The jubilee maze (Q1310261)

Since immemorial times, labyrinths have represented a metaphor expressing life's complexity, its blind alleys and alternations of failures and successes. Also, their mathematical implications have always challenged people to find their secret patterns. The classical type of labyrinth is the Cretan one, ``unicursal'', without any branches; it expresses the difficulties and troubles to be met during the journey through life. Modern times brought important changes, one of the modern concepts rejecting the well-programmed character of one's life; consequently, the modern labyrinths' way out came to be exclusively by the method of trial- and-error. Mention is made here of the labyrinths of the Leeds Castle, Hever Castle, Hampton Court, etc. There follows a brief survey of the main methods of maze solving, such as those of Tarry and Tremaux. The Jubilee maze at Symmonds Yat was set out in 1977, to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. It has also a museum, presenting the history and mathematics of different types of labyrinths, and a maze- solving robot, based on algorithm invented by N. Lee.