In this paper, we present an approach to automated solving of triangle ruler-and-compass construction problems using finite-domain constraint solvers. The constraint model is described in the MiniZinc modeling language, and is based on the automated planning. The main benefit of using general constraint solvers for such purpose, instead of developing dedicated tools, is that we can rely on the efficient search that is already implemented within the solver, enabling us to focus on geometric aspects of the problem. We may also use the solver's built-in optimization capabilities to search for the shortest possible constructions. We evaluate our approach on 74 solvable problems from the Wernick's list, and compare it to the dedicated triangle construction solver ArgoTriCS. The results show that our approach is comparable to dedicated tools, while it requires much less effort to implement. Also, our model often finds shorter constructions, thanks to the optimization capabilities offered by the constraint solvers.

As we mentioned in yesterday's round up of 2021's top news stories, it has been yet another year dominated by the coronavirus. But that has been far from the only issue on the minds of civil servants. It has also been a year when the UK and the European Union agreed a trade deal following Britain's exit from the bloc – although the terms of the agreement are again being negotiated. And much as Brexit seems set to be something of a permanent presence in UK politics in the years ahead, many of the most popular articles in 2021 covered issues that have always been prominent across public services, but which have been given extra urgency by the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is a round up of some of those top articles.

Companies offering cybersecurity products are using the terms "artificial intelligence" and "machine learning" in many different ways. But the real meanings of the terms are far more nuanced than marketing hyperbole would lead us to believe, says Grant Wernick of Insight Engines, which develops natural language processing technology. " If you think of it from a marketing standpoint, it's much more fun to say'artificial intelligence.' It's like Rosie in the Jetsons," Wernick says in an interview with Information Security Media Group. But too often, the term is applied to products that don't really qualify, he asserts.