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#101 Re: Puzzles and Games » Containers of marbles » 2010-05-21 05:09:18
Thanks, ws. I went there and enjoyed the puzzle, it was fun unentangling it. But I think that'll be enough for me.
#102 Re: Puzzles and Games » Perfect Squares.. » 2010-05-21 00:40:00
gurthbruins wrote:- not a job that appeals to me, I regret...
........sigh......
old fermat
I was and am always lazy : that's a great motivator, I've never regretted it. 
#104 Re: Puzzles and Games » Word Game #57 » 2010-05-21 00:12:38
UPDATED RESULTS
post: #2 #3
valid: 0 1
#105 Re: Puzzles and Games » Word Game #66 » 2010-05-21 00:03:34
POSITION AT END OF ROUND 11
Valid words: (a ail ale alms art early ears eel end hew hi hone ill inch lank link lover luck lucky
older otter raising reposition rice rover utters)
POINTS:
ZHero........................ 8 (eel end)
mathsyperson........... 20 (ail ale alms art hone ill link lover otter)
JaneFairfax............... 1
phrontister............... 21 (a early hew hi inch luck older raising reposition utters)
#106 Re: Puzzles and Games » Perfect Squares.. » 2010-05-20 07:23:35
- not a job that appeals to me, I regret...
#108 Puzzles and Games » One or two Cryptic Crossword Clues etc » 2010-05-20 07:07:26
- gurthbruins
- Replies: 11
#1
I got this clue elsewhere but I have concocted a new answer:
e (7, 7, 8) - probably much too hard.
#2
Another new one:
Girl with backbone makes a cap (7) - not too hard?
#3
Means of achieving delirium by imbibing currency (6)
#4
Country able to produce successive kings (7)
#109 Re: Puzzles and Games » Perfect Squares.. » 2010-05-20 05:32:48
Do you do any computer programming? If so you could get your computer to churn them out in quite a large quantity... and then maybe spot some patterns... I think people interested in maths should be a bit computer literate - I have found even professional mathematicians strangely resistant to computer science.
#112 Re: Puzzles and Games » Crossword Help » 2010-05-20 03:44:38
Thanks, Jane
#113 Re: Puzzles and Games » Word Game #66 » 2010-05-20 03:25:06
Hi gurthbruins,
Now that I've got 10 valid words, do I stop posting lists?
Nice game, by the way. Simple, as you said...but tricky, just the same!
Thanks for the compliment! You can stop or go on, it doesn't really matter either way I think. The thing is to discover the rule, the points are there for those who want them. The game continues for the sake of giving others the opportunity to make the discovery too.
#114 Re: Puzzles and Games » Crossword Help » 2010-05-20 00:27:53
I think "incidental" is right; I'm sure "passable" is right.
Please, can someone tell me, where are the threads on crossword clues?
I want to find out what people's favourite clues are, especially short clues.
#115 Re: Puzzles and Games » Word Game #66 » 2010-05-20 00:02:00
POSITION AT END OF ROUND 10
Valid words: (a ail ale alms art early ears eel end hew hi hone ill inch lank link lover luck lucky older
otter raising reposition rice rover utters)
POINTS:
ZHero................,,,........ 7 (eel end)
mathsyperson........... 20 (ail ale alms art hone ill link lover otter)
JaneFairfax................. 1
phrontister................ 21 (a early hew hi inch luck older raising reposition utters)
#116 Puzzles and Games » Word Game #57 » 2010-05-19 07:27:18
- gurthbruins
- Replies: 24
Word Game #57
In this game, there is a hidden rule which defines valid and invalid words.
It's an extremely simple rule, but with a simple twist, so no examples are given.
Questions may be asked, but may or may not be answered, probably won't.
Post a list of ten words before Noon GMT Friday 21 May. After that, no more than one list per player per day.
There is no scoring of points. Every list will be checked by me and I will state, by referring to the post #, how many valid words it contains, but not which. E.g. "#2: 3; #3: 1; #4: 0." Is that clear enough?
The winner will be the first player to post a list of 10 valid words.
I forecast that the number of valid words posted will be quite high.
A tip: in view of the "twist", make no assumptions!
#117 Re: Puzzles and Games » Word Game #66 » 2010-05-19 00:33:33
POSITION AT END OF ROUND 9
Valid words: (a ail ale alms art early ears end hew hi hone ill inch lank link lover luck lucky older otter raising reposition rice rover utters)
POINTS:
ZHero.......................... 4 (end)
mathsyperson........... 20 (ail ale alms art hone ill link lover otter)
JaneFairfax................. 1
phrontister................ 21 (a early hew hi inch luck older raising reposition utters)
Phrontister joins mathsyperson, making two players now in the know!
#118 Re: Puzzles and Games » Word Game #66 » 2010-05-18 00:18:37
POSITION AT END OF ROUND 8
Valid words: (rover ears lank rice end ail ale alms art hone ill link lover otter)
POINTS:
ZHero........................ 4 (end)
mathsyperson........... 20 (ail ale alms art hone ill link lover otter)
JaneFairfax............... 1
Yes, I am sure mathsyperson has cracked this puzzle, much to my delight.
One of his ten words only is not valid: "silence."
In this connection I must recall that the second word submitted by ZHero, in his first list, was "right."
Bearing this in mind, mathsyperson's 9 valid words not only meet the criteria, but also define them - an elegant touch.
