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        riddles >> hard >> Alien Experiment
        
(Message started by: Enigami on Jun 11^th, 2013, 7:13pm)

Title: Alien Experiment
Post by Enigami on Jun 11^th, 2013, 7:13pm

Hi guys!
I hope this riddle is not already posted, by someone else(or me) (I did some effort and didn't find it) and that this is it's rightful place.
It goes as follows:

20 mathematicians are abducted into a huge alien spaceship. After being physically tested, they hear this telepathic message:
"Greeting Earthlings. We present to you a mental challenge. You will each receive a number from 1 to 20, with, possibly, repetitions.This number will hollographically appear above your head, but you can not see your own number.
Then, you will be inserted into a room with all the other Earthlings. Any form of communication with the other Earthlings in this room will result your collective and creative death.
At the end, each one will be simultaneously and telepathically asked about the number above his head.
If one or more of you have it right, you will all be granted a cake. It is not a lie.
Otherwise, for the sake of science, further 'experimentation' on you will be conducted.
You may discuss a strategy among yourselves before the challenge begins, before getting your numbers. Ok, we love you, babye"
As one of the mathematicians, what strategy would you propose to maximize the group's chance of getting cake?

Hint below:
[hideb] You can devise a faultless cake obtaining strategy [/hideb]

Title: Re: Alien Experiment
Post by Enigami on Jun 11^th, 2013, 10:15pm

Oh wait. I have. And also was surprised to see I came up with the same story. Old thread link (http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~wwu/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=riddles_hard;action=display;num=1266181811;start=2#2)

Title: Re: Alien Experiment
Post by towr on Jun 12^th, 2013, 10:16am

I'm impressed you managed to find it back after three years :P

I'm less impressed that I keep forgetting the answer. :-[

Title: Re: Alien Experiment
Post by nakli on Aug 21^st, 2013, 1:42am

There are few solutions. But Hippo has left an open question (refer to his comment asking for the number of 'latin hypercubes' possible) as to how many possible solutions can exist ..