Measurement-Based Quantum Computing as a Tangram Puzzle

Measurement-Based Quantum Computing (MBQC), proposed in 2001 is a model of quantum computing that achieves quantum computation by performing a series of adaptive single-qubit measurements on an entangled cluster state. Our project is aimed at introducing MBQC to a wide audience ranging from high school students to quantum computing researchers through a Tangram puzzle with a modified set of rules played on an applet. The player is provided a quantum circuit which they have to map to MBQC using polyominos. Polyominos, the building blocks of our game, consist of square tiles joined edge-to-edge to form different shapes. Each tile represents a measurement basis, differentiated by its color. Polyominos rest on a square-grid playing board, which signifies a cluster state. We show that mapping a quantum circuit to MBQC is equivalent to arranging a set of polyominos - each corresponding to a gate in the circuit - on the playing board, subject to certain rules. We state the rules in simple terms with no reference to quantum computing. One such rule describes ways to deform a polyomino while it still correctly realizes a given quantum gate. The player has to place polyominos on the playing board conforming to the rules. Any correct solution creates a valid realization of the quantum circuit in MBQC. A higher-scoring correct solution fills up less space on the board, resulting in a lower-overhead embedding of the circuit in MBQC, a challenging research problem.