快猫短视频

#216 Game of stones

Set by Daniel Griller

Let鈥檚 play a game, dear reader. I have placed three stones on a number line: one on 0, one on 20 and one on 40. You and I shall take the game in turns; on a turn, a player picks up one of the two outer stones and places it on a whole number between the other two stones. The game continues until the stones occupy three consecutive whole numbers, whereupon no further moves can be made, and the game ends. The player who made the final move is the winner.

As the game is played by my rules, I will let you have the first move. I feel compelled to warn you, however, that only perfect play will result in my defeat. So here is your challenge: to play this game of stones and claim victory over its creator.

Solution next week

#215 Trivia Tuesday

Solution

Remarkably, the nth day of the nth month will be a Tuesday in four more months in 2023: 6/6, 8/8, 10/10 and 12/12.

In each of the pairs of months April/May, June/July, Aug/Sept and Oct/Nov there are 61 days, and therefore two days later than that (63 days) the date will have advanced by two days and two months.

This is why 4 April, 6 June, 8 August etc fall on the same day of the week every year (though the 2 February never does).