Sokoban Level 1b

Sokoban Level 1b is one of two possible maps for the first level of Sokoban in NetHack. It is also among the various possible maps for that level in variants of NetHack; in Hack'EM, the map is named "Kick It On Over". There are 10 boulders and 9 pits, leaving one spare boulder.

 ------  ----- 
 |....|  |...|  0 boulder
 |.0..----.0.|  ^ pit
 |.0......0..|  > starting position/downstairs
 |..--->---0.|  < upstairs
 |---------.--- ? scroll of earth
 |..^^^<|.....|
 |..----|0....|
 --^|   |.0...|
  |^-----.0...|
  |..^^^^0.0..|
  |??----------
  ----         

Strategy

The following solution solves the level without putting any boulders in an immobile position. Faster solutions which do not necessarily leave every boulder free might exist. You can watch an instructional TTYREC video or a YouTube video.

All boulders are replaced by letters so they can be referred to. Moving the boulders is shortened to r for right, l for left, u for up, d for down. An asterisk is used to denote the last move filled a pit (and thus removed the boulder from the game). So Nddrr* means move boulder N two times down and two times to the right into a pit.

Make some room and move to the lower right room:

------  -----  A r
|....|  |...|  C u
|.A..----.B.|  D rlll llll
|.C......D..|  E ddd
|..---@---E.|  
|---------.--- 
|..^^^<|.....| 
|..----|F....| 
--^|   |.G...|
 |^-----.H...|
 |..^^^^I.J..|
 |??----------
 ----

Pick up the two scrolls of earth as soon as possible to ensure that no monsters get a hold of them; remember to verify their beatitude before reading them in Sokoban, and only do so if you have misplaced or broken some other boulders.

Then, clean the lower right room:

------  -----  H l
|....|  |...|  I l*
|.CA.----.B.|  J llll*
|..D........|  E dddl llll*
|..---@---..|  G ddll lll*
|---------.--- H dlll lllu*
|..^^^<|.....| F dddl llll luu*
|..----|F.E..|
--^|   |.G...|
 |^-----.H...|
 |..^^^^I.J..|
 |..----------
 ----

Finish the level with three of the remaining boulders:

------  -----  B dddd dddd llll llll uuuu r*
|....|  |...|  D rrrr rrrd dddd ddll llll lluu uurr*
|.CA.----.B.|  C drrr rrrr rddd dddd llll llll uuuu rrr*
|..D........|
|..--->---..|
|---------.---
|..^^^<|.....|
|..----|.....|
--.|   |.....|
 |.-----.....|
 |...........|
 |.@----------
 ----

The level is now finished. Remember to check under the A boulder for possible usable objects; note that you can now push it diagonally if you want to use it after clearing the level.

------  -----
|....|  |...|
|..A.----...|
|...........|
|..--->---..|
|---------.---
|....@<|.....|
|..----|.....|
--.|   |.....|
 |.-----.....|
 |...........|
 |..----------
 ----

Next level

After this level, you will face either of the following levels:

Sokoban Level 2a ---- ----------- --.@-------- |.........| |..........| |.........| |.0-----0-.| |.........| |..|...|.0.| |....<....| |.0.0....0-| |.........| |.0..0..|..| |.........| |.----0.--.| |.........| |..0...0.|.-- |.........| |.---0-...0.------------+| |...|..0-.0.^^^^^^^^^^^^.| |..0......---------------- -----..|..| -------

Sokoban Level 2b ----------- ----------- |....|....--- |.........| |..00|00...@| |.........| |.....0...--- |.........| |....|....| |....<....| |-.--------- |.........| |..0.|.....| |.........| |.00.|0.0.0| |.........| |..0.....0.| |.........| |.000|0..0.----------------+| |....|..0.0.^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^.| -----------------------------