Line 234:
Line 234: x = 12, y = 10, rule = B3/S23
x = 12, y = 10, rule = B3/S23
11bo$2b2o5b3o$2b2o4bo$8b2o3$7b2o$b3o3b2o$bobo$bobo!
11bo$2b2o5b3o$2b2o4bo$8b2o3$7b2o$b3o3b2o$bobo$bobo!
[[ GRID THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 ]]}}</center>
[[ GRID THUMBNAIL THEME 6 THUMBSIZE 2 ]]}}</center>
This trick can be used whenever the catalyst produces extra junk that would destroy the block.
This trick can be used whenever the catalyst produces extra junk that would destroy the block.
Line 250:
Line 250: x = 9, y = 10, rule = B3/S23
x = 9, y = 10, rule = B3/S23
5bo$6bo$4b3o2$2o$2o3bo$4bobo$5bobo$7bo$7b2o!
5bo$6bo$4b3o2$2o$2o3bo$4bobo$5bobo$7bo$7b2o!
[[ GRID THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 ]]}}</center>
[[ GRID THUMBNAIL THEME 6 THUMBSIZE 2 ]]}}</center>
And yes, we've just rediscovered the [[eater 5]].
And yes, we've just rediscovered the [[eater 5]].
Line 258:
Line 258: x = 8, y = 4, rule = B3/S23
x = 8, y = 4, rule = B3/S23
6bo$3o2bobo$obo3b2o$obo!
6bo$3o2bobo$obo3b2o$obo!
[[ GRID THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 ]]}}</center>
[[ GRID THUMBNAIL THEME 6 THUMBSIZE 2 ]]}}</center>
In this case, the boat can be replaced by this (often called the "gourmet catalyst" due to its use in [[gourmet]]):
In this case, the boat can be replaced by this (often called the "gourmet catalyst" due to its use in [[gourmet]]):
Line 264:
Line 264: x = 10, y = 10, rule = B3/S23
x = 10, y = 10, rule = B3/S23
8b2o$7bobo$7bo$6b2o2$6b2o$3o2bobo$obo3bo$obo4b3o$9bo!
8b2o$7bobo$7bo$6b2o2$6b2o$3o2bobo$obo3bo$obo4b3o$9bo!
[[ GRID THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 ]]}}</center>
[[ GRID THUMBNAIL THEME 6 THUMBSIZE 2 ]]}}</center>
Note that this doesn't always work, since it requires a spark to recover properly.
Note that this doesn't always work, since it requires a spark to recover properly.
Line 275:
Line 275: 7bo26bo$2o4bo20b2o4bo$bo4b3o8bo10bo4b3o$o18bo5b3o$2o23bo$3b2o6bobobob
7bo26bo$2o4bo20b2o4bo$bo4b3o8bo10bo4b3o$o18bo5b3o$2o23bo$3b2o6bobobob
obobo8b2o$4bo26bo$b3o15bo8b3o$bo15bo10bo!
obobo8b2o$4bo26bo$b3o15bo8b3o$bo15bo10bo!
[[ GRID THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 ]]}}</center>
[[ GRID THEME 6 THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 ]]}}</center>
==Using sparkers==
==Using sparkers==
Constructing...
Constructing...
(Constructing a simpler, more user friendly version of Tutorials/Catalyses )
A catalyst is a stable object (usually a still life ) which can interact with an active region and later return to its original state. Catalysts are very useful in conduits and in many other applications. Here is an example of a stable catalyst:
x=11, y = 10, rule = LifeHistory
2.C$2.C$.2C6.2A$4.2A.A2.A$3.A.A.3A$A2.A.A$4A.3A$4.A3.A$2.A.A2.2A$2.2A
!
[[ GRID THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 ]]
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The green still life interacts with the white object, and recovers to its original state by generation 15. In this tutorial, you'll learn the main types of catalyses and their applications. But first, we need to cover some important definitions:
Important terms
Stable catalyst : a catalyst which is a still life. Most catalyses are of this form.Periodic catalyst : a catalyst which is an oscillator . These are generally considered inferior to stable catalyses because they usually only work in a fraction of the generations as a stable catalyst, since they usually only work in one phase of the periodic catalyse.Recovery time : the time it takes for a catalyst to return back to its state before interacting. In the example above, the recovery time is 15.Replacement catalyst : When a common catalyst fails, another, less common, catalyst must be used.Rock : A catalyst which does not change at all, even temporarily, during the interaction process. The snake-type catalyses below are examples of rocks.Let's explore the different types of catalysts now!
