Cow Bull 1

mathsyperson · 2005-12-10 10:52:14

Jims wrote:

There's a problem ... make a program that gives guesses, well, logical guesses based on past ones.

I searched the internet, and there are several ones of varying abilities.

The worst ones just start at 1234 and see if it fits with what it already knows. If it does, that is its next guess. If it doesn't, it tries 1235 instead, and so on.

Better versions did a similar thing, but created random numbers instead of working through them, creating a random number until it made one that fitted.

And there are very good versions that work out the guess that produces the minimum number of possibilities remaining for the next guess in the worst case scenario, if that makes sense.

However, these all work with colours, so there isn't a special restriction on the first number. But still, it shows that it must be possible to make such a program designed for playing Cow Bull.

krassi_holmz · 2005-12-11 04:43:49

May I join in?
Oh, why am I asking. I've just joined in.

krassi_holmz · 2005-12-11 04:59:33

OK. Ganesh is out for a while. Why someone doesn't give another until his return?
I have a suggestion. When somebody doesn't answer for some time the player which has the biggest result can replace him-he can think out a number with the same properties as the original one so the game will speed up.
After the returning of the original's poster you can finish the original game and he can solve the new.

krassi_holmz · 2005-12-11 05:04:52

I'll continue the Ganesh's puzzle until his return.
Guess 1: 7084-c
Guess 2: 4532-cc

krassi_holmz · 2005-12-11 06:55:31

And a mathematical question-what is the minimal number of guesses to be sure that the last guess is correct?

krassi_holmz · 2005-12-11 07:01:26

This minimal is greater than 5 so the Ganesh challenge isn't solvable in the general case. And you must have luck, too.

krassi_holmz · 2005-12-11 07:21:25

Hm, the computer programs for solving cows and bulls...
How can we outsmart them?
I have an idea. In the begining the poster of the question may give come aditional information about his number that can't be used by programs. For example, my number is prime.

Jai Ganesh · 2005-12-12 20:20:13

Cow Bull 7(hosted by krassi_holmz) :-
Guess 3 :- 2319

krassi_holmz · 2005-12-16 20:14:19

Ganesh, I'm sorry very much. You have to continue with your game.
Cow Bull 7(hosted by krassi_holmz) : -closed

Last edited by krassi_holmz (2005-12-17 21:49:41)

John E. Franklin · 2005-12-17 08:56:40

Sounds like krassi_holmz wants Ganesh to give his original
replies to 7084 and 4532, so we can continue, and I would
like to play too. I always liked MasterMind, but was never
that good at it.

Jai Ganesh · 2005-12-18 16:23:52

Okay...here goes....CowBull # 7 :-
Guess 1: 7084-c
Guess 2: 4532-cc
Keep guessing

krassi_holmz · 2005-12-18 17:47:56

Guess 3: 1423

jU · 2005-12-18 20:02:20

guess 4: 2314

Jai Ganesh · 2005-12-18 22:51:03

Guess 3 : 1423 : Bcc

Guess 4 : 2314 : ccc

Last edited by Jai Ganesh (2005-12-20 16:09:39)

Polly · 2005-12-19 02:37:55

i h8 it when loads of messages r put on one thing create another area to put it on

John E. Franklin · 2005-12-20 09:03:34

Guess 5b (since ganesh called guess 4 guess 5): 3461

Jai Ganesh · 2005-12-20 16:11:19

Corrected now.

Guess 5b : 3461 : BBB

jU · 2005-12-21 09:49:47

guess 6: 3469

Jai Ganesh · 2005-12-21 16:06:01

guess 6: 3469 : BBc

mathsyperson · 2005-12-21 23:58:23

Guess 7: 3491

Unless I've gone horribly wrong, that should be right.

John E. Franklin · 2005-12-22 10:22:26

I bet it is cause I almost guessed that, I was gonna choose between
either 6 or 9, but I chose 6.

Jai Ganesh · 2005-12-22 16:49:36

The winner is.........mathsyperson!

Cowbull # 8
Clue 1 : It's a prime number.

mathsyperson · 2005-12-23 00:27:05

The prime number clue knocks down the total possibilities quite a lot. Ignoring the non-repeating digits, there are now only 1064 possible numbers to choose from. Ignoring the primes, there are 4536 possible numbers to choose from (where have you seen that before? ). But I haven't worked out how many there are when you overlap the two rules.

Anyway, the biggest clue that the prime number thing gives is that the last digit is 1, 3, 7 or 9.

I guess 1987.

Jai Ganesh · 2005-12-23 00:29:17

Guess 1 : 1987 : BB

krassi_holmz · 2005-12-23 09:21:51

Guess 2: 1973

Math Is Fun Forum

#126 2005-12-10 10:52:14

Re: Cow Bull 1

#127 2005-12-11 04:43:49

Re: Cow Bull 1

#128 2005-12-11 04:59:33

Re: Cow Bull 1

#129 2005-12-11 05:04:52

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#130 2005-12-11 06:55:31

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#131 2005-12-11 07:01:26

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#132 2005-12-11 07:21:25

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#133 2005-12-12 20:20:13

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#134 2005-12-16 20:14:19

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#135 2005-12-17 08:56:40

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#136 2005-12-18 16:23:52

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#137 2005-12-18 17:47:56

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#138 2005-12-18 20:02:20

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#139 2005-12-18 22:51:03

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#140 2005-12-19 02:37:55

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#141 2005-12-20 09:03:34

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#142 2005-12-20 16:11:19

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#143 2005-12-21 09:49:47

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#144 2005-12-21 16:06:01

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#145 2005-12-21 23:58:23

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#146 2005-12-22 10:22:26

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#147 2005-12-22 16:49:36

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#148 2005-12-23 00:27:05

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#149 2005-12-23 00:29:17

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#150 2005-12-23 09:21:51

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