: we find that of the 512 possible neighbourhoods (102 up to symmetry), only 99 of these (22 up to symmetry) can occur; they were originally tabulated by forum user wwei23 here. (Apparently wwei23 was able to establish this for all phoenices, finite or infinite, with the sole exception of the Venetian blinds agar.)
The table in the linked wiki article suggests that any arrangement where a live cell has two or more live neighbours cannot be a part of a phoenix.
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