Types of catalyses
Here are some examples of fishhook catalyses:
x=28, y = 7, rule = LifeHIstory
2.A8.2A7.A.A$A.C8.AC9.C$.AC8.AC7.2AC$4.2A8.2A8.2A$4.A.A7.A.A7.A.A$6.A
9.A9.A$6.2A8.2A8.2A!
[[ GRID THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 ]]
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The marked white cells should always be on in a fishhook-type catalyst. Sometimes, the fishhook may engage in a more unusual manner, but these are rarer:
x=22, y = 6, rule = B3/S23
2o3b2o8b2o$3ob2o8b2o$4bo3b2o4bo3b2o$8bobo7bobo$10bo9bo$10b2o8b2o!
[[ THEME 6 GRID THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 ]]
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Recognizing when to use a fishhook catalysis is really a matter of experience. For practice, try placing an eater 1 somewhere within this blue field to eat the middleweight spaceship (click on the thumbnail below to draw cells in LifeViewer using the pencil icon):
x=18, y = 9, rule = LifeHistory
.5A$A4.A$5.A4.8B$A3.A5.8B$2.A7.8B$10.8B$10.8B$10.8B$10.8B!
[[ GRID THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 WIDTH 800 HEIGHT 600 ]]
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Block
Here are some examples of block catalyses:
x=18, y = 8, rule = LifeHistory
16.A$.A14.A$A.A5.3A6.A$A.A5.3A3.A.A$.C7.C5.C2$.2A5.2A4.2A$.2A5.2A4.2A
!
[[ GRID THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 ]]
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Block catalyses typically occur when there is a one cell leading edge of a pattern, shown in white above.
They are usually much easier to recognize than fishhook-type catalyses, however they may sometimes fail:
x=12, y = 6, rule = B3/S23
10b2o$ob2o5b2o$bo7bo2$b2o6b2o$b2o6b2o!
[[ THEME 6 GRID THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 ]]
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Moving the block over by one often fixes this problem:
x=12, y = 6, rule = B3/S23
10b2o$ob2o5b2o$bo7bo2$2o6b2o$2o6b2o!
[[ THEME 6 GRID THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 ]]
Please enable Javascript to view this LifeViewer.
As practice, try to eat this bun with a block placed in the blue region:
x=12, y = 6, rule = LifeHistory
6B$6B$6B2.3A$6B2.A2.A$6B3.2A$6B!
[[ GRID THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 WIDTH 800 HEIGHT 600 ]]
Please enable Javascript to view this LifeViewer.
Boat
Boat catalyses are rarer, but are still useful. Here are two examples:
x=23, y = 10, rule = LifeHistory
17.A$17.2A$2.A13.2A$.A.A$A2.2A$.2C17.2D2$2.A18.A$.A.A16.A.A$.2A17.2A!
[[ GRID THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 ]]
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They typically occur when there is a two cell leading edge, which is marked. Boat catalyses fail very often, so see the "Replacement catalysts" section below for potential replacement catalysts.
Snake
Snake catalyses are examples of rocks, or catalysts which do not change even temporarily when interacting with an object. They must function this way due to the fact that the two cells in the center would die from overpopulation due to already having three live neighbors.
Three example snake catalysts are shown below. The white cells should always be on to trigger the important next generation, where the snake functions as a rock:
x=24, y = 9, rule = LifeHistory
15.A6.A$4.A8.2A8.A$2A.2A6.2A7.A.2A$.C9.C9.C2$2.2A8.2A8.2A$3.A9.A9.A$
2.A9.A9.A$2.2A8.2A8.2A!
[[ GRID THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 ]]
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Conduit 1 is an example of a conduit using a snake catalyst. Try to catalyze the reaction below with a snake in the blue field (as a hint, the cell which should trigger the rock interaction is marked):
x=15, y = 7, rule = LifeHistory
7B$7B4.2A.A$7B5.3A$7B6.A$7BD$7B4.2A$7B4.2A!
[[ GRID THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 WIDTH 800 HEIGHT 600 ]]
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Replacement catalyses
So, you've tried to catalyze a reaction, but the common catalyst fails! Luckily for you, this is not a complete disaster, since many replacement catalysts exist exactly to assist you when your fishhook or block doesn't just work out.
