Flower Surprise

If you know the rules really well, now I give you enough time to solve this pattern: (it takes 76 moves!)
Red, Red, Red, Purple, Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Purple, Green

This is the Guinness Record of the pattern whose solution with the longest move sequence possible!

However, it is possible to make:

through this↓

Now I want you to solve another pattern:
Yellow, Red, Green, Purple, Red, Yellow, Purple, Yellow, Red

Guess how I made it this bonus puzzle: (it takes 35 moves!)

Believe it or not, this takes as few as 12 moves!

Code = 2^2 * 3 * 13 * 17 * 41 * 577 * 164513

(Simplified version of my deduced rules)

Arj Fvzcyvsvrq Ehyrf(!):

1. Lryybj sybjre jvyy tebj vs abar be zber guna bar pbaqvgvba vf erdhverq.

2. Vs gurer vf nal fcnpr (tnc) gung fheebhaqrq ol sybjref, terra sybjre jvyy tebj obgu urer naq orgjrra gur tncf, hayrff gurer vf gur bayl tnc urer.

3. Vs gur fryrpgrq fcnpr vf orgjrra bar fcnpr naq bar sybjre, checyr sybjre jvyy tebj. Gur sybjre arkg gb vg jvguref naq ba gur bgure fvqr vg tebjf gur fnzr nf gur bar gung jvguref.

4. Vs gurer vf ng yrnfg gjb fnzr sybjref arkg gb vg va n ebj, erq sybjre jvyy tebj. Gur sybjre ebj arkg gb vg jvguref.

move_index = [2, 4, 5, 3, 4, 3, 0, 1, 3, 4, 2, 6, 7, 1, 8, 7, 8]

The longest red row

The longest purple flower row: 

Center 2*red: try 14343434

Center 2*red and purple: try 237623434

NjM0MzQzNDMxIDQ3Njc2NzYyNzkgNjM3Mg==

(I tried another solution without planting three adjacent identical flowers in one move)

gjb sbhe guerr bar fvk rvtug gjb frira avar fvk guerr frira gjb

(the shortest solution proved by program)

nearly got it, but the mindset is desirable. Moves:
2431 68273 2978 or 2431 68273 2976

(Already Modified)

Ehyrf:

1. Lryybj sybjre jvyy tebj vs bgure pbaqvgvbaf ner abg erdhverq.

2. Vs gurer vf nal fcnpr (tnc) gung fheebhaqrq ol sybjref, gur fvghngvba vf pnyyrq Tnc Fprar, bgurejvfr Abezny Fprar.

3. Va Tnc Fprar, terra sybjre jvyy tebj obgu urer naq orgjrra gur tncf, hayrff gurer vf rknpgyl bar fcnpr be gjb fnzr sybjref arkg gb vg.

4. Va Abezny Fprar, checyr sybjre jvyy tebj vs gurer vf n sybjre arkg gb vg. Gur sybjre arkg gb vg jvguref naq ba gur bgure fvqr vg tebjf gur fnzr nf gur bar gung jvguref.

5. Va Abezny Fprar, erq sybjre jvyy tebj vs gurer vf ng yrnfg gjb fnzr sybjre arkg gb vg va n ebj, hayrff gurer vf bar fcnpr ba gur bgure fvqr arkg gb vg. Gur sybjre ebj arkg gb vg jvguref.

(There are very few exceptions on rule 3)

I figured out the rules, so I could probably code a program to solve it. And if you feel like counting all possible solutions, a program is needed if all rules are coded in it.

I finally figured out the rules! I'm very certain of it, I'm no longer surprised by any flower behavior, that's very satisfying. I've taken a few cracks at actually reaching the goal, with no success yet, but in one sense I feel like I already "won".

Solved it but only by following the hints and just doing trial and error.  Good puzzle!

I did it. yay.

Finally cracked this and boy was it satisfying to figure out the last rule (yellow). Hint #5 was really the key for me. 10/10

Loved this one a lot! Reminiscent of Lucas Le Slo’s “Illiteracy” but with a totally fresh set of rules that combine together in really interesting ways.

If anyone is stuck, particularly if you’ve figured out the “rules” but can’t pin down the “exceptions”, hint 5 might be more useful than you think :)

this is one of those confusing ones.

lovely work ❤️ tiny and cryptic and cute, just like I like em

Interesting rules. Still working out the red