Another logic puzzle

Arcade Fire · 18 Oct 2006 at 10:43

I'm going to tell you about a game. The board for this game is a circular disc of an arbitrary size. All of the playing pieces are also circular discs, all the same size and all smaller than the board.

The two players take turns to place their pieces on the board. You can't place a piece on top of a piece that's already there. The first person who is unable to make a legal move loses.

You have the choice as to whether you're going first or second - which should you choose, and WHY?

badgermonkey · 18 Oct 2006 at 10:45

First, because the pieces are only a tiny bit smaller that the board

Arcade Fire · 18 Oct 2006 at 10:48

That would be the correct answer if I'd said that the pieces were only a bit smaller than the board, but I didn't. The pieces can be of any size, as long as they're all the same size and they're smaller than the board.

badgermonkey · 18 Oct 2006 at 10:50

Arcade Fire said:
The pieces can be of any size, as long as they're all the same size and they're smaller than the board.

My answer still works. They can be of any size... i pick a size a tiny bit smaller than the board

unwashed potato! · 18 Oct 2006 at 10:50

first? because putting your piece down first would then mean you are on the only piece of the board so the other person can't then put his piece down?

kaiowas · 18 Oct 2006 at 10:50

When you place a piece does it have to be entirely on the board or do you need just enough on there for it to stay on under it's own weight?

Also are you allowed to move existing pieces when placing a piece?

Mat · 18 Oct 2006 at 10:53

kaiowas said:
When you place a piece does it have to be entirely on the board or do you need just enough on there for it to stay on under it's own weight?

Also are you allowed to move existing pieces when placing a piece?

I would imagine that all the information you need to answer the question is already in the question... but that doesnt help much

SiriusB · 18 Oct 2006 at 10:54

I would assume the whole of the piece has to be inside the edges of the board.

SiriusB

Arcade Fire · 18 Oct 2006 at 10:55

kaiowas said:
When you place a piece does it have to be entirely on the board or do you need just enough on there for it to stay on under it's own weight?

Also are you allowed to move existing pieces when placing a piece?

Not that it matters, but for the sake of argument let's say that you have to place the pieces entirely on the board.

You can't move any pieces that have already been played.

unwashed potato! · 18 Oct 2006 at 10:55

SiriusB said:
I would assume the whole of the piece has to be inside the edges of the board.

SiriusB

does it matter though, i thought that if your on the board your on it taking up that one piece meaning there is no where for the second piece to be put down?

Arcade Fire · 18 Oct 2006 at 10:57

addy_010 said:
does it matter though, i thought that if your on the board your on it taking up that one piece meaning there is no where for the second piece to be put down?

What?

badgermonkey · 18 Oct 2006 at 10:57

Arcade Fire said:
What?

He's working on the assumption that i just took a stab at (obviously wrong) that the pieces are big.

Arcade Fire · 18 Oct 2006 at 10:59

If it was that simple I don't think I would have bothered making the thread. Since I evidently did bother making the thread, I think you are safe to deduce that it's not that simple.

SiriusB · 18 Oct 2006 at 11:00

Okay wild stab in the dark now... I reckon you wanna go first because of the way you lay down the circles.

Logically the first person will put a piece in the middle... then a ring of pieces would form around that, and then another ring around that and so on until no more space... now since the first person has the advantage of the very middle spot, I reckon first will win

I am not stating this as fact but this what a brain lacking breakfast comes up with

SiriusB

Arcade Fire · 18 Oct 2006 at 11:01

SiriusB said:
Okay wild stab in the dark now... I reckon you wanna go first because of the way you lay down the circles.

Logically the first person will put a piece in the middle... then a ring of pieces would form around that, and then another ring around that and so on until no more space... now since the first person has the advantage of the very middle spot, I reckon first will win

I didn't say that the pieces have to be laid down next to other pieces.

Why will the first person always play in the middle?

SiriusB · 18 Oct 2006 at 11:04

Like I said I have no breakfast!

SiriusB

badgermonkey · 18 Oct 2006 at 11:08

Arcade Fire said:
I didn't say that the pieces have to be laid down next to other pieces.

Why will the first person always play in the middle?

BEcause if you go first you know that you could win that way?

fatiain · 18 Oct 2006 at 11:10

Sounds like a *great* game.

badgermonkey · 18 Oct 2006 at 11:11

fatiain said:
Sounds like a *great* game.

It's a puzzle not a game

fatiain · 18 Oct 2006 at 11:12

badgermonkey said:
It's a puzzle not a game

Arcade Fire in the OP said:
I'm going to tell you about a game