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Topic: Jinxed (Read 3201 times) |
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alien2
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A rainbow appears above a meadow and you spot a 1 ft tall leprechaun with a crown on his head. He starts to run so you run after him. You jump and catch him, nearly losing him in a shroud of sudden mist. You stand up holding him in your hands, thinking he'll run again if you put him down. He says to you: "I am the king of all the leprechauns. Unlike with other captured leprechauns, you'll get wishes from me only if you pass a test.
You see, you are standing on a corner square of a checkered parcel, whose grass has two shades of green. There are 100 squares arranged in a ten-by-ten grid. You must look for 100 shamrocks, as there is one in each square. The mist reduces your range of sight to the maximum of 9 squares, that is, a square you're standing on and all adjacent ones. You're allowed to move like the king in chess, so that one step takes you to any adjacent square. If you see all the shamrocks in the parcel by making the least number of steps, I will grant you three wishes. If not, you'll be permanently jinxed. You can think this through, as your attempt begins with your first step.
There is another option to consider. You could put me down and let me go. If you do that, I won't jinx you, but I'll grant you no wishes either."
If you were to decide to give it a try, what is the least number of steps needed to get your wishes?
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Grimbal
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Re: Jinxed
« Reply #1 on: Jan 18th, 2013, 9:09am » |
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I manage 28 steps (not counting the 1st corner)
And somehow it resists any effort of improvement.
PS: but don't believe leprechauns. They are pathologic liars. They always try to twist your mind by making you solve silly tasks. Just take his crown and let him run. That's the best you can get.
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| « Last Edit: Jan 18th, 2013, 9:23am by Grimbal » |
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SMQ
wu::riddles Moderator
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Re: Jinxed
« Reply #2 on: Jan 31st, 2013, 6:54am » |
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on Jan 18th, 2013, 9:09am, Grimbal wrote:| I manage 28 steps (not counting the 1st corner) |
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Hmm, interesting. I have an elegant 30-step solution, and a less-elegant 29-step solution, but have not yet been able to match your best.
--SMQ
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alien2
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Re: Jinxed
« Reply #3 on: Jan 31st, 2013, 7:00am » |
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I get 29 steps too. We must ge jinxed SMQ. 
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Grimbal
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Re: Jinxed
« Reply #4 on: Feb 1st, 2013, 5:38am » |
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I have to verify my solution, it seems.
Note that my 28 steps don't count the initial corner square. I am standing on the corner square and then do 28 steps.
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| « Last Edit: Feb 1st, 2013, 5:48am by Grimbal » |
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Grimbal
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Here is my solution. Zipped.
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SMQ
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Re: Jinxed
« Reply #6 on: Feb 3rd, 2013, 1:22pm » |
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Yep. That beats my best fair and square. Good work. 
--SMQ
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28steps.png.zip