Image for Wythoff's kaleidoscope

Wythoff's kaleidoscope

Wythoff's kaleidoscope refers to a mathematical visualization related to Wythoff's game, a combinatorial puzzle involving moving counters on two piles. When visualized, it produces intricate, symmetrical patterns—similar to a kaleidoscope—by mapping the possible positions of the game onto geometric structures called tilings or tessellations. These patterns highlight the relationships between winning and losing positions, illustrating the underlying mathematical structure of the game. The kaleidoscopic images reveal beautiful, repeating motifs based on the rules of the game, providing a visual representation of complex combinatorial concepts in a symmetric and engaging way.