Are there libraries that will allow for full multicore utilization in Python from the numeric analysis stuff? Am I wrong that Python isn't a great language for a computational experiment like this?
How to solve the "Mastermind" guessing game? (2009)
11–20 of 33 posts
Re: How to solve the "Mastermind" guessing game? (2009)
#12This game is part of the Simon Tatham's Puzzle collection as "Guess" ( https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/puzzles/js/gues... ) I've seen a lot of algorithms for how to play this, Donal Knuth has one that can win in 5 moves, but none that are really usable by humans. The method I use, which seems to always win is: Guess 1111 Depending how many 1's were right, Guess 1222, 1122, 1112, 2222 Continue in this man…
Re: How to solve the "Mastermind" guessing game? (2009)
#13This game is part of the Simon Tatham's Puzzle collection as "Guess" ( https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/puzzles/js/gues... ) I've seen a lot of algorithms for how to play this, Donal Knuth has one that can win in 5 moves, but none that are really usable by humans. The method I use, which seems to always win is: Guess 1111 Depending how many 1's were right, Guess 1222, 1122, 1112, 2222 Continue in this man…
Knuth's algorithm was in a short paper reprinted in one of his collections -- I forget which, but I think there was a "Fun and Games" one?
I was certain he wrote the article about MOO and/or bulls and cows, but it seems like I remember wrong.
Re: How to solve the "Mastermind" guessing game? (2009)
#14Re: How to solve the "Mastermind" guessing game? (2009)
#15Earlier quoted context omitted.
Knuth's algorithm was in a short paper reprinted in one of his collections -- I forget which, but I think there was a "Fun and Games" one?
It is in the book "Selected papers on fun and games". But it is also available as a separate article "The Computer as Master Mind”. I was certain he wrote the article about MOO and/or bulls and cows, but it seems like I remember wrong.
It minimizes the worst-case, not the expected number of moves. I think Knuth’s algorithm can be beaten in that respect.
Re: How to solve the "Mastermind" guessing game? (2009)
#16So they are doing a large problem space investigation with Python? Are there libraries that will allow for full multicore utilization in Python from the numeric analysis stuff? Am I wrong that Python isn't a great language for a computational experiment like this?
Re: How to solve the "Mastermind" guessing game? (2009)
#17https://github.com/coding-horror/basic-computer-games/blob/m...
Re: How to solve the "Mastermind" guessing game? (2009)
#18So they are doing a large problem space investigation with Python? Are there libraries that will allow for full multicore utilization in Python from the numeric analysis stuff? Am I wrong that Python isn't a great language for a computational experiment like this?
There's nothing large about that space. With 6 colors and 4 choices you get 1296 possibilities. Would have been peanuts even for the first 8-bit home computers.
Re: How to solve the "Mastermind" guessing game? (2009)
#19So they are doing a large problem space investigation with Python? Are there libraries that will allow for full multicore utilization in Python from the numeric analysis stuff? Am I wrong that Python isn't a great language for a computational experiment like this?
There's nothing large about that space. With 6 colors and 4 choices you get 1296 possibilities. Would have been peanuts even for the first 8-bit home computers.