Fishhook replacements
The most common way for a fishhook to fail is something like this:
x=8, y = 8, rule = B3/S23
o$o2bo$b3o2$4b2o$4bobo$6bo$6b2o!
[[ THEME 6 GRID THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 ]]
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Luckily, this is also the easiest to fix. Simply flip the eater 1 around and it works!
x=32, y = 9, rule = B3/S23
o15bo$o2bo20bo$b3o14bo5bo2bo$25b3o$4b2o4bobobobobobo$4bobo21b2o$6bo11b
o9bo$6b2o21b3o$16bo14bo!
[[ THEME 6 GRID THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 ]]
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This was a bit cheating, however. Sometimes, we need a genuinely new catalyst. Here are two almost-catalyses where the fishhook almost recovers, but an extra spark destroys it or an extra cell gets attached to its recovering phase:
x=20, y = 8, rule = B3/S23
12bo$o10bobo$b2o10b2o$2o12bo$4b2o7bo2b2o$4bobo9bobo$6bo11bo$6b2o10b2o!
[[ THEME 6 GRID THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 ]]
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The most common replacement catalyst for a fishhook is the handy eater 2 . An eater 2 recovers differently from an eater 1, making it more versatile. It can handle both of our problems:
x=23, y = 11, rule = B3/S23
12bo$o10bobo$b2o10b2o$2o12bo$4b2obo5bo2b2obo$4b2ob3o6b2ob3o$10bo11bo$
4b2ob3o6b2ob3o$5bobo9bobo$5bobo9bobo$6bo11bo!
[[ THEME 6 GRID THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 ]]
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There are many, many more cases in which neither an eater 1 nor an eater 2 works. This guide, courtesy of Entity Valkyrie, addresses many of these:
x=975, y = 63, rule = EV2QuadColor
99.3F.3F.3F61.3F.3F.3F61.3F.3F.3F61.3F.3F.3F61.3F.3F.3F61.3F.3F.3F61.
3F.3F.3F61.3F.3F.3F61.3F.3F.3F61.3F.3F.3F61.3F.3F.3F61.3F.3F.3F61.3F.
3F.3F$27.3F.3F.3F61.F3.F3.F.F61.F3.F3.F.F61.F3.F3.F.F61.F3.F3.F.F61.F
3.F3.F.F61.F3.F3.F.F61.F3.F3.F.F61.F3.F3.F.F61.F3.F3.F.F61.F3.F3.F.F
61.F3.F3.F.F61.F3.F3.F.F61.F3.F3.F.F$27.F3.F3.F.F61.F3.2F2.F.F61.F3.
2F2.F.F61.F3.2F2.F.F61.F3.2F2.F.F61.F3.2F2.F.F61.F3.2F2.F.F61.F3.2F2.
F.F61.F3.2F2.F.F61.F3.2F2.F.F61.F3.2F2.F.F61.F3.2F2.F.F61.F3.2F2.F.F
61.F3.2F2.F.F$27.F3.2F2.F.F61.F.F.F3.F.F61.F.F.F3.F.F61.F.F.F3.F.F61.
F.F.F3.F.F61.F.F.F3.F.F61.F.F.F3.F.F61.F.F.F3.F.F61.F.F.F3.F.F61.F.F.
F3.F.F61.F.F.F3.F.F61.F.F.F3.F.F61.F.F.F3.F.F61.F.F.F3.F.F$27.F.F.F3.
F.F61.3F.3F.F.F61.3F.3F.F.F61.3F.3F.F.F61.3F.3F.F.F61.3F.3F.F.F61.3F.
3F.F.F61.3F.3F.F.F61.3F.3F.F.F61.3F.3F.F.F61.3F.3F.F.F61.3F.3F.F.F61.
3F.3F.F.F61.3F.3F.F.F$27.3F.3F.F.F$103.3F69.3F69.3F69.3F69.3F69.3F69.
F.F69.3F69.3F69.3F69.F.F69.F.F69.F.F$31.3F71.F71.F71.F69.F73.F71.F69.
