Riddle and Puzzle Thread

[David in FL]

Are the corners key? Put a chip such that there's just room for one more chip behind it in each corner..... Gotta think through the end game....

[iacas]

Corners are not key no.

[iacas]

Here's the answer that guarantees you a victory. Many of you were close, but you got caught up in the semantics or seemed to assume that you could dictate what would be somewhat random play from the beginning. You missed out on the fact that a table could have an infinite number of positions and thus contain odd or even numbers of moves regardless of the size of the table (again, a normal table). To illustrate this, consider these two tables (they're only incredibly small tables because I didn't feel like placing hundreds of circles):

I don't even know if these are both even/odd or if they're different, but clearly you can see in the right-hand image that the game is somewhat uncontrollable. You have no way of guaranteeing victory with such a strategy.

The correct answer is to choose the order of play, and to choose to go first. The table size is completely irrelevant to the problem. It's a red herring.

Your guaranteed winning strategy? Put the first chip in the exact middle of the table. From there on out, exactly mirror whatever move he makes. For the purposes of this image, white chips are ones you placed and black chips are ones he placed (and red just shows the first move - YOUR move):

Ignoring the first red chip as a move, each board is shown after each player has made "n" moves (the red chip means that you've made n+1 moves).

Here's why this works: As long as he has a space in which to put a chip, you have the same exact space mirrored on the opposite side of the board.

Congratulations. You've now taken all of his stuff (though since he's your friend, perhaps you can let him work off some of his debt .

Edit: Oops. I meant to re-save this as a draft after answering David, but accidentally submitted the post. Oh well. There it is.

[Lihu]

Here's an old one:

A friend of yours is a big gambler. He decides one day to bet you everything you have for everything he has in a simple game. You're a gambler too so you go along.

The rules of the game are simple. You're each given identically sized poker chips and a flat, rectangular table on which to play. You'll alternate turns placing one poker chip down per turn, with the stipulation that the poker chip must rest completely flat on the table (no hanging over the edge, no overlapping other chips, no standing poker chips on their edges - you also can't move any poker chips once placed), and that you lose when you cannot make a legal play.

Your friend (stupidly) offers you the choice of deciding who makes the first move OR to pick the size of the table. He'll make the other choice.

Which do choice do you take, what do you choose, and why?

Okay, I tried it out, and I think it should work. It worked in the one case I tried.

If he goes first, then I place my first chip in the center of my table and after that place them the way he does it. In the end, he places the maximum number he can place, and I will simply place my last piece and he can't make any more moves. By the time he gets to the last chip, I will have a space left. Of course, the chip I placed in the center shifts around to make room.

Neither of us are able to make the move, but it's his turn.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iacas

Here's an old one:

A friend of yours is a big gambler. He decides one day to bet you everything you have for everything he has in a simple game. You're a gambler too so you go along.

The rules of the game are simple. You're each given identically sized poker chips and a flat, rectangular table on which to play. You'll alternate turns placing one poker chip down per turn, with the stipulation that the poker chip must rest completely flat on the table (no hanging over the edge, no overlapping other chips, no standing poker chips on their edges - you also can't move any poker chips once placed), and that you lose when you cannot make a legal play.

Your friend (stupidly) offers you the choice of deciding who makes the first move OR to pick the size of the table. He'll make the other choice.

Which do choice do you take, what do you choose, and why?

Okay, I tried it out, and I think it should work. It worked in the one case I tried.

If he goes first, then I place my first chip in the center of my table and after that place them the way he does it. In the end, he places the maximum number he can place, and I will simply place my last piece and he can't make any more moves. By the time he gets to the last chip, I will have a space left. Of course, the chip I placed in the center shifts around to make room.

Neither of us are able to make the move, but it's his turn.

7 minutes too late!!!! Arrrghh.

[iacas]

If he goes first, then I place my first chip in the center of my table and after that place them the way he does it. In the end, he places the maximum number he can place, and I will simply place my last piece and he can't make any more moves. By the time he gets to the last chip, I will have a space left. Of course, the chip I placed in the center shifts around to make room.

That would almost guarantee failure (if he was smart at all). Eventually he could mirror his first move and you would have to start the new sequence of putting the chip down that he mirrors.

[Abu3baid]

Theoretically the solution works however in application I would caution anyone who tries and apply what was mentioned, because in more cases than not i don't think a person would be able to mirror the exact moves and thus leaving the opportunity for your "friend" to take your stuff.. And since all it takes is just one mistakes the bigger. The table the more room for error... However I have to admit it is an interesting puzzle question "theoretically speaking" of course... :).

[iacas]

Theoretically the solution works however in application I would caution anyone who tries and apply what was mentioned, because in more cases than not i don't think a person would be able to mirror the exact moves and thus leaving the opportunity for your "friend" to take your stuff.. And since all it takes is just one mistakes the bigger. The table the more room for error... However I have to admit it is an interesting puzzle question "theoretically speaking" of course... :).

You caution anyone who tries to gamble everything they own using the answer to a RIDDLE?

Okay, someone post another. I have more but I'm heading out.

[Abu3baid]

Just making sure there aren't any hard core gamblers amongst us that might just take it too far... Can't be too careful, and you know the reality of a lot golfers and their gambling ways.... Ok move on people nothing to read here...

[Lihu]

Okay, someone post another. I have more but I'm heading out.

Come one, give us another one.

[14ledo81]

I got one. Easy if you heard it before but kind of interesting. "Take off the outside, cook the inside, eat the outside, throw away the inside"

[iacas]

I got one. Easy if you heard it before but kind of interesting.

"Take off the outside, cook the inside, eat the outside, throw away the inside"

I know the answer. I'll let others answer.

[Lihu]

I got one. Easy if you heard it before but kind of interesting.

"Take off the outside, cook the inside, eat the outside, throw away the inside"

Some kind of vegetable. I was thinking of artichoke or corn.

Edit: Maybe just corn.

[14ledo81]

Some kind of vegetable. I was thinking of artichoke or corn. Edit: Maybe just corn.

Corn is correct.

[iacas]

I know the answer. I'll let others answer.

My hint may have been too obvious. :D

[Lihu]

[QUOTE name="iacas" url="/t/71500/riddle-thread/72#post_930140"]   I know the answer. I'll let others answer. [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/content/type/61/id/87864/] [/URL] [/QUOTE] My hint may have been too obvious. :D

At first I was thinking about why you have a munching popcorn emoticon. Then I figured it out and edited to corn only. Figured that was your hidden answer in afterthought. What's next? Unfortunately, all my interview questions/puzzles have ring buffers on communication lines and other technical jibberish.

[14ledo81]

OK. I've got another one. Should be short/easy for the right person. A fairly famous riddle. "What have I got in my pocket?" I have to leave for work, so I won't be able to answer for a bit. I think someone will get it though.

[Ernest Jones]

My Precious?