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Celebrating Puzzles

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the puzzles-on-parade dept.

Doofus writes "The New York Times is running an article, Celebrating puzzles, that is about a puzzle exhibit opening at the Lilly Library at Indiana University. The primary collector, a Mr. Slocum, has been collecting interesting and challenging 3D puzzles for many years, and has helped to curate the exhibition. The article describes one variation of the towers of Hanoi puzzle that involves 65 rings and has a mind-blowing 18,446,744,073,709,551,616 moves in a perfect solution. A twist on the standard museum exhibition — the puzzles on exhibit are stored each night in drawers — that must be puzzled open by the first visitors the following morning."

6 of 87 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Something seems strange with the move numbers by ASkGNet · · Score: 5, Informative

    The N-ring puzzle requires 2^N - 1 moves to solve. The article is incorrect.

  2. Chinese Rings is also called Baguenaudier by nebaz · · Score: 3, Informative

    A mathematical analysis can be found here with some cool pictures, but it doesn't explain the rules, unfortunately.

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    Rhymes that keep their secrets will unfold behind the clouds.There upon the rainbow is the answer to a neverending story
    1. Re:Chinese Rings is also called Baguenaudier by khellendros1984 · · Score: 2, Informative

      I believe the goal is to remove the string, ring, and ball from the apparatus. I solved this a couple of years ago, seems like.

      --
      It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
  3. Slocum puzzles explained... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    I hadn't a clue what a Slocum puzzle was when I first heard about this. However, Wikipedia to the rescue: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Slocum

    Also, there is a page where you can play many different Slocum puzzles while you're supposed to be working: http://www.puzzleworld.org/SlidingBlockPuzzles/abe .htm. It's a frustratingly sweet way to waste yet another workday. :)

  4. Chinese Rings Puzzle by BasilBrush · · Score: 3, Informative

    The Chinese Rings puzzle is not a variant of the Towers of Hanoi. It's this.

    http://www.puzzles.ca/puzzle_data_3/chinese_rings_ puzzle.html

    They are both recursive puzzles, but that's where the similarity ends.

  5. Re:1+1=1 ?!? by KDR_11k · · Score: 2, Informative

    MathException: Division by zero error.

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    Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.