F.F71.F69.F73.F69.F.F69.F.F69.F.F$33.F69.3F69.3F71.F69.3F69.3F69.3F
69.3F69.3F69.3F69.3F69.3F69.3F69.3F$31.3F69.F71.F73.F71.F71.F71.F71.F
69.F73.F69.F73.F71.F71.F$31.F71.3F69.3F71.F69.3F69.3F69.3F71.F69.3F
69.3F69.3F71.F71.F71.F$31.3F2$864.2D$D504.D.D26.A112.D73.D142.3D$.3D
70.D70.D68.D5.D67.D146.D71.D25.A2.A41.D69.D70.D.D71.2D70.D.2D$3.D16.H
54.D16.H51.D.D17.H48.2D2.4D15.H51.3D17.H71.H54.D16.H10.A40.D2.D16.H9.
3A41.D17.H51.D19.H51.D.D17.H54.D16.H51.2D.2D15.H49.D21.H$3.D16.2H10.A
42.D16.2H50.D.2D16.2H47.D2.D2.D16.2H50.4D16.2H53.D16.2H51.D.D16.2H8.
2A42.2D16.2H9.A43.D16.2H51.D.D16.2H9.A42.2D16.2H53.D16.2H48.D4.D16.2H
9.A38.D3.2D16.2H8.A$3.D12.7H50.3D12.7H6.A45.D12.7H50.3D12.7H48.2D2.D
12.7H9.A37.2D3.D12.7H51.2D12.7H51.2D12.7H51.2D12.7H50.3D12.7H7.A42.D.
D12.7H7.A42.D.D12.7H49.D2.D12.7H48.D3.D12.7H8.A$5.2E9.8H7.AFE43.2E9.
8H5.A2.FE40.D2.2E9.8H6.A.FE43.2E9.8H8.2E39.2D2.2E9.8H8.2E38.3D2.2E9.
8H8.FE43.2E9.8H8.2E43.2E9.8H8.2E39.2D2.2E9.8H8.2E43.2E9.8H6.A.FE43.2E
9.8H6.A.FE43.2E9.8H8.FE38.3D2.2E9.8H8.2E38.3D2.2E9.8H8.2E$5.E.E8.7H8.
AE.E42.E.E8.7H8.AE.E42.E.E8.7H8.AE.E42.E.E8.7H9.E.E42.E.E8.7H9.E.E42.
E.E8.7H9.E.E42.E.E8.7H9.E.E42.E.E8.7H9.E.E42.E.E8.7H9.E.E42.E.E8.7H8.
AE.E42.E.E8.7H8.AE.E42.E.E8.7H7.A.E.E42.E.E8.7H7.A.E.E42.E.E8.7H7.A.E
.E$7.E12.2H12.E44.E12.2H12.E44.E12.2H12.E44.E12.2H10.A.E44.E12.2H12.E
44.E12.2H12.E44.E12.2H12.E44.E12.2H12.E38.D5.E12.2H12.E44.E12.2H12.E
44.E12.2H12.E44.E12.2H9.A2.E34.2D8.E12.2H12.E44.E12.2H12.E$7.2E11.H
13.2E43.2E11.H13.2E43.2E11.H13.2E43.2E11.H13.2E43.2E11.H13.2E43.2E11.
H13.2E43.2E11.H13.2E43.2E11.H13.2E43.2E11.H13.2E43.2E11.H13.2E43.2E
11.H13.2E43.2E11.H13.2E34.D8.2E11.H13.2E43.2E11.H13.2E9$367.2E25.2E
468.2D$D366.E.E24.E.E108.D.D139.D73.D142.3D$.3D70.D70.D68.D5.D67.D80.
E26.E38.D71.D70.D69.D70.D.D71.2D4.2E25.2E37.D.2D$3.D16.J54.D16.J51.D.
D17.J48.2D2.4D15.J51.3D17.J59.2E.2E7.J14.2E.2E35.D16.H10.A40.D2.D16.J
53.D17.H51.D19.H51.D.D17.H54.D4.E11.J14.E36.2D.2D65.D21.H$3.D16.2J10.
A42.D16.2J50.D.2D16.2J47.D2.D2.D16.2J50.4D16.2J53.D5.E.E8.2J14.E.E34.