All players, old or new, are welcome to continue with this game, or to submit lists at any future time.
#119 Re: Puzzles and Games » Metamorphosis » 2010-05-17 19:48:34
And here is an even, even shorter solution to Challenge #7 (not #6, which is another):
SHUT
SPUT : n A reinforcing plate (Century Dictionary and Webster's 1913); also past tense To spit (O.E.D. - dialect).
SPET : n A species of barracuda (O.E.D. and Century Dictionary); also v To spit. (O.E.D. - dialect).
SPEN : see below.
OPENAccording to the O.E.D., "spen" is a variant of "spean" (n to wean). I don't know of any other dictionary that contains that word.
If SPEN is disallowed, then:
SHUT
SPUT
SPET (or SPUD)
SPED
OPED
OPENIf SPUT is disallowed, replace with SHET : n Old form of shut (Collins); also appears in SOWPODS.
Five words? Awesome! "Simply unbeatable!"
How can SPEN be disallowed, if it's in the O.E.D.?
#120 Re: Puzzles and Games » Metamorphosis » 2010-05-17 06:14:14
BOY
BAY
BAT
EAT
PAT
PIT
PIE
Einfach unverbesserlich.
#121 Re: Puzzles and Games » Metamorphosis » 2010-05-17 06:03:40
Shorter Solution to Challenge 6
SHUT
SHOT
SHOD
SHED
SEED
SPED
APED
OPED
OPEN"And winking marybuds begin
To ope their golden eyes" - Shakespeare
Here is an even shorter Solution:
SHUT
SHUN
SPUN
SPUD
SPED
OPED (See Shakespeare)
OPEN
#122 Puzzles and Games » Gurth's Suggestions for Posting Solutions to Problems » 2010-05-17 02:26:12
- gurthbruins
- Replies: 8
Gurth's Suggestions for Posting Solutions to Problems:
1. First try to understand what the problem-setter is trying to convey to you.
2. You are not there to nit-pick the way in which the problem has been set. If there is any point about which you are not clear, then do not resolve the doubt by making an arbitrary choice. Resolve it by asking a sensible question before you proceed.
3. You are definitely not expected to try to sabotage the problem, to make it appear silly or to imply that the rules are inadequate. If you think they are inadequate, then get that matter straightened out before you go further.
In the case of the House Number Problem, it is clear that the setter has constructed a puzzle that relies for its validity on the assumption that house numbers are integers. Fractional house numbers are at most in a freakish, tiny minority and to bring this fact into the discussion may be of interest, but it is of no interest to the solving of the problem. Because, if we allow fractional house numbers, then the problem is essentially DESTROYED, which is tactless to the well-meaning setter, in fact can only be seen as a boorish lack of a cooperative spirit. Please refrain from this type of one-up-manship. It is in no way funny or amusing.
#123 Re: Puzzles and Games » Word Game #66 » 2010-05-17 00:23:21
POSITION AT END OF ROUND 8
Valid words: (rover ears lank rice lucky end)
POINTS:
ZHero........................ 3 (end)
mathsyperson........... 1
JaneFairfax............... 1
As everybody seems to have given up on this one, I have added another clue. Maybe now somebody will get lucky.
To encourage triers, I just want to say that the rule you are looking for is extremely simple, it just requires a small leap of the imagination - call it a bit of lateral thinking. An infinitesimal bit of thinking.
The last time I offered a similar game, I started by giving ten example words, but I thought there would be more intelligence on this forum so I reduced the sample to 3. If there is no sign of life by tomorrow, I will increase the list to ten words.
#124 Re: Euler Avenue » Gurth's Conjecture » 2010-05-16 19:48:12
I had an apple, I enjoyed it, and I threw the core away. Meaning my side of the correspondence with D. Allison.
As far as I can remember, I got as high as 8 for n. The corresponding values for x and y went into roughly 200-500 digits, I remember they covered about half a page of foolscap.
I suppose I could enquire at the University if they still have that correspondence, but I am too lazy to do that. But if you want to enquire yourself, you have my permission to do so. You have the date of Allison's last letter, you can refer to that.
I am pretty sure there is no way to do this without Continued Fractions. I was certainly using them all the time.
Of course "There are many other solutions besides the ones generated by your 2 formulas for n." If there hadn't been, it might have been a lot easier to make my conjecture!
#125 Re: Euler Avenue » Gurth's Conjecture » 2010-05-16 05:47:54
ZHero, I would suggest you start by forgetting about the conjecture and first solve the Diophantine Equation. That would be step one.
If anyone wants to do that, then next he can tackle the job of looking for more solutions. As many as possible. Along the way you will have to learn about Continued Fractions if you do not already know about them. I have seen posts on this forum dealing with Diophantine Equations and Continued Fractions - have a look at those.
I do not know if there are computer programs available these days to crunch large numbers - in 1990 there were none that I could find, I had to write my own to be able to deal with numbers of up to 800 hexadecimal digits. Using machine code for my 6502 microprocessor - computers were slower in those days.
Once you have done sufficient work actually amassing solutions to a problem, you are in a better position to spot patterns in the solutions because you understand more about how it all ticks. I would hardly call this "stumbling", rather making discoveries by thoughtful inspection coupled with understanding of what is going on.
Formulating a conjecture that fits the facts is one thing, proving it quite another. Being quite unable to do that myself, I have no tips to offer. I am not a mathematician, this is just one of my hobbies.