Puzzles

A section to discuss matters not related to Chess in particular.
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MJMcCready
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Re: Puzzles

Post by MJMcCready » Thu Mar 11, 2021 11:28 am

The man who invented it doesn't want it. The man who bought it doesn't need it. The man who needs it doesn't know it. What is it?

MSoszynski
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Re: Puzzles

Post by MSoszynski » Thu Mar 11, 2021 12:42 pm

Matthew Turner wrote:
Wed Mar 10, 2021 5:02 pm
Congratulations
There's at least another word pronounced differently if initially capitalised. I'll give a clue as to the one I'm thinking about: it starts with the first letter of the alphabet.

Kevin Williamson
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Re: Puzzles

Post by Kevin Williamson » Thu Mar 11, 2021 1:08 pm

MSoszynski wrote:
Thu Mar 11, 2021 12:42 pm
Matthew Turner wrote:
Wed Mar 10, 2021 5:02 pm
Congratulations
There's at least another word pronounced differently if initially capitalised. I'll give a clue as to the one I'm thinking about: it starts with the first letter of the alphabet.
I've thought of a possible answer but don't want to dive in until others have seen the question. If I am correct it's a very distinguished solution.

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MJMcCready
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Re: Puzzles

Post by MJMcCready » Thu Mar 11, 2021 2:30 pm

Can't even guess.

Matthew Turner
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Re: Puzzles

Post by Matthew Turner » Thu Mar 11, 2021 3:48 pm

MJMcCready wrote:
Thu Mar 11, 2021 11:28 am
The man who invented it doesn't want it. The man who bought it doesn't need it. The man who needs it doesn't know it. What is it?
Coffin

Matthew Turner
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Re: Puzzles

Post by Matthew Turner » Thu Mar 11, 2021 3:54 pm

I don't know if we are limiting ourselves to word puzzles but this is a fantastic Maths Challenge.

Using the numbers 2, 4, 6 and 8 and the simple operations + - x / ( ) Make 25 (obviously you can only use each number once)

It is a pure Maths problem, there isn't a silly trick.

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IM Jack Rudd
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Re: Puzzles

Post by IM Jack Rudd » Thu Mar 11, 2021 5:00 pm

4*(6+(2/8))

Kevin Williamson
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Re: Puzzles

Post by Kevin Williamson » Thu Mar 11, 2021 7:00 pm

Kevin Williamson wrote:
Thu Mar 11, 2021 1:08 pm
MSoszynski wrote:
Thu Mar 11, 2021 12:42 pm
Matthew Turner wrote:
Wed Mar 10, 2021 5:02 pm
Congratulations
There's at least another word pronounced differently if initially capitalised. I'll give a clue as to the one I'm thinking about: it starts with the first letter of the alphabet.
I've thought of a possible answer but don't want to dive in until others have seen the question. If I am correct it's a very distinguished solution.
My answer to this one is august/August

MSoszynski
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Re: Puzzles

Post by MSoszynski » Thu Mar 11, 2021 7:55 pm

Kevin Williamson wrote:
Thu Mar 11, 2021 7:00 pm
Kevin Williamson wrote:
Thu Mar 11, 2021 1:08 pm
MSoszynski wrote:
Thu Mar 11, 2021 12:42 pm


There's at least another word pronounced differently if initially capitalised. I'll give a clue as to the one I'm thinking about: it starts with the first letter of the alphabet.
I've thought of a possible answer but don't want to dive in until others have seen the question. If I am correct it's a very distinguished solution.
My answer to this one is august/August
Well done! It's one I noticed myself rather than reading about it somewhere.

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John Upham
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Re: Puzzles

Post by John Upham » Thu Mar 11, 2021 10:30 pm

What is the missing number in this sequence:

-101250000, -1728000, -4900, 360, 675, 200, ?, ...
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IM Jack Rudd
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Re: Puzzles

Post by IM Jack Rudd » Fri Mar 12, 2021 12:11 am

OK, let's look at the prime factorizations of those:

-101250000: - (2^4 * 3^4 * 5^7)
-1728000: - (2^6 * 3^3 * 5^3)
-4900: - (2^2 * 5^2 * 7^2)
360: 2^3 * 3^2 * 5
675: 3^3 * 5^2
200: 2^3 * 5^2

Nothing obvious springs out there.

E Michael White
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Re: Puzzles

Post by E Michael White » Fri Mar 12, 2021 12:47 am

John Upham wrote:
Thu Mar 11, 2021 10:30 pm
What is the missing number in this sequence:

-101250000, -1728000, -4900, 360, 675, 200, ?
Bearing in mind it is possible to fit a polynomial of degree 6 through 7 points you can offer any number as the solution. You could also overfit the data and produce any number of polynomials. This means that all those IQ tests we were forced to do as kids were all flawed on this type of question.

Ian Thompson
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Re: Puzzles

Post by Ian Thompson » Fri Mar 12, 2021 1:07 am

John Upham wrote:
Thu Mar 11, 2021 10:30 pm
What is the missing number in this sequence:

-101250000, -1728000, -4900, 360, 675, 200, ?, ...
As this is a chess forum, I think you should have chosen the chess puzzles from the same set of questions:
Chess Puzzle.jpg
Chess Puzzle.jpg (191.1 KiB) Viewed 1281 times

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MJMcCready
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Re: Puzzles

Post by MJMcCready » Fri Mar 12, 2021 3:52 am

MJMcCready wrote:
Thu Mar 11, 2021 2:30 pm
Can't even guess.
Indeed. The very item that The Dancing Outlaw (Jessico White) told his wife in a documentary she would be going to sleep in if she didn't cook his eggs properly...as you would

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MJMcCready
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Re: Puzzles

Post by MJMcCready » Fri Mar 12, 2021 4:59 am

Here's a top puzzle that's as tough as chess (sub 2800 ELO rated players need not attempt it): Who hides in the bakery at Christmas?

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