D.D16.2H8.2A42.2D3.E12.2J12.E40.D16.2H51.D.D16.2H52.2D16.2H53.D4.E.2E
8.2J13.E.2E31.D4.D27.A38.D3.2D16.2H8.A$3.D12.7J50.3D3.2E7.7J6.A4.2E
39.D12.7J50.3D12.7J48.2D2.D12.7J9.A37.2D3.D2.3E2.E4.7J10.F2E2.E35.2D
12.7H51.2D2.E.E7.7J10.E.E38.2D3.2E7.7H9.A.2E37.3D3.2E7.7H11.2E37.D.D
12.7H7.A42.D.D2.3E2.E4.7J10.EFE2.E33.D2.D4.2E25.2E34.D3.D12.7H8.A$5.
2E9.8J7.AFE43.E2.E7.8J5.A2.F2.E38.D2.2E.E7.8J6.A.FE.E41.2E9.8J8.FE39.
2D2.2E9.8J8.FE38.3D2.E3.2E5.8J8.F3.2E39.2E.E7.8H8.EF.E41.E2.E7.8J8.F.
AE37.2D2.E2.E7.8H8.F2.E41.E2.E7.8H7.AF2.E41.2E.E7.8H6.A.FE.E41.E3.2E
5.8J8.F3.2E34.3D2.2E2.E22.2E2.E35.3D2.2E.E7.8H8.2F.E$5.E2.E7.7J8.AF2.
E41.3E8.7J8.4E42.2E.3E5.7J8.AFE.3E39.E.E.2E5.7J9.E.E.2E39.E.E.2E5.7J
9.F.E.2E39.4E7.7J9.4E41.2E.3E5.7H9.EF.3E39.2E.E.2E4.7J9.2E.E.2E38.3E
8.7H9.3E42.3E8.7H7.2AF2E42.2E.3E5.7H8.AFE.3E39.4E7.7J9.F3E41.E.2E23.F
.2E41.2E.3E5.7H7.A.2EA3E$6.2E.E10.2J11.2E.E55.2J61.E8.2J16.E40.E.E10.
2J9.2A.E.E42.E.E10.2J9.2A.E.E43.E11.2J9.A3.E47.E8.2H11.A4.E39.E.E2.E
8.2J11.E.E2.E34.D18.2H70.2H9.A51.E8.2H16.E41.E11.2J13.E33.2D8.E22.A.A
.E48.E8.2H9.A.A4.E$9.E10.J15.E40.2E.E.2E8.J11.2E.E.2E38.2E.3E9.J11.2E
.3E40.2E2.E9.J11.AFE2.E40.2E2.E9.J12.2E2.E39.2E.E.E9.J11.2E.E.E39.2E.
3E9.H11.2E.3E38.E.E.2E10.J10.E.E.2E40.2E.E.2E8.H11.2E.E.2E38.2E.E.2E
8.H11.2E.E.2E38.2E.3E9.H11.2E.3E39.2E.E.E9.J11.2E.E.E32.D6.E.E24.F.E
42.2E.3E9.H11.2E.3E$9.2E25.2E40.E.2E.E21.E.2E.E39.E.E24.E.E44.2E22.A
2.2E43.2E25.2E41.E2.2E22.E2.2E40.E.E24.E.E40.2E25.2E45.E.2E.E21.E.2E.
E39.E.2E.E21.E.2E.E39.E.E24.E.E42.E2.2E22.E2.2E39.2E25.2E44.E.E24.E.E
$78.E26.E44.E.E24.E.E42.2E25.2E43.2E25.2E41.E.E24.E.E44.E.E24.E.E114.
E26.E44.E26.E44.E.E24.E.E40.E.E24.E.E116.E.E24.E.E$77.2E25.2E45.E26.E
44.E26.E44.E26.E41.2E25.2E46.E26.E114.2E25.2E43.2E25.2E45.E26.E41.2E
25.2E118.E26.E$223.E.E24.E.E42.E.E24.E.E$224.2E25.2E43.2E25.2E5$D646.
D73.D$.3D431.D142.D4.2E25.2E36.D70.D.D$3.D16.J359.J54.D5.E10.J15.E
109.D5.E11.J14.E36.D19.J51.D.D17.J193.D21.J$3.D16.2J341.D16.2J51.D.D
3.3E10.2J12.3E110.D4.E.2E8.2J13.E.2E34.D.D16.2J52.2D16.2J192.D3.2D16.
2J8.A$3.D2.2E8.7J10.2E323.2D3.D12.7J51.2D2.E9.7J10.E112.2D2.3E2.E4.7J
10.3E2.E34.3D3.2E7.7J11.2E37.D.D2.2E8.7J7.A2.2E180.D3.D12.7J8.A$5.E.E
8.8J7.AF.E325.3D2.2E9.8J8.FE43.E.E8.8J8.E.E110.2D2.E3.2E5.8J8.F3.2E
39.E2.E7.8J8.E2.E41.E.E8.8J6.A.F.E181.3D2.2E.E7.8J8.2F.E$5.E10.7J9.E
332.E.E8.7J9.E.E42.E.E8.7J9.E.E114.4E7.7J9.4E41.3E8.7J9.3E42.2E9.7J8.
A2E187.2E.3E5.7J9.2EA3E$3.E.E14.2J8.E.E334.E12.2J10.A.E39.E3.E13.2J7.
E3.E111.D6.E11.2J13.E38.E17.2J7.E51.2E9.2J14.2E189.E8.2J11.A4.E$.3E.E
.E12.J7.3E.E.E331.2E.2E.E7.J12.2E.2E.E34.4E14.J8.4E116.2E.E.E9.J11.2E
.E.E36.4E14.J8.4E41.2E5.E.E8.J8.2E5.E.E180.4E.3E9.J9.4E.3E$E5.2E19.E
5.2E327.2E2.E2.E.2E16.2E2.E2.E.2E182.E2.2E22.E2.2E39.E26.E42.E7.E18.E
7.E180.E3.2E21.E3.2E$2E25.2E332.E.E3.2E19.E.E3.2E38.2E25.2E117.E.E24.
E.E42.E26.E40.3E8.2E14.3E8.2E180.2E25.2E$361.E26.E45.2E25.2E117.2E25.
2E43.2E25.2E39.E26.E194.2E.E23.2E.E$360.2E25.2E553.E.2E23.E.2E!
[[ THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 WIDTH 1200 HEIGHT 400 ]]
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Block replacements
Blocks are very hard to replace with a totally different catalyst, since there just aren't other catalysts which do the same thing. However, sometimes we can add extra objects next to the block to make a functioning catalyst. Take this, for example:
x=9, y = 9, rule = LifeHistory
2.2A$2.2A2$5.3D2$7.2A$.3A3.2A$.A.A$.A.A!
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The catalyst almost works, but then an extra blinker, shown in red, destroys it. If only we could get rid of that blinker...
Oh, right! We can use what we just learned in this tutorial! Adding an extra fishhook suppresses the blinker and allows the catalyst to work:
x=12, y = 10, rule = B3/S23
11bo$2b2o5b3o$2b2o4bo$8b2o3$7b2o$b3o3b2o$bobo$bobo!
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This trick can be used whenever the catalyst produces extra junk that would destroy the block.
Boat replacements
Boats are likely the catalysts which most often need a replacement. Here is one boat in need:
x=3, y = 8, rule = LifeHistory
.A$2.A$3A2$D$.A$A.A$.2A!
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In this example, the white cell at generation 4 gets turned on when it shouldn't. We have a fix for this, as usual. Replace the boat with a tub with tail and block:
x=9, y = 10, rule = B3/S23
5bo$6bo$4b3o2$2o$2o3bo$4bobo$5bobo$7bo$7b2o!
[[ GRID THUMBNAIL THEME 6 THUMBSIZE 2 ]]
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And yes, we've just rediscovered the eater 5 .
Boats can also fail much more spectacularly:
x=8, y = 4, rule = B3/S23
6bo$3o2bobo$obo3b2o$obo!
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In this case, the boat can be replaced by this (often called the "gourmet catalyst" due to its use in gourmet ):
x=10, y = 10, rule = B3/S23
8b2o$7bobo$7bo$6b2o2$6b2o$3o2bobo$obo3bo$obo4b3o$9bo!
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Note that this doesn't always work, since it requires a spark to recover properly.
Snake replacements
The only way to replace snake catalyses is by replacing them with a similar catalyst which does the same thing but might have better clearance. For example, if a snake is required to be in close proximity to a fishhook, the fishhook's interaction might destroy the snake (and subsequently the fishhook). In this case, replacing the snake with a higher-clearance second fishhook can prevent the interaction:
x=36, y = 9, rule = B3/S23
7bo26bo$2o4bo20b2o4bo$bo4b3o8bo10bo4b3o$o18bo5b3o$2o23bo$3b2o6bobobob
obobo8b2o$4bo26bo$b3o15bo8b3o$bo15bo10bo!
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Using sparkers
Constructing...